13 Ergonomic Home Office Gifts For Healthy Home Workers

Working from home can be surprisingly hazardous for your health, so get your loved one a gift that will keep them happy at their desks.

You may think that people that work from home have it easy.

Sitting behind their desks in their PJs all day, with an ample supply of tea, coffee and donuts to get stuck in to, and no commute to worry about.

However, this home working environment isn't always as cushy as it sounds.

Because the sedentary nature of office work can be really damaging for their body if they're not careful.

As sitting down for 8 hours or more each day can be a major cause of lower back pain, while staring at a screen constantly can strain their eyes and make their head throb.

Then there are the repetitive strain injuries from things like typing and using a mouse.

And if they're on the phone all day, they can easily strain their neck when balancing the headset between their neck and shoulders to keep their hands free.

So, if you have a friend or loved one who works from home, how about getting them something to help them avoid these problems?

Because they are less likely to have the correct ergonomic equipment that would be commonplace in most modern offices.

So, I've come up with the following list of ergonomic home office gift ideas which will all make a huge difference to their workday.

What Type Of Ergonomic Gifts Are Useful For Keeping Home Office Workers Healthy?

Being able to stay pain-free in your home office is all about setting your workstation up in the right way to minimise the pressure and strain on your body throughout the day.

As there are plenty of mistakes you can make in this regard that can cause pain, such as using an inadequate office chair without lumbar support, and having your screen too low or off center.

However, the good news is that these mistakes can easily be rectified with a little organisation, and by using the right equipment for the job.

And this gives us plenty of options when it comes to buying an ergonomic gift for a home worker, such as:

As all of these things can really help to create a safer and healthier home office environment to work in.

So, let's start with one of the most important things, which is the chair they sit in every day.

1. An Ergonomic Office Chair For Healthy Sitting

One of the biggest problems for anyone that works in an office is the amount of time they have to spend sitting down.

As this compresses the spinal discs and weakens the core muscles, which over time can be a major cause of lower back pain.

And one thing that makes it even worse is when they sit in a crappy office chair all day.

Because if they use a chair that doesn't fit them, can't be adjusted, and has zero lumbar support, then it will put their body under all sorts of extra pressure and strain.

And before they know it, neck, back, and shoulder pain at their desk is the norm.

So the first ergonomic gift idea that can keep a home worker healthy in their office is to get them an ergonomic office chair.

As using one of these chairs will transform their whole working experience, because:

So if you want the ideal ergonomic gift to keep a home office worker happy, then you should check out the Herman Miller Aeron chair.

As this one can be adjusted in all the ways listed above, to take the pressure off their body and keep them in a healthier sitting posture.

And there's great support in the lumbar area with this chair too, which really helps them to avoid the lower back pain that is so common among office workers.

While the tilt function keeps their core muscles active, and allows them to recline when they need to relax and let go of some stress and tension.

And the iconic design means the Herman Miller Aeron chair will take pride of place in anyone's home office.

2. Support Cushions For A Healthier Sitting Posture

Another gift idea that can help someone sit with a healthier posture, and reduce pressure and strain on their body, is a lumbar support cushion.

Because by placing one of these cushions between their lower back and their office chair, it will give them much better lumbar support.

And it'll stop their back from flattening out against the chair.

Which makes it easier to sit with an S-shaped curve in their spine, reducing any pressure and strain on their back, neck, and shoulders.

So, if you want to help an office worker sit with less pain, but can't stretch to an ergonomic office chair, get them a lumbar support cushion instead.

And if you want to help them avoid getting a numb backside too, then you could pair this with a coccyx seat cushion.

With the Everlasting Comfort set of cushions above being ideal to give as a gift.

3. A Footrest To Keep Them In A Healthy Position

You need to keep both feet on the ground to be able to maintain a healthy sitting posture at your desk, as this relieves pressure on your lower back and upper body as you sit.

However, you also need to be sitting a height that suits the desk you're working on.

And when that desk is so high that your feet can't reach the floor comfortably, then you have a problem.

So a gift idea to help someone get over this problem is to get them an ergonomic footrest to put their feet on.

As this way they can adjust their seat height to match their desk, but also keep their feet grounded and their body in the right position to relieve any pressure.

And a good choice for this is the Humanscale FR300 ergonomic foot rocker.

As they can adjust the height of this footrest by 3 inches, so they can get it to the right level for their desk set up.

While the non-skid surface means their feet will stay in place effortlessly.

And the big selling point with this footrest is that it rocks backwards and forwards, acting like a rocking chair for the feet.

Which is great for relieving stress when sitting at their desks, and also for improving circulation in their feet and lower limbs.

4. A Foam Footrest For More Comfort

While the Humanscale ergonomic foot rocker is a brilliant footrest, it may not be for everyone.

