What is the most comfortable way to sit with your laptop

**Palooka** · 12-17-2009, 02:31 AM

Yes I am being serious. I have one of those laptop cushion thingies for the bottom and all. Well that's nice.

I usually keep mine on my bed with three pillows supporting my back to lean on my headboard and one to lean forward on while I type. lol

My neck, back and shoulders are breaking. Sometimes I put it on the kitchen table but don't really care for that and when dh kicks me out of the bedroom for typing late at night and keeping him up(any minute now) I go hang out with it on the couch.

Same scenario though, blankets and pillows.

Is there a better way? Am I missing something or is this just the pitfalls of using a laptop?

**Luckybustert** · 12-17-2009, 02:37 AM

This will probably sound strange, but visualize tushie and back both on the sofa cushion you'd normally just it on (facing forward)....it's almost like I'm laying on the cushion but not quite. Head is against the upright cushion that your back would normally be against, and this makes my chin hit my chest. Legs are bent, with feet on the coffee table. Laptop is in my lap and I'm typing about 90 miles a minute. It's actually very comfortable for me to sit like this when I'm using my laptop...and I'm pretty sure the posture police would be appalled!

**Neeley** · 12-17-2009, 05:31 AM

We have four laptops for four different people in this house and all four of us do it different.

DD - sits in her recliner, reclined back, legs up, cat sleeping on her legs, laptop just resting in her lap.

DS sits in the recliner in his room, up right - not reclined, laptop on TV tray next to him, while he plays video games.

DH lays on his belly in the bed, laptop on a a tray in front of him on the bed (actually, he uses a piece of cardboard as a hard surface tray).

I sit on the couch, legs curled under me, laptop on a TV tray. Sometimes I put it in my lap, but not often.

**Josephhgoins** · 12-17-2009, 07:49 AM

Keep in mind that before they were called laptops, they were called and designed for lab tops. A PC that could be put beside your experiment to allow quick calculations.

I work from home and sit in front of mine for sometimes 15 hours at a pop. My first few weeks using it I had some major neck and shoulder pain. I now sit the laptop on my desk. I have elevated the desk and lowered my chair so that my neck is pointing down as little as possible. My pain has since gone away.

**SixxOfDiamonds** · 12-17-2009, 08:26 AM

I sit "indian-style" with my legs crossed with a couch pillow on my lap and my laptop on top of it. Sometimes I don't use the pillow (like if it's cold in the house!).

Other times I'm sitting at my desk just like a regular computer.

**savvy_sniper** · 12-17-2009, 08:42 AM

I sit at a desk to use the laptop just like I would a PC. I never found a comfortable position sitting in a chair or bed.

**tervsforme** · 12-17-2009, 09:52 AM

I sit on the couch with my legs on an ottoman and put a bed tray over my lap and put my laptop on that. I can then put my tv remotes and a beverage on the tray as well.

**Palooka** · 12-17-2009, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by SixxOfDiamonds

I sit "indian-style" with my legs crossed with a couch pillow on my lap and my laptop on top of it. Sometimes I don't use the pillow (like if it's cold in the house!).

Other times I'm sitting at my desk just like a regular computer.

Yeah, most of the time I sit 'Indian-style' too and then my legs start cramping after a little bit. lol

**Libby** · 12-17-2009, 01:02 PM

My problem is that I have a netbook, not a full sized laptop. I do have a desktop computer as well which I use at home but at the bf's place or at home in the lv rm I use the netbook. I find my upper back and shoulders get cramped b/c of the smaller keyboard so I need to take plenty of breaks and stretch often.

Not frugal but what I bought was this from Ikea:

http://www.ikea.com/ca/en/catalog/products/00120818

Its height adjustable so I can sit on couch or in the recliner chair and the table also tilts downwards towards you so you can sit back comfortably on the couch etc. Its better then a tv table b/c you're legs are not confined in between the space directly underneath the table.

I find this to be the most comfortable way to use my laptop and it doubles very well as a tv table/side table.

**Palooka** · 12-17-2009, 01:17 PM

That looks pretty cool.

I might get me one of those!

**Libby** · 12-17-2009, 02:55 PM

Palooka - Dave and I get along very well

I have one at bf's and one at home.

Sorry forgot to add this:

You shouldn't use a pillow on your lap or place your laptop on the couch/bed/carpeted floor. The reason being the laptop needs to get air to cool it off or else it will overheat as the air/fan goes through the bottom. Laptop cushions/pillows were invented so that the thing could sit in your lap, on a flat surface allowing for a tiny gap between the flat surface and bottom of laptop enough room to get air or in the case of some models, they have a fan to blow up into the bottom of your laptop to help circulate air and keep it cool if I'm not mistaken. This is suggested for long term use, if you're only popping on for one or two minutes I don't think it'd matter where you put it.

I hope that made sense.

**mauimagic** · 12-17-2009, 03:04 PM

Mahalo for all the great ideas. I have an old bean bag filled topped with a flat surface3 (forget what they are called) that I bought for DD years ago for doing work in your lap. Anyway, I have my legs on an ottoman and roll behind my neck. This works great for me with no stress on my body.

**monkeywrangler71** · 12-17-2009, 03:26 PM

In addition to burning out your laptop, setting it on your bed could also result in a fire. Make sure if you use it in bed you don't set it down while powered on and go away for an extended period, or fall asleep.

**Palooka** · 12-17-2009, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by Libby

Palooka - Dave and I get along very well

I have one at bf's and one at home.

Sorry forgot to add this:

You shouldn't use a pillow on your lap or place your laptop on the couch/bed/carpeted floor. The reason being the laptop needs to get air to cool it off or else it will overheat as the air/fan goes through the bottom. Laptop cushions/pillows were invented so that the thing could sit in your lap, on a flat surface allowing for a tiny gap between the flat surface and bottom of laptop enough room to get air or in the case of some models, they have a fan to blow up into the bottom of your laptop to help circulate air and keep it cool if I'm not mistaken. This is suggested for long term use, if you're only popping on for one or two minutes I don't think it'd matter where you put it.

I hope that made sense.

I don't have a pillow underneath or nor does the laptop sit on the couch like that. I have one of those laptop things that sit underneath it that was made for laptops. Yes, then that is what I have. Those laptop/cushions thingies.

**Palooka** · 12-17-2009, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by monkeywrangler71

In addition to burning out your laptop, setting it on your bed could also result in a fire. Make sure if you use it in bed you don't set it down while powered on and go away for an extended period, or fall asleep.

My laptop sits on those laptop cushy thingies that were made for them.

It's still just uncomfortable for me to lean forward and type.

I think there was some confusion here.