Ergonomic Tips for Your Office Haven't got time for the pain that accompanies office work? Read on to find out how to make your office ergonomically correct.

Last February, OSHA proposeda workplace ergonomic standard designed to protect workers whosejobs put them at risk for repetitive strain injuries (RSI).According to the agency, work-related musculoskeletal disorders(including carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, herniated disc andlower back pain) cause American workers to lose more than 600,000workdays each year, sapping productivity and forcing employers tospend an ever-increasing amount on worker's compensation claimsand associated health costs.

While intense opposition from business leaders, labor officialsand Congress makes it extremely likely the new ergonomics standardwill be appealed , the proposal has made business owners both largeand small more aware of the link between a healthy,ergonomically-designed workplace and the productivity of theirbusiness.

Even if you don't have any employees, this link isespecially applicable to homebased businesses. Given the tremendousstress and responsibility of running a homebased business on yourown, it's even more important to pay attention to your workenvironment and its effect on your body, says Dora Potter, owner ofRockville Center, New York, ergonomics consulting firm, Ergnomic byDesign, which specializes in computer workstation safety. "Nomatter where you're working or what you're doing, ergonomic[improvements] will very definitely contribute to yourhealth," says Potter. "The positions you work in, theamount of time you spend performing tasks, and the way in which youuse your body in relation to the materials around you is going toimprove your productivity and efficiency because you'll stayhealthy for a longer period of time and be able to work morecomfortably."