As some office workers prefer something softer and more comforting to rest their feet on, and this is where a foam footrest can make for a good gift.

Because using one of these instead will keep their feet feeling really comfy throughout the day, especially as a home worker doesn't need to keep their shoes on.

And they still elevate their feet so they can maintain a healthy sitting posture too.

So check out the Ergofoam adjustable footrest, as this one is made from a foam that is really comfortable, yet still firm enough to provide support for their feet.

And it comes with an additional foam base that lets them increase the height of it if they need to.

Plus they can flip it over and it will become a foot rocker for when they need to relieve stress and get their feet moving.

5. A Height Adjustable Standing Desk To Mix Things Up

One of the main reasons that sitting for prolonged periods causes you pain is that your body is sat in the same position for so long.

And this compresses your spinal discs and leaves your core muscles lying dormant, which over time will weaken both, and mean your back becomes more vulnerable and has less support.

So a great way to counter the negative effects of sitting is to get up out of your seat for a 10-minute microbreak every hour.

As this will get your body moving again, and let you stretch out any muscle tension that has been building up.

And another way a home office worker can do this is by alternating between working at a sitting and a standing desk.

As studies have found that this improved upper back and neck pain in office workers, and it was most effective when they were sitting for 40 minutes and standing for 20 minutes every hour.

So getting your loved one a height adjustable desk that allows them to alternate between sitting or standing is a great way to keep them free from pain.

And the one I'd recommend is the Vivo height adjustable standing desk.

As this has multiple height settings, different tray levels for their monitors and keyboard, and a gas spring to change the height effortlessly.

6. An Anti-Fatigue Mat To Use When Working At A Standing Desk

When you start working at a standing desk for parts of the day, it's important that you also use an anti-fatigue mat.

Because standing still can be just as bad for your health as sitting down if you do it for long periods.

As your legs and feet can tire, your joints begin to ache, and your lower back starts to buckle under the pressure.

So you need to keep your body moving as you stand to stay healthy and relieve this pressure, and the best way to do that is to stand on an ergonomic anti-fatigue mat.

As these mats are designed to encourage you to be constantly moving and adjusting your position as you stand on them.

And this is great for increasing circulation, keeping your muscles active, and relieving pressure and pain.

So the Topo Comfort Mat By Ergodriven makes a great gift for any office worker that uses a standing desk.

As the raised edges, differing contours, and soft material will have their feet and legs constantly stretching and balancing themselves.

And the raised edges will also allow them to adjust their standing position and angle to relieve any pressure and tension that may be building up.

7. A Monitor Arm To Raise Their Screen To The Ideal Height

When you're working away on a computer all day, it's important that the screen is at a height that allows you to look straight ahead at it.

Because looking down at a screen is bad news.

As this causes the neck and spine to be out of alignment, which puts pressure on the neck, shoulders, and upper back. leading to stiffness, aches, and pains.

So, an ergonomic gift that will makes this easy to do for a home office worker is an adjustable monitor arm.

As these arms attach to their desk and allow them to change both the height and angle of their monitor to get it into the ideal position to stay in perfect alignment.

So, if this sounds like a useful gift idea, check out the Humanscale adjustable monitor arm.

As this one is extremely versatile, allowing them to move their monitor safely forwards, backwards, and tilt it up or down.

Which means they can get it into any position that keeps them comfortable and their neck and shoulders happy.

8. A Laptop Stand To Keep Their Neck & Shoulders Pain Free

Getting your computer screen to the right height is also a problem for people that work from their laptops.

Because as the screen is attached to the keyboard, they have no choice but to look down at it as they use it.

However, there is a solution to this problem and that is using a laptop stand.

As placing your laptop in one of these stands allows you to raise the screen to eye level while you use a separate keyboard to type with.

Which means you can sit with a healthy posture and keep everything in alignment.

And by doing this for a few weeks you'll begin to see a massive improvement in your neck, back, and shoulders.

So one of these stands is a really cool gift to give to someone that works from a laptop at home, with the most popular choice being the Roost Laptop Stand.

As this one is well made, lightweight, and easy to carry around when working in different rooms or from coffee shops.

9. An Ergonomic Keyboard To Avoid Repetitive Strain Injuries

Another cause of pain and injury in the office comes from performing the same small movements over and over again throughout the day.

As the repetitive nature of these movements can cause repetitive strain injury over time, especially if you're not using the right equipment.

And one of the biggest causes of RSI injuries is the keyboard you type away on.

As most standard keyboards are not designed ergonomically, and as a consequence position your hands, elbows, and arms in an unnatural position as you use them.

Which can cause you problems over time, and even lead to serious injuries such as Carpal tunnel syndrome.

