OE Group Main Logo
Product has been added to your basket.
0

The Holiday Remote Work Ergonomic Survival Guide

Advice
Surviving the Holidays OE cover image

How Does Laptop Use Increase the Risk of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Laptop use can strain the wrists, neck, and shoulders. Because the screen and keyboard are fixed, it often leads to awkward wrist and hand positions that place pressure on the median nerve. Simple adjustments, such as raising your screen and using an external keyboard and mouse, can help prevent discomfort and reduce the risk of carpal tunnel symptoms.

In this article:

There’s something about going home for the holidays. It’s nostalgic, it’s cosy, it’s comfortingly familiar, and it’s also where you’re now expected to log in and do actual work, somewhere between your mum livestreaming her latest batch of sausage rolls, your dad attempting to sync the fairy lights to his phone, and the children battling it out on Black Ops 6 or FC 25, volume hovering between “stadium” and “air raid siren.” Neighbours and friends pop in for a quick hello (it’s never quick), and there’s a general assumption that if you’re home, you can’t possibly be working.

Sound familiar?

Wherever you end up working: kitchen table, spare room, that corner of the sofa, your body doesn’t care that it’s the holidays. Spend long enough hunched over makeshift workspaces and you’ll greet the New Year with a stiff neck, an angry lower back, and possibly a standing appointment with a physiotherapist.

The good news?

You don’t need a fancy ergonomic setup to stay comfortable – just a bit of ingenuity and a quick rummage through the house. This isn’t about recreating your office; it’s about survival. Think of it as ergonomic DIY to keep your spine on speaking terms with you.

Back to in-page navigation
survival guide sign icon

The Four Fundamentals

Santa Hat Icon

Holiday Edition

Even in the most questionable of workspaces, remember the golden rules:

Woman typing on keyboard while on conference call
Head Right
Man typing at home on laptop in Christmas
Arms Right
Man showing correct posture in a chair
Back Right
Woman stretching overhead when working at standing desk
Move Right

Get these sorted and you’ll survive the season without needing an emergency massage.

Section 1: Seating

When Your Chair Has No Adjustments (And Possibly No Wheels)

small first aid icon
What You Need
Illustration of worker on chair

Full back support (lumbar to shoulder blades)

Foot positioning illustration

Feet flat on the floor, thighs parallel to ground

Cartoon image showing worker illustration

Ability to sit all the way back without perching like a nervous bird

Start by choosing the best chair available:

Tick and Cross Chair Icon

Choose the firm dining chair over the “comfy” armchair or sofa. That overstuffed armchair looks inviting but offers zero support. You’ll sink into it and emerge three hours later shaped like a prawn.

Chair Icon Tick and Cross Image

Choose the chair with a full back over the backless stool. Your back needs something to lean against. This is non-negotiable unless you fancy looking like the Hunchback of Notre Dame by New Year.

Now that you’ve got your chair, let’s make it actually work for you:

household heros icon

Household Heroes

Man holding pillow in his hands

The Cushion

You’re looking for a small, firm cushion or throw pillow. Place it in the small of your back (lumbar area). It should feel supportive, not like you’re leaning against a marshmallow.

hand pointing icon
Test

When you sit back, does the cushion push your spine into a gentle, natural curve? Good. Does it feel like you’re slowly sinking into a cushion void? Wrong cushion. Try again.

showing correct leg positioning for ergonomics

The Foot Support

Here’s the ideal: feet flat on floor, thighs parallel to the ground. Simple in theory. In practice? Standard dining chairs seem designed for some mythical “average person” who definitely isn’t you.

If your feet are dangling

You need elevation. Hunt down:

Footstool demonstration
A footstool

(check the bathroom, your mum always has one hidden somewhere)

Using shoebox as a footrest
A sturdy box

(delivery boxes are perfectly sized, just reinforce with tape)

Using books as a footrest
A stack of thick books

(those coffee table tomes about Tuscany that nobody reads? Suddenly useful)

Dangling feet put pressure on the backs of your thighs and lower back. Physics doesn’t care that you’re on holiday.

