5 Ways To Improve Your Posture While Working a Desk Job

Bad posture can cause major health problems – so here’s what you can do to fix it.

Modern life poses many challenges when it comes to maintaining proper posture. We tend to slouch while typing on computers and often assume unhealthy positions when using smartphones.

It isn’t just a cosmetic issue. Poor posture can lead to serious back, neck, and shoulder injuries. According to some studies, reduce effectiveness of breathing, cause headaches, and even alter hormone levels in the body.

While none of the mechanisms is a magic pill or all-encompassing solution, each technique on its own seems to yield benefits, and the combination has, together, made a world of difference for me.

posture

So, here are some of the steps to take to improve posture while at work:

1. Sitting on a ball.

Add an exercise ball as a second “seat,” and rotate between the two during the “sitting” portions of your day. Sitting on the ball makes it more difficult to slouch, engages various muscle groups that remain at rest when slouching on a chair, and builds muscle.

The ball is clearly not as comfortable as an executive chair. As I mentioned before, using a sitting-ball to improve posture does not have to be an all-or-nothing change.

2. Leveraging technology.

Use the Lumo Lift: a small device that attaches to your shirt with a magnet, and, if you slouch, gently vibrates to remind you to adjust your posture. The device synchronizes via Bluetooth with your phone and tracks posture performance, as well as other health-related information such as steps walked.

3. Standing.

Make sure to stand up frequently. In general, working while standing offers various benefits over sitting, but even for those who worked seated, standing up every 30 minutes allows “resetting of one’s posture.” If you don’t trust yourself to stand up periodically, just set an alarm on your phone.

4. Stretching.

Various stretches help improve posture. While some are better suited for gym workouts, others can be performed in seconds in a work environment.

For example, chin tucks, which help release stiff muscles in the back of one’s neck that can contribute to bad posture–can easily be performed while working. There are many articles online about various stretches than can improve posture; choose stretches that most benefit your specific issues.

5. Asking for help to improve your posture

Ask family members and a trusted colleague to tell you if they see you slouch. I’m not sure why people are squeamish about asking for help with this type of matter, but I would rather ask for such a favor than injure myself.

 

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