However, you can help a home worker guard against this by getting them an ergonomic keyboard to use instead, with my choice being the Kinesis Freestyle Pro.

As this one has a split design so they can keep their hands and elbows at a more comfortable angle when typing, which will reduce the pressure on their joints and tissues, and alleviate any strain.

While the keys are low force, so go easier on their fingers as they type.

And you can also buy some tenting accessories to go with this keyboard, if you want to elevate the thumb sides of the wrists to type at an angle that reduces forearm pronation.

As this is great for increasing circulation and reducing forearm pain.

10. A Vertical Mouse That Goes Easy On Their Wrists & Forearms

Using a traditional mouse is another thing that can lead to repetitive strain injuries such as hand and wrist pain.

This is because your hand has to sit flat on top of it, which twists your forearms and wrists slightly, while clicking the buttons also involves plenty of movement and effort from your fingers.

And doing this for 8 hours every day can easily lead to muscle strain and fatigue.

So a good ergonomic gift to get someone for their home office is a vertical mouse.

As these are designed so you can hold them while keeping your hands, wrists, and arms in a more natural position.

And a great choice for this is the Logitech MX Vertical Wireless Mouse.

As this one is designed to keep their mouse hand at an optimal 57% angle as they use it, which will stop their forearm from twisting, and reduce any muscle strain.

And this will keep their hand feeling much more comfortable and relaxed during the day.

While clicking the buttons involves 4 times less movement than with a traditional mouse, so they won't have to work as hard to achieve the same result.

11. A Bluetooth Headset To Prevent Neck Pain

If your work involves spending a lot of time on the phone, then it's well worth investing in a good Bluetooth headset.

Because you'll need both your hands to go through files and write things down as you chat away to clients, and the last thing you want to do is to be wedging the phone between your shoulder and ear as you do this.

As this is a one way street to a stiff and painful neck.

So why not get your loved one a new headset for their home office, so they can talk away while keeping their hands free and their neck relaxed.

And one that's worth checking out is the Jabra Evolve 75 Wireless Bluetooth Headset.

As these are really comfortable to wear and have crystal clear HD sound, which means they'll be able to hear what their clients are saying perfectly.

And they have fantastic noise cancelling qualities too, so they can talk and listen without anything distracting them from an important conversation.

While having Bluetooth connectivity means they won't have to worry about any wires either, so they can move around as they talk.

12. An LED Desk Lamp To Prevent Eye Strain

The best lighting solution for any home office is to take advantage of the natural light coming in from an outside window.

However, many home offices don't have this luxury, and the sometimes harsh indoor lighting that replaces the natural light can be really straining on the eyes after a while.

Which can lead to migraines and headaches developing when working long hours under the glare.

So a good gift to get for a loved one's home office is an office desk light, as this way they can get a bright burst of LED light at their workstation that is far more comfortable on the eyes.

Which will make it much less straining to read or use the computer.

So for a really good one check out the Humanscale Element 790 LED Light.

As this desk lamp gives out a consistent light with minimal shadow to really brighten up their desk.

And it's really easy to adjust the position, so they get the light shining exactly where they need it.

Plus they can also dim the lights to suit their needs and to wind down at the end of the day.

So while this isn't the cheapest desk lamp available, it's a fantastic gift that will keep their desks illuminated for years to come.

13. A Pair Of Blue Light Blocking Glasses

It's not just the lighting they need to worry about if they want to avoid eye strain and headaches in their home office, as the blue light from the computer screen can cause this too.

As the glare from the screen can fatigue them as the day wears on, making them tired, affecting their vision, and straining their eyes.

So the final gift idea on our list is to get them a pair of blue light blocking computer glasses to wear.

As these glasses have lenses that protect against the harmful blue light, and block out the glare from the screen.

Which will make their eyes feel much healthier and happier at the end of the working day.

So check out the Gunnar Optiks Intercept glasses for a pair that do this job particularly well.

As these glasses have lenses that protect the eyes against 98% of the blue light from their computer screen, helping them to avoid eye strain and fatigue.

And they look pretty cool too, which is always a bonus!

Rounding Up

Working in your home office doesn't sound like the most strenuous thing, but it can be more damaging for your body than you realise.

As hours on end spent sitting down can cause havoc in your back, neck, and shoulders, while the repetitive tasks involved with computer work can cause strain and injuries over time.

So, even though you're at home, you need to make sure you're working smart to stay safe and healthy.

And there are a few ergonomic office items that can help a home worker to do this. and these all make for great gifts for them.

So, I hope you've found something suitable for your loved one among our suggestions of ergonomic home office gift ideas.

As they can make a real difference to their whole workday experience, as well as their health and well-being.