If your knees are higher than your hips (common with taller people):

This creates pressure on your lower back and compresses your hip flexors. You have two options:

Pillow being placed on chair
Raise yourself up

Add a firm cushion or folded towel to your seat to lift your hips higher than your knees. Test it—you want your thighs sloping slightly downward, not creating a V-shape with your knees as the peak.

Chair at desk showing lowering your feet
Lower your feet

If the chair is adjustable, lower it. If not, and you can’t raise yourself enough with cushions, you might need to find a different chair entirely. Look for lower seating options—kitchen chairs are sometimes lower than dining chairs.

hand pointing icon
Test

When you sit all the way back with good posture, your thighs should be roughly parallel to the floor (or sloping very slightly downward from hip to knee). Your feet should rest flat without you having to point your toes or lift your heels.

pin icon
What you’re trying to avoid:
  • Feet dangling (pressure on backs of thighs)
  • Knees significantly higher than hips (lower back and hip flexor compression)
  • Feet stretched out trying to reach the floor (you’ll end up sliding forward in the chair)
  • Toes on tiptoes because the floor is just slightly too far (calf tension, unstable position)

Section 2: Your “Desk”

Making Peace With Surfaces That Were Never Meant for This

small first aid icon
What You Need
Cartoon image showing positioning on a stable surface on a table

A stable surface (revolutionary, we know)

Cartoon image showing laptop, with mug with a hot drink, and mouse

Feet flat on the floor, thighs parallel to ground

Cartoon image showing man sitting on desk in chair

Height that allows your elbows to bend at roughly 90 degrees

household heros icon

Household Heroes

Man typing on laptop with books

The Kitchen Counter (Standing Edition)

Kitchen counters are accidentally brilliant standing desks. They’re stable, they’re the right height for most people, and they give you an excuse to hover near the biscuit tin. Work standing for 20-30 minutes at a time, then switch back to sitting.

Using ironing board as a makeshift ergonomic desk

The Ironing Board (Surprisingly Genius)

Hear us out: ironing boards are height-adjustable, stable, and available in basically every household. Yes, you’ll feel ridiculous. No, we don’t care. Adjust it to elbow height, test for stability (give it a little shake—if it wobbles, add books underneath the legs for stability), and you’ve got yourself a makeshift standing desk.

Woman speaking on headset working from home with laptop on books

The Dining or Kitchen Table (The Default Option)

Most people end up here.

How to optimise it:

Extended laptop holder when working at home
If the table is too low:

Use books or a laptop stand to raise your screen to eye level (more on this in Section 3)

Hands holding a pillow putting it on the chair
If the table is too high

Check if you can adjust your chair height. If not, add cushions to sit higher. If your feet then dangle, refer back to Foot Support (Section 2). It’s a balancing act. Literally.

Hand on back of chair
Claim your territory early

First person at the table gets the corner with back-to-wall positioning (fewer distractions, better focus, optimal “I’m very busy working” vibes)

stop icon
Absolutely Do Not Work From
  • The bed. We know. We understand the temptation. The answer is still no. Your spine will rebel, your productivity will tank, and you’ll somehow end up horizontal watching Netflix claiming you’re “just resting your eyes.”
  • The sofa. Same energy as the bed, slightly more upright, equally terrible for your body.
  • Unstable surfaces. That wobbly side table? The coffee table where you have to sit on the floor? Nope. You’re an adult with a spine. Act accordingly.

Section 3: Screen Position

Books Are Your New Best Friend (Finally, A Use for Them)

small first aid icon
What You Need
Cartoon image of woman working at desk showing correct working height
  • Screen directly in front of you
  • Top of screen at eye level (or just below)
  • Screen about an arm’s length away (roughly 20-28 inches/
    50-71 centimetres)
household heros icon

Household Heroes

Typing with laptop on top of books

The Book Stack

Hunt down hardback books.

