Like most people, you’ve likely been taught good posture since childhood. You may be intentional about keeping good posture even today. But if you struggle with maintaining a good posture, you’re not alone. Many of us struggle to remember. So, what can you do to help yourself without resorting to snapping a rubber band around your wrist, keeping a rock in your shoe, or some other system of inconvenient reminders? In this blog, we’ll explain what good posture looks like, and some steps you can take toward keeping your posture healthy all day long.
What Is Good Posture?
Maintaining good posture not only helps you look and feel more confident, it also helps you maintain better health.
Sitting
Some people have handy sit/stand desks. But many people spend most of their day sitting, usually hunched over, looking at their computer screen. Here are some key points for maintaining a healthy sitting posture:
- Feet flat on the floor, or on a footrest
- Keep your ankles in front of your knees
- Keep your monitor at eye level
- Head and neck in line with your torso
- Relax shoulders with forearms parallel to the floor
Standing
Whether you work standing or sitting, these tips are for us all. Here are some key points for maintaining a healthy standing posture:
- Straight and tall, with shoulders back
- Keep head level, in line with your body
- Engage your core
- Feet shoulder width apart
- Hands and arms relaxed, hanging freely from your shoulders
Just How Do You Remember These throughout the Day?
Like with anything, practice makes permanent. A violinist doesn’t learn all their scales in one day; it takes daily practice. But there are some things you can do to set yourself up for success.
Tailor Your Work Environment
Whether you work at home or in the office, if you’re able to customize your workspace to enable better posture, you should do so.
- Design your workspace for ergonomics. Ensure that your computer monitor is high enough so that you don’t slouch to look at it. Try using back supports in your chair.
- Ensure enough leg room. By having enough leg room, you won’t cross your legs unnecessarily or be cramped.
- Hold mobile devices at eye level. By holding your device at eye level, you can keep your head and neck in line with your body.
Set Reminders
One way you can ensure better posture throughout the day is to set reminders for yourself.
- Posture check. Start out with a posture check reminder every 15 minutes at first. As you get better at remembering, try every half hour, then every hour.
- Stand up. It’s important to stand every 30 minutes. You can double up this reminder as a posture check reminder, too.
- Try a sticky note. It’s a classic for a reason. Leaving a sticky note on your computer monitor will remind you to have good posture every time you look at it.
- Driving posture. When you’re driving, do a posture check every time you’re at a redlight.
Check In with Friends
Try checking in with your friends or coworkers throughout the day. This can help with accountability, too. Try sending posture check text messages to each other.
Any Tips We Missed?
We’re committed to providing you with useful information that will help you with your back health. Got any tips that we missed? We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us by calling (425) 277-2225.