desk-ergonomics-audit

Desk Ergonomics Audit

Most desk pain comes from a handful of misalignments you can fix for free by moving things a few inches — a screen too low, a chair too high, wrists bent at the keyboard. This audits your setup point by point, gives the specific adjustment for each, and only suggests buying something when a free fix won't do.

What This Skill Produces

• A point-by-point audit — chair, desk height, monitor, keyboard, mouse, lighting, laptop use
• The specific fix for each — the exact adjustment (raise screen to eye level, elbows ~90°, feet supported)
• Free-first ranking — reposition and improvise before spending; books under a monitor beat a new stand
• Targeted cheap upgrades — only where a free fix can't solve it (e.g., external keyboard for laptop users)
• Micro-break habits — the movement cadence that matters more than any single tweak
• A pain flag — persistent pain, numbness, or tingling → see a professional

Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:

• The complaint — neck, upper/lower back, wrists, shoulders, eyes — or a proactive check
• Your setup — desk, chair, monitor(s) or laptop, keyboard/mouse, lighting
• Laptop or desktop — laptop-only setups need specific fixes
• Constraints — budget, space, standing desk, dual monitors
• Hours & symptoms — time seated, and stiffness vs actual pain/numbness

Framework: Align, Free-First, Move

1. Set the neutral posture targets. Eyes at the top third of the screen, elbows ~90°, wrists straight, feet supported, thighs level — audit against these.
2. Fix with what's there first. Raise the monitor on books, lower the chair, pull the keyboard closer — most fixes cost nothing.
3. Solve laptop neck. A laptop forces a choice between neck and wrists — the fix is almost always raise the screen + external keyboard/mouse.
4. Buy only where needed. Recommend a cushion, footrest, or keyboard only when repositioning can't solve it.
5. Movement beats the perfect chair. Build in micro-breaks and position changes — stillness is the real problem.

Output Format

Ergonomics audit: [complaint] · [setup] · [laptop/desktop]

| Area | Target | Your fix |

|---|---|---|

| Monitor | top ~third at eye level | [raise/lower] |

| Chair | thighs level, feet supported | [adjust] |

| Keyboard/mouse | elbows ~90°, wrists straight | [reposition] |

| Lighting | no glare, screen not brightest thing | [fix] |

| Laptop | screen up + external input | [if applicable] |

Free fixes first: [list]. Worth buying (only if needed): [item → why].

Move: micro-break every [x] — [cue].

> Persistent pain, numbness, or tingling isn't an ergonomics tweak — see a professional.

Quality Checks

• [ ] Audits each area against a clear neutral-posture target
• [ ] Prioritizes free repositioning over purchases
• [ ] Gives the specific laptop fix (raise + external input) when relevant
• [ ] Recommends purchases only where a free fix won't work
• [ ] Includes a micro-break/movement habit
• [ ] Flags persistent pain/numbness for a professional

Anti-Patterns

• Leading with gear to buy before free fixes.
• Generic "sit properly" with no specific targets.
• Ignoring laptop-specific neck/wrist tradeoffs.
• No movement advice — treating posture as static.
• Dismissing pain/numbness that needs a professional.

Example Trigger Phrases

• "My wrists hurt at my desk — can you check my setup?"
• "Audit my home-office ergonomics, I work on a laptop all day."
• "Neck pain from my monitor — how should I set it up?"
• "Best free fixes for my desk before I buy anything?"
• "Set up my dual-monitor workstation ergonomically."