How to build a stable laptop riser:
01

Start with the largest, flattest book as the base

02

Stack evenly

03

Test stability before trusting it with your laptop (give it a gentle shake)

04

Adjust height until the top line of your screen hits eye level when you’re sitting with good posture

05

Use your external keyboard and mouse (you packed them, right?) so you’re not typing on a laptop that’s now at eye level

Alternative Risers:
Laptop on shoebox
Large shoebox

Sturdy, flat, surprisingly effective

Cookbook on chopping block
Hardback cookbook or large chopping board

The thick wooden kind, not the bendy plastic one

3 stacked small delivery boxes
Stacked delivery boxes

Reinforce with tape, test for stability, acknowledge the irony of using delivery packaging to improve your workspace

tablet icon
If You Have a Tablet

Same rules apply. Use a stand or prop it up on books. You’ll need that external keyboard even more urgently because tablet keyboards are ergonomic nightmares. If your parents have a Smart TV, consider connecting your tablet to it—suddenly you have a proper monitor. Holiday innovation at its finest.

stop icon
The Non-Negotiables
  • Never work with laptop on your lap for extended periods. That’s not ergonomics, that’s a one-way ticket to neck pain and possibly overheated thighs. Nobody wins.
  • Your neck should be neutral. If you’re looking down, your screen is too low. If you’re looking up, it’s too high.
  • One screen directly in front. If you’re twisting your neck to see your screen, you’re setting yourself up for a physio appointment in January.
pro tip icon
Pro Tip

If you’re working in a room with a mirror, use it to check your posture from the side. Are you craning forward like a tortoise? Adjust accordingly.

Section 4: Mouse & Keyboard

The 90-Degree Rule (Plus Strategic Notepad Placement)

small first aid icon
What You Need
Cartoon image showing correct back posture
  • Keyboard and mouse at elbow height (that magical 90-degree bend)
  • Both centrally aligned with your body (no twisting, no reaching)
  • Somewhere for your forearms to rest (they’re heavier than you think)
household heros icon

Household Heroes

Notepad being used as mouse mat

The Notepad Stack (For Mouse Elevation)

Your keyboard is flat on the table. Your mouse is also flat on the table. But the mouse is slightly lower due to surface angles or possibly just spite. This tiny height difference matters.

Grab a thin notebook or a small stack of paper (your dad’s crossword puzzle book, junk mail, that notepad from a hotel in 2009) and place it under your mouse. Now your mouse and keyboard are at the same height. Your wrist stays straight instead of bent. Small adjustment, big difference.

Mouse and keyboard next to Christmas tree
Keep Mouse Close

Your mouse should practically be snuggling your keyboard. The further away it is, the more you have to reach, the more your shoulder protests. If you’re extending your arm fully to use the mouse, you’ve positioned it wrong. Bring it closer. Personal space doesn’t apply to peripherals.

Man typing on keyboard
Forearm Support (The Table Edge Strategy)

If your chair has no armrests (likely), use the table. Rest your forearms on the table surface while typing and mousing. This takes the weight off your shoulders and upper back.

watch icon
Watch out for

Sharp table edges digging into your forearms. If the edge is cutting into your skin, fold a tea towel and place it along the edge as padding. Or shift your chair position slightly back.

Resting wrists on hard surfaces while typing. Your forearms should rest, not your wrists. Keep wrists straight and hovering slightly above the keyboard.

alignment check icon
Alignment Check
  • Keyboard directly in front of you (centred with your body)
  • Mouse immediately next to keyboard on your dominant side
  • Both at elbow height
  • Elbows bent at roughly 90 degrees
  • Forearms supported
  • Wrists straight (not bent up, down, or sideways)
thought bubble icon

If you’re thinking “This seems overly fussy for just working a few hours”—consider that “a few hours” usually turns into six, and those bent wrists compound into wrist pain faster than you can say “carpal tunnel.” Better to sort it now than regret it later.

Section 5: Lighting

Because Eye Strain Doesn’t Take a Holiday Either

small first aid icon
What You Need
cartoon image showing natural light

Natural light exposure (boosts mood, focus, productivity—all the good things)

cartoon image of monitor

No glare on your screen (bad for eyes, worse for Zoom calls where you look like a witness protection participant)

cartoon image showing lighting on a desk

Adequate task lighting for reading documents

Woman sat typing with laptop on top of books for correct posture

The Window Strategy

Best position: Sit perpendicular to windows (window to your side, not in front or behind you). This gives you natural light without glare. Aim to be at least 3 feet (91 cm) away from the window—close enough for light, far enough to avoid glare issues.

