You’ve got new housemates, you need to find the library and try and eat a vegetable or two. Factor in a few late nights at the student union, oh, and dealing with the pressures of studying and living independently for the first time and you might be feeling a little frazzled.
With enough to lose sleep about already, we thought we’d step in so that at least you don’t need to fret about your spinal health too. Using a laptop for long periods can lead to poor posture and discomfort, so it’s time to start building good habits now. Sit smart, stay comfortable, and keep those aches and pains at bay. Your back will thank you!
So without further ado, here’s the Posture People’s guide to laptop safety…
Security:
Keep your laptop—and your sanity—safe with these essential tips for students:
- Back it up: Save your work weekly to a separate hard drive (imagine losing it all!)
- Lock it away: Keep your laptop out of sight and secured when not in use.
- Insurance matters: Check that your home insurance covers your laptop for theft or burglary.
- Register it: Add your laptop’s serial number to Immobilise—a free UK property register supported by police and insurers.
- Stay secure: Install trusted security software to keep your device protected.
- Work smarter: Take advantage of training sessions during freshers’ week to learn quicker ways to use software
Stay prepared and stress less—your future self will thank you!
Transport:
Laptop on the go? Stay smart and protect your back with these pointers:
- Backpacks over bags: Spread the weight evenly across your shoulders.
- Lighten the load: Don’t overload your laptop bag—use lockers for extra books and gear.
- Padded straps for the win: Opt for bags with padded shoulder straps and a waist strap for better support.
- Go digital: Use memory sticks or cloud storage to transport files and leave your laptop behind when you can.
Desk set up:
- Never use your laptop on your lap! Number one laptop safety rule – sit at a desk whenever possible!
- Use a desktop computer for longer periods of time if you have the option, if you only have a laptop, consider an external mouse and keyboard
- Choose as large a screen as possible, but balance this out with the weight of the laptop
- When using any computer, the screen should be level with your eyes and at an arm’s length away from the user. The keyboard and mouse need to be placed so that your arms are parallel to the desk and wrists are straight. Print out a copy of our guide to using a laptop safely
- Eye strain can be caused by using a laptop for excessive amounts of time. We encourage people to take breaks every 20 minutes to rest their eyes, blink often or look at things at different distances
- Make sure you have regular eye checks. Big glasses are not going out of fashion any time soon, so wear them if you have to. In addition to this you can get blue light tint which helps prevent migraines and further eye strain
- Clean the screen regularly to avoid straining to read what’s on the screen
- Make the most of the zoom function to make sure you are not squinting
- Ensure the screen is raised to a safe level – this can be done using a laptop stand
- Consider ergonomic accessories such as an extra mouse or keyboard, wrist rest or document holder rather than hunching up for long periods of time over a tiny device
- Get up and stretch often, walk around. Don’t stay in one position for more than 15 minutes
- Exercise – make sure you are leading an active life, walk places, join a sports club or make the most of the bargain fitness facilities on offer at your university. Yoga and Pilates can particularly help with back pain and posture. Swimming is a good all-round exercise. And once you’ve invested in a good pair of trainers, jogging is free
If you have any questions or queries, feel free to get in contact and we will do our best to help.
We hope this guide has come in useful. Download your free guide to using a laptop safely and of course, you’re very welcome to give us a call on 0330 332 0880 if you have any more queries about how to use laptops or which accessories are suitable with them.
