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