Indoor lighting in an office

Indoor Lighting

Avoid overhead lighting directly above your screen. It creates glare and contrast issues. If you’re in a room with harsh overhead lights and no control over them, angle your screen slightly to minimise reflection.

Task lighting is your friend. If you’re reading paper documents, you need 4-5 times more light than reading a screen requires.

Find:

  • A table lamp or reading lamp
  • Position it behind or to the side of your monitor (not shining directly at the screen)
  • Use it for document reading, not screen work

If the lighting is terrible everywhere: Consider working in different rooms at different times of day. Morning light in the kitchen, afternoon in the sitting room, evening at the dining table. Nomadic working, but for light optimisation.

Woman looking out of window drinking from mug

Eye Care (Free and Effective)

20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet (6 m) away for 20 seconds. Set a timer. Actually do it.

Blink frequently. You blink less when staring at screens. Conscious blinking prevents dry eyes.

Adjust screen brightness to match ambient lighting (not blazing bright in a dark room, not dim in bright light)

Section 6: Documents & Screens – The Improvised Document Holder

(Because You Packed Everything Except This)

person pointing right icon
The Reality

You’re constantly looking down at papers on the table, then up at your screen, then down again. Your neck is doing more cardio than you’ve done all December. You keep losing your place. This is inefficient and painful.

small first aid icon
What You Need
cartoon of man working on desk with document holder, laptop and keyboard with mouse
  • Documents at eye level (or close to it)
  • Same focal distance as your screen (reduces eye strain from refocusing)
  • Upright positioning
household heros icon

Household Heroes

Picture frame next to laptop while working
The Picture Frame Stand

Look for a large stand-up picture frame (the kind that props up on a desk). Remove the photo of your parents’ holiday in Cornwall. Slide your document in front of the frame backing, or lean it against the frame. Instant document holder. Return the photo of Cornwall when you’re done.

Man writing with notepad with laptop propped on books for height
The Cutting Board Lean

Got a large wooden cutting board or chopping board? Prop it at an angle against something stable (a book, a box, the wall). Lean your documents against it.

document above keyboard with laptop on books
The Keyboard-to-Screen Gap

If you’ve raised your screen on books or a stand, there’s now space between the keyboard and the screen. Place documents in this gap, propped upright. Not perfect, but better than flat on the table.

Project proposal document standing on a desk
The Folded Box Method

Take a cereal box or delivery box. Fold it into an L-shape or triangular prism (like a tent). Tape it to hold the shape. Place documents against it at an angle. Congratulate yourself on this feat of ergonomic engineering with household recycling.

why icon
Why This Actually Matters:

Reduces neck strain: You’re not constantly looking down and up, down and up, like a very slow, very boring tennis match
Reduces eye strain: Your eyes don’t have to constantly refocus between two different distances
Improves efficiency: You’ll actually read faster and make fewer mistakes when you’re not craning your neck

Section 7: Movement

The Free Ergonomic Solution (And the One You’ll Definitely Skip)

small first aid icon
What You Need
Cartoon of man walking in snow with boots
  • Regular breaks (every 30-45 minutes is ideal, every hour is the absolute maximum)
  • Micro-breaks (2-4 minutes of movement)
  • Variety (alternate sitting and standing if possible)
movement icon
The Mantra: “Motion is Lotion.”

You’re constantly looking down at papers on the table, then up at your screen, then down again. Your neck is doing more cardio than you’ve done all December. You keep losing your place. This is inefficient and painful.

Setting a 30 minute timer of iPhone
Set a Timer (Seriously, Do It):
  • Phone alarm, kitchen timer, that old egg timer your mum still uses
  • Set it for 30-45 minutes
  • When it goes off, stand up and move for 2-4 minutes
Woman drinking glass of water at home
The Small Water Glass Trick

Use a small glass instead of a large water bottle. You’ll need to refill it more often. Every refill = a break. Every refill = walking to the kitchen. Every refill = movement. Plus hydration. Plus more toilet breaks (which are also movement). It’s a self-sustaining system.

