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38% of remote workers work from bed

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Re: 38% of remote workers work from bed

#191
post #181

I've been working remote for about 10 years. I've had "real" offices. I've worked in open-plan offices. I've had a home office. I've worked from bed. There are tons of good ways to do it. Lately I swap between a kitchen table and a chair on my porch. I no longer use multiple screens, I've just gotten really fast at swapping windows on my 15" laptop; I've gotten good at figuring out how wide my terminal window breaks…

Just reading this got me thinking. Something may be obvious but I have yet to see anyone written or pointing it out. Does Remote Work prevent burn out?

No, it's a tool, not a panacea.

If you are feeling disconnected from the value of your work, being away from other people doesn't reconnect you.

If you are fire-fighting one emergency after another, not seeing other people in vivo doesn't get you downtime.

Re: 38% of remote workers work from bed

#192

I'm still amazed at how we lack both ergonomic and comfortable ways to use computers, it's usually just either one or the other, never both. Imagine a large pillow that's shaped vaguely like human back should be when resting, which you could put on your bed to support your entire back, neck and head, at a slight incline. Then, add a keyboard support that can be moved around, alongside with one for mouse (or just a tr…

The most capable and ergonomic interface device I have found is, after extensive configuration, the Steam Controller. For file management, web browsing and social media I don't really have to use a keyboard aside from typing, and in both modes my posture is symmetric. Transition to games is of course seamless.

Sadly, it is no longer on the market but the community behind it expects a new model.

Re: 38% of remote workers work from bed

#193
post #33

Maybe this is because a lot of tech workers are living in cities? Where space is expensive? There's no reason to live in a city if you work remote.

The article isn't about tech workers and people can decide to work from bed for reasons other than a lack of space. I've seen my partner do it for comfort reasons because her job involves reading huge amounts (on an iPad), but as an engineer I would never consider it.

Re: 38% of remote workers work from bed

#196

I'm still amazed at how we lack both ergonomic and comfortable ways to use computers, it's usually just either one or the other, never both. Imagine a large pillow that's shaped vaguely like human back should be when resting, which you could put on your bed to support your entire back, neck and head, at a slight incline. Then, add a keyboard support that can be moved around, alongside with one for mouse (or just a tr…

Is $7k really expensive even for non-programming jobs? Assuming a 5-year lifespan, that comes at around $120/month which should be affordable to most of the developed world.

I have another theory: The reason we didn't adopt such ergonomic setups is because they look "weird". We are quite used to sitting in chairs and it's not quite far from sitting on a rock.

A customized ergonomic setup will pay itself in quite a short time.

Re: 38% of remote workers work from bed

#197
post #153

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I've just gotten really fast at swapping windows on my 15" laptop; How's your spine? my neck can't handle laptops any more.

I really don't know much in this area but this seems to be more of a posture thing. A physiotherapist told me he only uses laptops because apparently that's the best combined with the right table and chair due to the tilted, low screen. In my experience he's at least not completely wrong, but in the long term I still aim to try a standing desk to mix it up, sooner or later sitting in general feels wrong when I overdo…

I suspect the real problem is lack of movement. If you spend long periods of time in the same position no matter how good your posture is it is going to cause a problem.

Re: 38% of remote workers work from bed

#198
post #28

Anyone complaining about the pain doesn't know how to work in bed. lie face down and prop your chest up with a pillow. you can work for hours that way. When that gets tiring, roll over, and brace yourself against the backboard or wall with the same pillow to support your lumbar. repeat for zero back stress computer programming.

I'm a fan of raising my legs and propping the laptop up against my knee. Comfortable typing angle and my head can rest on a very small pillow so I am no craning my neck forward.
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