I work from home, where the dress code rules out anything fancier than American Apparel and my cat Pillz serves as office assistant (her duties include sleeping most of the day, freaking out at deliverypeople, and hardly ever fetching me tea when I ask her to). But once upon a time not too long ago, I spent at least 40 hours every week in cubicleland, with no windows or natural light or other such luxuries I consider essential to feeling like an actual human being. The only sunshine I saw all day was on the pages of my O.C. calendar, although I might have acquired a lovely tan from the brighter-than-bright fluorescent lighting glaring above.

But no matter whether you do your job from home, in an office building, or an Airstream Travel Trailer, you still need to consciously create a work environment that’s conducive to staying well and as stress-free as possible. If you’re like Jennifer Adam, you do so with the help of a Biomorph Ergonomic Desk. With “lots of levels and tilts for those with fragile backs and wrists,” the desk is “perfect for long hours of clicking and dragging,” says Jennifer. For extra ergonomic support, seat yourself at a Herman Miller Aeron Chair, featuring a high back, wide armrest, and waterfall front edge. Vince R. has had his chair for seven years and reports that “there have been no creaks, squeaks or problems whatsoever. Oh and it’s darn comfortable. Every office or home needs one.” The chair’s so comfy in fact, says Ryan Grey Smith, that “I had to buy my wife one because we fought over who got to sit in the Aeron. Now we fight over who gets the new one.”

...continued: Office space

Exactly how bad is talking on your cell phone while driving? A new study from the University of Utah found that chatty motorists are just as dangerous as drunk drivers, according to Ergonomics in the News. The blog, which shows readers how to get ergonomically healthier in the workplace and beyond, reports that drunk drivers and cell talkers have a comparable risk of ending up in an accident. So even though it may be tempting as all get-out to start dialing when you’re stuck in gridlock, best to keep the talk to whatever’s on talk radio or coming from those oh-so-charmingly loquacious DJs babbling away between songs.

For ThisNext, intelligent consumption means choosing products that help prevent potential problems — instead of waiting till the trouble starts. So we’re curious about the Smart Cat Touchpad, an ergonomic mouse alternative recommended by Paul Freibott at Lime’s Stuff We Like blog. Freibott, whose bout with repetitive strain injury once had him “laid up for nearly three weeks with inflammation, pain, muscle spasms, and numbness in my arms, wrists, and elsewhere,” suggests the Touchpad to any heavy clickers with sore index fingers. Compatible with both PCs and Macs, the device “works just like a laptop touchpad except that you can pick it up and use various fingers, including your thumb.” Freibott alternates the Touchpad with two other mouse alternatives to avoid repetitive movements and keep his hands healthy and happy.