Man talking on the phone at home
Phone Calls = Walking Time

Taking a call? Stand up. Walk around. Pace the hallway. Your blood circulation improves, you sound more engaged (movement affects your voice), and you avoid the stiffness from sitting too long.

Woman stretching overhead while working from home on laptop
Active Breaks (Things You Can Do in 2 Minutes):
  • Stretch while reading a long email (neck rolls, shoulder shrugs, reaching overhead)
  • Stand for video calls you’re not presenting in (just make sure the camera is still at a good angle)
  • Walk to a different room between tasks (change of scenery resets your brain)
  • Do calf raises while waiting for something to load (your legs will thank you)
pin icon
The 20-20-20 Rule (Again, Because It’s That Important):

Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Rests your eyes. Prevents eye strain. Easy to remember. Hard to actually do because you’ll forget. Hence: set a timer.

Focused view of woman's eye
Additional Eye Movement Exercises
  • Blink frequently (you blink less when staring at screens—do it consciously)
  • Roll your eyes slowly (up, down, side to side—not at your family, at the ceiling)
  • Focus near then far (look at your screen, then at something across the room, repeat)
pin icon
The “Next Posture Is the Best Posture” Philosophy

There is no single perfect position for eight hours. The best posture is the one you change regularly. Shift in your seat. Adjust your position. Alternate between sitting and standing. Your body is designed to move, not to hold a static position like a statue.

Man holding his hands up to the camera
If your family asks why you keep standing up

“I’m stretching” (true)
“I need to move” (also true)
“Ergonomics” (conversation ender)
“It’s for work” (vague enough to stop questions)

pin icon white
Pro Tip

Combine movement with holiday tasks. Need to move? Offer to make tea for everyone (you’re moving AND scoring family points). Need a break? “Help” with dinner prep. Strategic multitasking.

Conclusion: Good Enough Is Actually Good Enough (for the holidays)

You’re not going to win Ergonomic Setup of the Year working from your parents’ dining table surrounded by half-eaten selection boxes. And that’s fine.

You’re not trying to recreate your office. You’re trying to make it through the holidays without returning to work in January needing emergency physio, a new chair, and possibly a neck brace.

Matt typing on laptop on books while trying to work in Christmas. Message from Steph on the laptop as a sticker
What you’ve achieved with some books, a cushion, and strategic timer-setting:
  • Supported your back instead of letting it collapse into a sad prawn shape
  • Elevated your screen so your neck isn’t permanently craned downward
  • Positioned your keyboard and mouse so your wrists aren’t bent at anatomically questionable angles
  • Actually moved your body instead of fossilizing in place for hours
  • Protected your eyes from strain using the magic of looking away occasionally

Is it perfect? Absolutely not.

Is it better than hunching over a laptop balanced on your knees while sitting on the sofa? Significantly.

And really, that’s the goal: good enough to avoid pain, simple enough to actually do, effective enough to matter.

Your spine doesn’t take a holiday. But with a bit of household MacGyvering, it doesn’t have to suffer through one either.

circle tick icon

Final Checklist
Are You Set Up Properly?

Quick audit before you settle in

Sitting all the way back in chair (not perching on edge)

Cushion supporting lower back (if needed)

Feet flat on floor or footrest (not dangling)

Screen at eye level (top line of text when head is neutral)

Screen arm’s length away (roughly 20-28 in / 50-71 cm)

Keyboard and mouse at elbow height (90-degree bend)

Mouse next to keyboard (not miles away)

Forearms supported (resting on table or armrests)

Documents upright (if using any)

Timer set for breaks (30-45 minutes)

Water glass within reach (small glass for more refills)

Window glare managed (sitting perpendicular to window)

If you’ve ticked most of these, you’re golden. If you’ve ticked none, stop reading and go adjust your setup. We’ll wait.

What’s Next?

bookmarks icon
Bookmark this guide for your next working holiday.
Press Ctrl+D (or Cmd+D on Mac) to bookmark this page.

Share it with someone currently working from their childhood bedroom wondering why their back hurts. Forward it to your colleague who’s definitely hunched over a laptop on their parents’ sofa right now.

Back at your real desk in January? Let’s make it work properly.

Get an OE Assessment

Related Articles