Zen and the Art of Ergonomic Workspaces: Jeff’s Cubicle

Small, square, and usually bathed in dull tones of beige and gray, the conventional office cubicle isn’t exactly known for inspiring creativity among office-dwellers. For the most part, cubicles are designed with a one-size-fits-all approach, and they often lack the style, comfort, and personal touches of a home office. Speaking as someone who worked from home for almost two years, the idea of moving my workspace from a comfy apartment to an office cube was less than enticing. But, luckily, my ‘Office Space’-inspired nightmares were hushed minutes after walking into  Human Solution’s brand new showroom/office in North Austin.

This place is anything but dreary. Natural light fills the space, the walls are painted a vibrant sage green, and the cubicles look dynamic with sheer wall slats and beech wood-colored panels. Adding to the comfort level is a stable of top-of-the-line ergonomic office equipment – keyboard trays, ergonomic mice, monitor arms, and (my favorite) electrical height-adjustable desks. The products that we use in our office are the very same products we offer on our web site (feel free to give us a call or hit us up on chat for personalized recommendations for your workspace).

Comfort and personalization are key to a healthy and inspiring workplace, and we like to encourage all of our readers to find the right products to increase comfort and long-term health in their office. And if you’re looking for some Zen-inspired cubicle design and decorating ideas, I’d like to point you to our own Jeff Paulsen’s oh-so-Zen workspace.

“It’s all about comfort,” Jeff said when I complemented his cubicle last week. Indeed, Jeff has outfitted his cube for maximum comfort and inspiration. His spot features several ergonomically-designed products, starting with the Mayline VariTask XR – Extra High Range Height Adjustable Desk. The height rang on this desk is 51”, perfect for a tall guy like Jeff, who likes to spend most of his workday standing up. His beautiful, one-of-a-kind Texas Native Wood Desktop is made of cedar and mesquite trees that are sustainably harvested in Texas. (Find out how you can order a custom made Texas Native Wood desk.)

And when Jeff decides to take a seat, he uses the comfy and sturdy Steelcase Leap Chair, which offers excellent lumbar support, easy-to-adjust features, and 4-way adjustable arms.

An articulating keyboard tray is an integral part of any ergonomic workspace set-up. Attached to Jeff’s desk is the Humanscale Keyboard Tray with the 6G mechanism, which features a height adjustment range of 6.25”. The tray board also features a clip mouse platform that can be positioned on either side of the tray for right-hand or left-hand use. (Jeff’s a righty, as you can see!) And Jeff’s mouse of choice is the Evoluent Vertical Mouse, designed to eliminate forearm twisting that most mice cause.

Jeff says one of the most important things to keep in mind when creating a Zen workspace is lighting – keep it soft. Jeff gets all the spot and work lighting he needs while creating a dim, relaxed environment with a large floor lamp and the Workrite Astra LED Task Light, one of the sleekest-looking energy saving desk lamps on the market. The Astra features five points of adjustment, and it can be mounted on a toolbar or the edge of a workstation.

And, of course, Jeff has two large monitors mounted on a pair of monitor arms. He prefers his Innovative monitor arms because they adjust in several different directions with only a quick tug. A favorite around the office is the sleek Innovative EVO LCD Monitor Arm, which you can control and position with your fingertips and features a broad range of motion.

Jeff added several personal touches to his desk and workspace – plants, small statues, a rug, and knick knacks here and there – but the one personal item that stands out the most is his giant “Brooklyn Bridge” print by photographer Bob Krist.

We invite you view and experience a number of different state-of-the-art ergonomic office products inside our new showroom in North Austin, 2139 W. Anderson Lane, on the corner of W. Anderson Lane and Burnet Rd. Give us a call to schedule an appointment. And, if you’re lucky, maybe Jeff’ll let you kick back and relax in his awesome Zen cube for a spell.