The desk you select is not only the centerpiece of your workplace; it is the key to efficiency and comfort in your everyday life. If you spend a lot of time at your desk there are a variety of factors that you need to consider before making a new purchase. First ensure that the desk area is deep enough to accommodate a monitor placed at least 20 inches away from your eyes. This is critical to reduce eyestrain and I can speak from experience that this is VERY uncomfortable and deleterious to your health over time. Also, avoid glass tops and glossy desktops. Ensure that your desktops have a matte finish to minimize glare.

Choose a desk with a work surface large enough to accommodate a monitor and a keyboard. Normally, a desk with a depth of about 30 inches is used to accommodate these items. The height of the desk should be adjustable between 20 inches and 28 inches while the user is in sitting position. The desk surface should be at about the height of your elbow while sitting with your feet flat on the floor. Adjustability between seated and standing heights is desirable.

Ensure that you have sufficient space to place the frequently used items like keyboard, mouse, and monitor directly in front of you. Remember the more efficient your workstation is the less straining and stretching you will be doing on a daily basis.

Your desk should provide enough space underneath for your legs while sitting in all convenient positions. The minimum under-desk clearance depth should be 15 inches for your knees and 24 inches for your feet. There should be at least 20 inches clearance width. If you purchase a desk with a fixed height, ensure that you have a keyboard tray to provide enough height adjustment to suit multiple users.

The leading edge of the work surface should be wide enough to accommodate the arms of your chair, usually about 24 inches to 27 inches. If the space is lesser than this, it will interfere with armrests and restrict your movement. This is to be kept in mind especially while working in four-corner work units. Rounded or sloping surfaces are preferable to prevent scraping of the skin.

While this may seems like an extensive list it is crucial that all these items be considered in order to maintain good posture, good health, and retain vitality after working at your desk all day long.

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