If you’re constantly referring to several sources of data at work, you might have more than one computer monitor at your workstation. Having two monitors allows you to keep all your information in view, saving you time by eliminating the need to switch between windows. But adding new hardware to your workstation can create potential new ergonomic concerns. It’s important to use your dual-monitor system carefully and wisely to avoid putting additional strain on your body and to ensure comfort throughout your workday. To find the most ergonomic workstation arrangement, you must answer two questions: What are your physical needs and what are your working needs? Here’s how you can figure out the best way to arrange your dual-monitor workstation based on your answers.

Factor in Your Physical Needs

Ergonomic design is all about working with your body’s natural structure. The goal of ergonomic design is to reduce the amount of strain on your body during the workday by keeping you in a natural and comfortable position. Because each person’s body is unique, with variations in height, frame size, length of limbs, and other factors, furniture is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Ergonomic furniture and accessories are typically adjustable, allowing you to set them to fit your body’s individual requirements. Deciding how to position your monitors in relation to your body depends on several factors. The best practice for using a single monitor is to center it in front of your face, roughly an arm's length or 18 to 28 inches away. This distance can vary depending on your comfort. What’s important is that your neck remains in a neutral position, so you don’t have to tilt it back and look up to view the top line of the monitor. When using two monitors, the same rules apply. To avoid eye strain, make sure that both monitors use the same screen resolution and are positioned at the same height: eye level. Your optimal eye level depends on whether or not you wear corrective lenses and if so, which type. If you wear bifocals, trifocals, or progressive lenses, you should position your monitors slightly below eye level, so that you can read the screens without tilting your head. Using adjustable ergonomic monitor arms and an adjustable office chair ensures that you’re positioned at the right height to view your two monitors.

Don’t Neglect Your Working Needs

The second important factor in determining the ergonomic arrangement of your dual-monitor workstation is the way you work. If you have one primary monitor you use the majority of the time and a second monitor you use less often, position the primary monitor in front of you as you would a single monitor. Place the secondary monitor off to the side where you can view it with just a slight turn of your head. Arrange your keyboard and mouse so you can easily shift them to the side for comfortable work when using the secondary monitor. This will prevent added strain to your wrists. If you use both monitors equally, center them in front of you. They should be positioned with their inner edges touching as if they combine to make one long monitor. With this configuration, it may help to position the monitors a little farther away from you, so your field of vision includes a wider span and you don’t have to turn your head as much to view both screens. Alternatively, you may prefer angling the two monitors slightly to meet in the middle — though not enough to distort your view of either screen. Place your keyboard and mouse squarely in front of you to avoid creating tension in the shoulders, neck, or back. You may find that an ergonomic keyboard tray helps you type in an ergonomic position. When you’re working at your desk for hours at a time, proper ergonomics are key. The Back Store has everything you need to stay healthy and pain-free on the job — from ensuring that your dual-monitor system is at the right height, to keeping your back supported in a comfortable office chair. Contact our helpful team today to learn more about our extensive range of ergonomic furniture and accessories.