The ideal work (and leisure) table: how to choose it without making mistakes

If you work from home we are not going to fool you, you can do it in your pajamas and without getting out of bed, lying on the sofa, on the kitchen table or even lying on the floor. But if you want to do it comfortably and for long periods, it is essential to start by having a good table and then a good chair. Let's talk about the first how to choose the ideal work table.

Work from home

Many have discovered what all this working from home is all about. And they have verified that it is not at all simple or as idyllic as they thought at first. Much less if you do not have a work space clearly delimited from the rest of the spaces in the house, although it must also be said that it has good things.

However, we are going to give you some advice regarding How to choose the ideal work table. Because together with a good chair, it is the element that will mark your comfort the most when working remotely and from home. And we tell you this with full knowledge of the facts, because we have been doing it for more than ten years.

Of course, before we begin, let's clarify one thing: you can work anywhere in your home. If you feel comfortable at the table and chair you use every day, no problem. You should also take into account what we tell you because you could improve your day to day even more. Even if you continue to give yourself the luxury of not getting out of bed from time to time or finishing that report or project lying on the sofa.

How to choose the ideal table

We are going to go little by little, laying the foundations of what specialists in postural hygiene issues recommend and everything that we have been learning during more than ten years of teleworking from home.

table size

The size should be one of the first aspects that you should look at when choosing your ideal table. It doesn't have to be super big, but yes It must be large enough for you to be comfortable.

You are going to spend many hours on it, so you have to ensure that if one day you only need to work with the laptop and another you need to have notes, notebooks or additional documentation to consult, you feel just as comfortable.

A width of 1,20 m could be considered the minimum for any work table. If you use a laptop you will have plenty of space and if you use a desktop computer you can always place the tower on the ground or in the case of being an all-in-one like an iMac, well resort to articulated arms and gain greater cleanliness, order and some space.

By the way, these arms are also highly recommended for the monitor. In addition, they provide ergonomic advantages by being able to easily adjust the height and even rotate it.

Regarding the width, here again it will depend on each one, 60 cm deep well used They are comfortable for day to day. Although if you need to place various equipment, books, etc., a few centimeters would not hurt during your day. Which would also serve to drop the arms if the chair does not have armrests.

Lastly, the material of the board is important. You may not see it that way at first, but believe us, it ends up being so. Choose an organic material like wood and not glass or others with a plastic laminate finish is something that is appreciated in the long run for the warmth they offer. It's much nicer.

Like the color, please note that the board must be of a tone that does not cause you anxiety if it uses colors that are too bright or makes you strain your eyes because it is very dark if, in addition, there is not much lighting in the room. Although it's all a matter of seeing combinations, because the walnut color can give it an interesting point when combined with light-colored walls and bright spaces.

Of course, it all depends on your activity, because if you dedicate yourself to video or photography, a darker space may help you when working with the material and get better results in color editing.

Standard stand or sit-stand desk

Once you have the board that you are going to use It is important that you look for suitable legs. You can opt for simple and cheap options like some that are sold in IKEA-type stores that barely cost €3 per leg. The problem is that the stability it provides is minimal and there is nothing worse than a shaky table.

To compensate for this lack of robustness, you can resort to a drawer unit on one side and gain consistency, but it may not fit into your plans or you may not need it. Therefore, look for a strong structure. There are many designed for the office that provide all of this that we are discussing.

The second option, if you can and work from home is something that will last a long time or it is simply a change that you plan to give forever, value sit-stand desks.

On occasion we have commented that this type of table provides advantages depending on the activity you are doing at any given time. Of course they are not substitutes for those times when you must stop and take a break, but they are a good way to change posture and maintain a somewhat more active state.

Currently there is a wide range of this type of desk, some quieter than others, also with the option of memorizing different heights and even for L-shaped structures.

Choosing one of these desks is something that depends on each one and their budget, although it is clear that if you consider remote work seriously, it may be a more than profitable investment in a short time.

ergonomics issue

With all of the above, the objective is to find a combination of elements that allow you to be comfortable for the maximum number of hours possible. And, in addition, that allows you to access everything you need quickly and agilely. Hence, it is not necessary to rely only on aesthetics when choosing your ideal desk.

The design is great if you want to show off a workspace on Instagram, but if the product does not fulfill its purpose, it is not "transparent" in your day-to-day life and it provides you with everything you need to carry out your business in the best possible way. work do not bet on it.

In the case of desks, the same thing happens and, in addition, comply with some minimum ergonomics. so at last everything that a good work table must fulfill is

Have space for all your devices that you use daily
Be stable, because typing or writing and the table shaking is not pleasant
Have the ideal height to be able to form a right angle with your legs sitting down and with your feet fully supported on the ground. This is more or less having the table at navel height
If you want to change your posture and take advantage of those standing moments, opt for a standing/sitting desk
Material for the board that is pleasant to the touch and resistant to the passage of time. If you are going to build it yourself, take good care of the materials and treatments to protect them in case they are wood.

Desks to work at home that do not disappoint

If you are attracted to standing / sitting desks there are several options today that do not skyrocket in price. those of Flexi spotFor example, they are an option that for around 289 euros can very well cover the needs of a large majority of users. If you want a top option, then the Jarvis desk is what you are looking for, although its price is higher.

See offer on Amazon See offer on Amazon

If, on the other hand, you are only looking for a table with good stability, there are options like these two that also comply with the idea of being compact for those situations in which you do not have much space or need to set up two independent work tables.