5 Tips for Improving Your Sitting Posture at Your Desk

When spending so many hours behind a work desk, it is important to have proper sitting posture. You may pick up sore neck and wrists from time to time. With proper sitting posture, these things do not have to be uncomfortable and unwanted perks of the job. Here are five tips on how to fix posture. 

1. Do not push your body’s limits.

Our body design is not intended to sit at desks for long periods without breaks. However, after about 20 minutes of constant sitting, our bodies may begin to experience discomfort. When this happens, it is important to take a stretch and allow your body to recoup. Furthermore, you can take this opportunity to work in 20-minute increments. This will allow you not to feel so overworked and overwhelmed. Additionally, this could be useful to prevent burnout if you view the day in shorter time slots. Allow yourself more breaks after prolonged sitting periods; your body should not feel as much discomfort after a long shift. 

2. Take a walk or drink water.

Poor posture can begin to catch up on you and even affect your successful metabolism. Sitting hunched at your desk will allow tension to creep in, especially when you do not have proper sitting posture. If possible, take a walk whenever your body begins to experience significant discomfort. When this is not a possibility, take some time to stretch around your desk or just allow yourself to have a drink of water. It's easy to become dehydrated at work when there seem to be so many other important tasks that should be prioritized. Remind yourself that none of these tasks are more important than your health, and drink a healthy amount of water each day. 

3. Chose a chair that supports you properly

One of the most critical aspects of how to fix your posture at your desk is sitting properly. Having a chair that gives you the proper support will make sitting suitably much easier. The ideal chair allows you to place your feet properly on the floor with thighs parallel. This way, you are sitting up straight and not hunched over. Furthermore, your chair should be able to support your spine appropriately. The ideal chair should also have armrests that allow your shoulders to move naturally. 

4. Organize your desk efficiency

Another factor that can disrupt proper sitting posture is having to reach for things constantly. Sometimes our bodies have to twist to unnatural positions just to grab a pen. Since our minds are so commonly programmed to choose the quickest route, organizing your desk efficiency is key to maintaining a proper sitting posture. Place commonly used items as close to you as possible. You do not want to be constantly bending and twisting to plug your phone into the charger or grab your water bottle.

5. Keyboard Placement

Usually, the most used item on a desk is the keyboard. You must optimize your keyboard to handle constant emails and social media updates. You want this placement to emphasize straight wrists and arm comfort. There is no easier way to experience discomfort than to constantly be typing in a hunched position that does not utilize proper posture.