Working at a desk all day can be difficult. You mentally and physically apply yourself and stand the risk of having body pains by virtue of sitting in one spot all day. There are a lot of health risks attached to being a 9 to 5 worker. There’s a higher chance of developing postural defects. But you can cut down your risks by adapting better work posture habits. Here are five ways you can improve your work posture.
1. Lift your line of sight
When you look down at a computer screen all day, your entire body hunches over too. You run the risk of getting rounded shoulders and developing muscle knots on your neck, shoulders and along the line of your spine. But lifting up your PC to your natural line of sight will make you sit up straight and improve your posture at work.
2. Keep your body aligned
The profile of a healthy human back is a slight ‘S’ shape. If your back is more of a ‘C’ shape, then you have a very bad posture. It could be a lot more comfortable to slouch, but relying solely on your bones to hold you up is very unhealthy in the long run. A perfectly aligned posture should have your shoulders on the same line as your ears.
3. Be aware of your posture
You have to be constantly aware of your posture in order to undo months of bad work posture. If you catch yourself sitting or standing with rounded shoulders, keep correcting yourself until you can sit, stand, and move without bending. It could be hard to get used to, but in time, you will improve and your body will be a lot more resilient.
4. Add props
With work on your mind, it could be hard to remember to monitor your posture all the time. So use some props to make life easier. Add a pillow to make your chair more ergonomic. Get a neck pillow so you don’t bend your neck so much. Make sure to sit with your feet flat on the ground. You could even use a back brace to keep you from slouching. Do whatever it takes because your work posture affects you in the long term.
5. Move around more
One of the worst things you can do to your body is to stay in one position for an extended period of time. This makes your muscles less flexible and locked in place (which is the cause of muscle knots). To maintain the fluidity and flexibility of your body, make sure to take breaks in between work tasks to flex your muscles and stretch a little. You could even add in a mini workout if you want to.
Even if it means buying your own chair for work, do it. There is nothing too expensive when it comes to our health and wellbeing. In the end, it would help you work better, get less tired, and live an overall better life. Happy working.
