CAREER TIPS - 3 Posture Tips To Improve Mental Clarity, Job Productivity And Career Success
Posted 8th September 2021 • Written by Bryan Robinson, Ph.D. on www.forbes.com • • • • •
Around 65 million Americans suffer from back pain because of poor posture when we’re working, leading to 83 million days of lost work each year. “Sit up straight!” and “Don’t slouch!” are probably some of the most common phrases we heard growing up as kids. But many of us are so focused on job performance we ignore or downplay how we use our bodies in ways that don’t serve us. Perhaps it’s time to pay attention to an important facet of career success that we overlook. Dr. Vikki Petersen, certified clinical nutritionist, chiropractor and certified functional medicine practitioner highlights the importance of knowing how your posture throughout the day can impact your productivity at work. According to Petersen, “Poor posture is extremely common, yet few appreciate that it can make you tired, give you headaches and diminish your mental acuity. Your head is a 10 pound bowling ball perched above your spine,” she said. “When your head protrudes forward or you slouch, you interfere with nerve flow to your neck and brain leading to pain, headache, loss of concentration and more. A slouched position compromises your oxygen intake, leading to fatigue and brain fog.”
3 Top Tips For Correcting Bad Posture
Petersen lists three tips for improving posture and mental health:
- Be smart about your throne. The best work chair has many adjustments available to you. The chair should not only move up and down, but the lumbar support (seat back) should be adjustable, along with the height of your arm rests. It’s worth the investment, and can make a huge difference in how you feel throughout the day.
- Elevation is key. Consider investing in a desk that moves up and down, alternating between the sitting and standing position. If that is too much of an expense, there are small desktop devices that will elevate your computer to allow you to stand and keep working. Standing desks have grown tremendously in popularity, and for good reason. You’ll notice the difference in how you feel quickly when using one.
- Think outside the chair. Consider an exercise ball that you change out for your chair. The ball will utilize different muscles in your neck and back, and the good news is that it is almost impossible to slouch on it without falling off! Using an exercise ball as your chair is a great way to stabilize and strengthen core muscles without much added effort
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