Create a healthier home office

Turn your work space into a veritable Zen zone with these clutter and stress-busting products.

By Brett Hill

Whether your home office is a desk in the corner of the kitchen or an entire room devoted to running a business, you'll get a lot more done-and feel better about doing it-if your space is organized and comfortable. "Being surrounded by clutter and chaos saps your energy, disrupts your concentration, and increases anxiety and tension," explains Jackie Craven, author of The Stress-Free Home. With more than 20 million Americans working at least part-time from home-and looking for ways to make their lives easier- companies are increasingly taking ergonomics and even nature into consideration when designing office products. Snap up these must-haves and you'll be on track to have your most productive, stress-free year yet.

1. Soothing paint colors
   We've all heard that cool hues like blue and green create a tranquil atmosphere, while warm colors, such as yellow and pink, are energizing, but it's really a matter of personal preference. "When choosing a shade for your office, though, there are some rules worth following," says Diane Roggow, a color psychologist in Westminster, Colorado. First, muted tones tend to be more peaceful than bright colors. Second, stay away from white. "It refracts light, so your eyes fatigue quickly," says Roggow. And finally, don't overwhelm a room with too many contrasting colors- the busier the space, the harder it is to focus. To find your perfect hue, pick up samples at a paint store and try them on a wall before committing to a room. We like the new Benjamin Moore Modern Tranquility line, with easy-on-the-eyes shades like Capri Coast, Latte (left), and Green Tint (from $41 per gallon; benjaminmoore.com).

2. An ergonomic workstation
   The average desk is 29 ½ inches tall, a measurement that's been around since the 1950s, when mostly men worked in offices. "It's much too high for the typical woman," says Sally Longyear, an ergonomist in Palo Alto, California. While an adjustable chair will usually solve any height issues, some desks can be raised or lowered. They tend to be very "office modular"-and often pricey-but if you want the ultimate fit, they're the way to go, says Longyear. If you're on a budget, the Ikea Galant desk ($139 to $239) and Fredrik computer workstation ($119 to $149; both at ikea.com) have tabletops that can go as low as 23 5/8 and 25 5/8 inches, respectively, or as high as 38 5/8.

3. Fully adjustable seating
   Sure, it's tempting to drag your dining room chair over to your desk, but a seat you can set to your proportions will improve your posture and prevent back pain. A good chair should have an adjustable back, seat, and armrests, as well as a lumbar support that moves up and down and in and out. A seat that slides forward and back to suit different leg lengths is a bonus but can be hard to find-unless you buy the Leap chair from Steelcase ($799; homeofficesolutions.com). Once you have your chair, raise or lower the seat so your feet are firmly on the floor or on a footrest (see No. 4), and your hips are slightly higher than your knees. "That's the ideal angle to avoid stressing your back," Longyear explains. To prevent repetitive strain injuries, your wrists should be lower than your elbows and your fingers should be slightly below the level of your wrists when typing and using your mouse. Finally, when you sit with your hips against the back of the chair, there should be no more than a fist's length between your knees and the front of the seat.

4. A footrest If you don't have a height-adjustable desk and chair, you may need a footrest under your workstation. "Your feet should be flat on the ground or on a footrest. If they're not, you tend to either scoot toward the edge of the seat, which is terrible for your spine, or tuck your legs under your butt, which can cause both neck and back pain," says Longyear. The Fellowes standard footrest ($24; staples.com) has two height adjustments, plus a textured, no-slip surface.

5. A hands-free headset
   "Cradling the phone in your neck is one of the worst posture mistakes you can make," Longyear warns. "It compresses the nerves that run from the base of your skull to your hands. It also causes pain and headaches by increasing muscle tension." A handsfree headset will not only save your neck, it will also let you type, file, walk around, and multitask while you sit through a conference call. The new Plantronics Calisto Pro Series ($280; plantronics.com), below, comes with a handset and wireless Bluetooth headset you can use with a landline or cell phone.