Many of us spent our time in lockdown working towards self-improvement. We’ve been eating hearty and nutritious meals, spending more time in nature and speaking more frequently to our loved ones. For a lot of us, our health has never been better. But one part of us that we’ve failed to fix is our posture.
In fact, many of us have found our posture to be even worse than it was before the pandemic. One study found that 11 million people have reported experiencing back pain since they started working from home. If you’ve found your back to be suffering as a result of your poor posture, you should address this quickly.
Believe it or not, having a good posture can actually change your life. From feeling more energised to improving our workout performance, the impact that posture has on our lives cannot be overstated. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways to perfect your posture when working from home…
Work At A Table
When working remotely, it’s so tempting to just grab your laptop and hop back into bed to work from the comfort of your snuggly duvet. But as great as that sounds, it certainly doesn’t do your back any favours. Working whilst sitting (or lying) on an uneven surface for a long period of time will eventually curve your back, which will leave you with a niggling pain that won’t budge.
And your posture isn’t the only thing that can be harmed when working from under the duvet. You’re also far less likely to produce top quality work, as your productivity levels plummet when working from bed. You may also find it difficult to get to sleep too.
After you’ve had a long and difficult working day, all you want to do is switch off. But when the line is blurred between work and rest, it can be difficult to do so. You’ll find yourself getting tempted to work later and later until there is no time between your working day ending and sleep beginning.
So for the sake of your back, as well as your general health, make sure that you work from a table. If you have a desk at home, that’s even better. But if you don’t have either, you can still find ways to improve your posture. Invest in a decent lumbar support pillow to protect your posture, and buy yourself a lap desk to avoid neck strain.
Adjust Your Screen
Do you often find yourself hunched forward when looking at your screen? If so, this means your screen isn’t at the right height. As a result, your posture will worsen over time, and this is likely to result in acute neck pain. To find the perfect position for your monitor, start off by sitting in your chair the way you normally would when working. Then make sure that the screen is no more than an arms-length away; otherwise you would need to lean into the screen to be able to see well if it was any further back. Next, sit up straight and look ahead.
You should be able to see your screen now without bending over. If not, adjust your laptop or monitor so that the top third of the screen is aligned with your forehead. If you find your screen to be too low when using the desk alone, get yourself an adjustable laptop stand to find the perfect height.
Alternatively, you can stick your laptop on a pile of books to get to your desired height. It may not look as professional as a stand, but it certainly does the job. And most importantly, when looking down at your screen, make sure to do so with your eyes rather than your head in order to avoid text neck.
Take Breaks
When you were at the office, you probably had a range of excuses you could use to escape the desk for 5 minutes. Getting up to fill your water bottle, printing off important documents, discussing your latest project with your colleague (aka gossip with your office bestie). But now you’re in the comfort of your own home, you may not feel the need to escape as much.
Now that there are no colleagues that you can meet face to face, and the only meetings you attend now are virtual ones, the number of breaks you’re taking has probably plummeted. This may be good for productivity, but it is bad news for your posture. Sitting for too long can increase the tension in your muscles, and therefore harm your posture.
So make sure to get up and move at least every hour. Make yourself a cup of tea, do the washing up, or simply just do a quick lap around the living room. Whatever you do, it will be great for your back, and your health too. Moving regularly is the key to achieving good circulation, which consequently boosts your energy levels and immune system.
Remember to Stretch
Stretching doesn’t just make you feel good, but it’s great for your posture too. In fact, it’s one of the most effective ways to reverse bad posture and undo the damage from all the slouching that you’ve done over time. When you stretch your muscles, you improve your alignment in the areas which are affected by your posture most: your lower back, shoulders and chest.
Stretching loosens your muscles and keeps you balanced, which will help you improve your posture over time. Any type of stretching is good for your muscles, but there are a number of stretches which target the most important muscles for your posture. Use this article by Healthline to find the best stretches for your posture. There are several types for people of all levels, so there’s no reason not to try it out.
Written by Siobhan Kelly
WellBe is spearheading the way to a brighter future for corporate wellness. Our innovative portal is scientifically designed and tailored to each individual employee to improve their wellbeing. We specialise in a range of services from coaching and therapists, to meditation and reading materials. Our aim is to reduce workplace stress that costs UK businesses £42 billion per year. Get in touch with us by visiting our site wellbe.global for more information.
