Laptop Computers
If you are not using your
laptop computer in a permanent work area, such as a desk or table, then store
it in an alternate location to save your work surface for other work or
projects. When traveling with your
laptop for work, load as much presentation information as possible directly
into the computer for sales or presentations so there is no need to carry papers,
disks, or other drives that could get lost.
If you are working in sales, try to have your sales database or
electronic version of forms on the computer for quick data entry. When traveling with your laptop for fun,
pre-load movies, books, and games before leaving on a trip. If your primary
work computer is your laptop, then be sure to lock the laptop in a desk or
cabinet if you are not taking it with you when leaving your work or current
project. If you are taking it with you,
cable locks which attach to the laptop and then to a chair or table leg are
another way to secure the laptop in or outside your regular work area.
Desktop Computer
If your computer is a
desktop version, it may have everything built into the monitor or it may have
several pieces that include a Central Processing Unit (CPU) which houses the
hard drive, removable drives, and various internal boards. The CPU should be out of the way of the
normal work, yet easily accessed when necessary to attach accessories or
external disks and drives. If the CPU is a tower style, then it may be
easily placed on the floor rather than work surface to allow more space. Be sure to place the CPU where bumping it by
legs when moving around will not occur However
it still needs to be convenient for inserting disks, drives, or cords. Wherever
placing the computer CPU, allow 3 to 6 inches behind the computer for cables
and wires.
Keyboard and Mouse
The computer keyboard should
be directly in front of your computer. In
other words, you or other users should not have to lean forward to use the
keyboard. Keyboard extenders or trays
may be useful to increase space between the computer monitor and face as well
as lower or raise the keyboard to correct height for personalized use. If using a mouse, it should be next to
keyboard on whatever side is your dominant or preferred hand (right or left).
If desired, reset mouse buttons for preferred hand using operating system
options for mouse. A wireless keyboard or
mouse may be a consideration as they may prevent safety issues and arm stress
problems due to pulling caused by wires. Track balls and touch pad devices are
also substitute options for the mouse, if the mouse is uncomfortable or does
not meet your needs. These options also
eliminate the requirement of space for a mouse pad. Mouse and keyboard wrist pads or rests for
safe and comfortable use are also options for consideration if computer use is
frequent. If you are planning to use a
wrist pad or rest, be sure to allow space for it on work surface.
Monitor or Screen
Wherever you decide to put
your computer, the monitor should be approximately 18 to 24 inches from your
face for optimum viewing. If your computer
monitor must be on the work surface, be sure the depth of workspace is large
enough to support selected monitor size and keyboard. Using a flat screen monitor will save work
surface space. If the monitor is large
and comes too close to face for comfort, consider pulling work surface out from
wall to accommodate more space behind the monitor. Monitors may be put on a risen open surface to
provide space under the monitor for storing keyboards or other items not in
use. A swing arm to provide extra space
on the top of the work surface is also an option that allows more surface space
for other work and easily adjusting monitor to location to where work needs to
occur.
To increase ease of viewing
and reduce strain from using a computer, tilt the monitor where there is no
glare from lights and at slightly below eye level to reduce head and neck
movement. If your find your or other computer
users are squinting at the monitor, enlarge icons or text for easier
readability. Adjust monitor brightness
to where your eyes feel comfortable with it in room while the work lights on. Keeping the monitor clean insures visibility,
as dust on the monitor can actually contribute to glare. Reduce your neck strain, while working on
the computer, by limiting your head movement.
To limit head movement, place documents for computer processing at the same
level as monitor using a document stand next to it or a paper-holding clip on
the monitor.
Files and Folders
Be sure to make folders
(directories) on your computer using the same types of categories you might use
for paper files. Then each individual
file (or document) related to that category would be placed in that
folder. Be sure to name the files in a
way that what is in them is easy to figure out without having to open the file. Do not use periods (.), spaces, or other
symbols in file names as this may confuse the system regarding file extensions. However you may use the underscore symbol (_)
to separate words in a file name. See
the example file and folder names in the following table.
Save files often while
working so if the computer goes down during working session, many hours of work
is not lost. Some computer software
applications have the option of setting automatic saves every few minutes. Check the applications help documentation to
learn how to set the time for automatic saves.
Key words for help search to try are “automatic save” or “save
interval”.
It is wise for you to have a
contact database on your computer to avoid having to keep files or books of
this data. Many email tools come with a
contact databases. Place all contacts
from business cards and other resources into your contact database. This way retrieving the data can be quick. Remember to back-up your database in case of
computer problems. If desiring a paper
version or your contacts, you may print out the database and store it in a file
folder or notebook for travel purposes or in case of computer crashes.
Back-up Files
Be sure to store backup
copies of important files on storage media such as disks, USB drives, or “cloud”
storage on internet sites. This way if
your computer crashes, retrieving some version of the file is still possible. Keep your disk and drives in a storage box or
case in a specific location where they will be safe from excessive temperatures
and magnetic sources. Be sure to label the
media with the type of information stored on them so you can easily and quickly
locate the correct one. This will save your
lots of time having to view several storage devices in order to find a specific
file.
Back-up important computer
files often to prevent loss in case of a hard drive crash. Archive your computer files on a regular
basis (quarterly, bi-annually, or yearly) in order to keep hard drive
efficient. Items to consider for
archival are after a project has completed or after a year has passed and files
are no longer referenced. Zip and USB drives
are an efficient way to archive much data into a small storage space. Zipping does not use as much space on a disk
so it reduces having multiple disks or drives to store. Using zip software is also an excellent
alternative to sending large documents or graphic files as email
attachments. Zipping a file will
compress the file size and make the item upload and download faster. However, the person on the receiving end must
have a compatible software program to unzip the file attachment.
Unless it is absolutely
necessary, you may not want to keep paper copies of files that may be stored in
a computer for your easiest access.
Where possible, transfer any paper files to computer disks via scanning
to prevent having to have file storage for the paper. Be sure you name the scanned files
appropriately and do not accept the default names that may be assigned v=by the
scanner software.
Security
Most computers now allow setting
up a password login to assess certain file locations on the computer. Explore how to accomplish this on your
computer and take advantage of it to protect documents and contact lists on the
computer. Try searching computer help
files for “password” or “secure” to find out how this may be done. If working at a company with computer
support, ask them to help you set it up.
This is especially important to protect computer work and file access,
if more than one person in work area may be using the same computer. Have virus check software on computer and
keep it set to automatically check each time a file comes in and keep it up-to-date
for the latest viruses, as new ones come out almost every day.
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