4 Easy Ways to Remember to Sit Up Straight

Working the nine to five, many of us spend the majority of the day trapped behind a desk and staring at a computer. That’s about forty hours a week sitting, and without the proper posture, it can cause major back pain. The problem is, between meetings, deadlines, and endless emails, sitting up straight isn’t the first thing on many of our minds during the workday. However, a posture corrector could help to remind you to fix your posture while sat down during the day. Furthermore, these four tips will help you remember to readjust and realign your spine, so when it’s finally time to go home your back and neck won’t be aching.

Set a timer

Without mom giving us reminders, a lot of us have trouble remembering to sit up straight. A simple solution is setting a timer. This could be done on your phone, a browser based timer, or even the scheduler on your computer. Set reminders, maybe starting at every twenty minutes, with a phrase such as “sit up.” Each time the alarm goes off you will be reminded to check your posture and adjust. As this becomes more of a habit, you can change the timer for longer periods of time.

Visual reminders

Using a visual to remind you to sit up straight can be as easy as sticking a post-it note with “posture” on your workspace. Just stick it somewhere you know you will frequently see it, say your computer monitor, and every time your eye is drawn to it, you will know to straighten up.

Another visual technique is picking an object already in your space, like a stapler or a picture frame you have on your desk, and connecting that in your mind with the idea of sitting up straight. Every time you look at it is the sign to readjust.

Adjust your work space

At some point, we all have been guilty of hunching over our desk to better see our monitor or looking down at our smartphone, this leads to forward head posture: a condition where the cervical spine adopts a forward-leaning misalignment and can cause mild to severe neck and upper back pain. It can also lead to upper crossed syndrome and lower back pain.

To prevent leaning forward at your workstation, make adjustments to your screens and chair. You want your screen, whether it be a desktop, laptop, or tablet, to be eye level. This could be as simple as adjusting the tilt or stacking books underneath to add some height. For laptops and tablets, you might want to invest in stands.

Additionally, adjust the height of your chair. Keep your back flush with the back of the chair, and your stomach close to the edge of the desk. Your hips should be higher than your knees, and the armrests should be able to slide right under the desk while your forearms rest comfortably on top.

Move around

Make sure to get up and stretch or move around. Sitting in the same position for a prolonged time weighs on the body and causes stiff, tired muscles and an aching back and neck. Basic stretches and moving around, such as taking a walk to the water cooler, are easy ways to readjust and give your back some much-needed relief. For example, raising each knee to your chest for thirty seconds relieve lower back pain. Experts suggest taking this type of break every twenty to thirty minutes.