Free Printable — Ergonomics
Desk Setup Checklist: The 4 Layers
Our ergonomic desk setup guide builds a desk in the order that matters — screen, surface, feet, light — because most setups get fixed in the wrong order while the screen stays exactly where it was. This is that guide condensed into a free two-page printable: measure first, tick each layer only when it is true at the end of a full workday, and stop when the targets are met.
How the links work here: this page and its PDF carry no Amazon or affiliate links at all. The PDF links only to pages on this site — where each layer's reviewed picks live, with the standard affiliate disclosure next to them. That is deliberate: affiliate links never belong in a PDF or an email.
What the checklist checks, layer by layer
| 1. Screen | Top of the screen at or just below eye level, 20–40 inches away; keyboard at or just below elbow height | Posture guide · Arm fit checker |
| 2. Surface | One consistent, planted surface under keyboard and mouse, so the positions layer 1 set stay set | Small-desk mat guide |
| 3. Feet | Support and micro-movement underfoot — only if you stand for part of the day | Setup guide, layer 3 |
| 4. Light | Light on the desk and papers, not reflected off the screen | Light bar guide |
The targets are the workstation guidance our posture guide works from (OSHA's is the version we cite), not product marketing: eye level and elbow height are what every layer-1 product is really being bought for, and layers 2–4 only earn their place once layer 1 is right. The checklist also carries the two honest stops from the guide: a layer that does not apply to you is ticked by skipping it, and pain that persists once the heights are right belongs with a medical professional, not in a shopping cart.
Download
The checklist, as a printable PDF
Two pages on US Letter: a measure-first box with a write-in line for your viewing distance, checkbox lists for all four layers plus the chair-and-desk foundation they sit on, the stop rules, and links back to the guide page for each layer. Print it, take it to the desk, and work it in order.
Download the checklist (PDF) →
Free, direct download — no signup, no email required, nothing tracked beyond a normal page download.
How to work it
1. Measure first. The PDF opens with three numbers: where the top of your screen sits against your eye level, your actual viewing distance (write it in — most people have never measured it), and your keyboard against your elbow height. Every later box is a comparison against those targets.
2. Fix in order, skip honestly. Screen first, because it sets your neck and shoulders for the whole day. Surface second, because a planted surface is what keeps the first layer's positions from drifting. Feet third — and only if you stand; seated all day, that layer is complete the moment you skip it. Light last, because it fixes squinting, not posture.
3. Judge at the end of a workday. A setup that feels fine for five minutes tells you nothing. Tick a box only when it was still true at the end of a full day — that is also when the stop rule applies: targets met means done, and anything bought past that point is decoration, not ergonomics.
Checklist questions, answered
Is the desk setup checklist really free?
Yes — the PDF downloads directly from this page, and no email address is required to get it. The newsletter signup below is a separate, optional thing: it gets you new reviews and guides by email, and the checklist is yours whether or not you join it.
Why does the checklist PDF contain no product or Amazon links?
Because affiliate links do not belong in PDFs or emails — Amazon's Associates rules prohibit them there. The PDF links only to pages on this site, where each layer's reviewed picks live with their affiliate disclosure next to them.
Do I need all four layers of the checklist?
No. The screen layer applies to every desk. The feet layer applies only if you stand for part of the day — seated all day, skipping it is the correct result. The light layer matters most in rooms where the main light comes from behind the screen or where you read paper at the desk. A layer that does not apply is ticked by skipping it.
Bottom Line
Print it, measure, fix in order, stop
The checklist is the short form; the reasoning lives in the ergonomic desk setup guide it condenses, the fit math for layer 1 lives in the posture guide and the monitor arm checker, and how every pick behind those pages was researched is on our How We Research page. Download the PDF, write down your three numbers, and fix the first layer that fails — in order, that is usually the screen.