How to Maintain Good Posture While Working On the Computer

Working at a desk all day can put some strain on your back, shoulders, and neck. If you have decided to work from home, your situation can worsen since you are probably not equipped with an ergonomic workstation. However, that doesn’t mean you have to work with a poor posture. You shouldn’t have to endure pain and aches.

If you learn how to improve your posture working from home, you will feel much better about spending hours in front of your computer screen day after day. Remember that no matter how hard you work to improve your posture, your muscles might still feel tensed if you are constantly under a lot of stress. There is a strong link between stress, poor posture, and back pain.

If you can find healthy ways to manage your stress, your posture should improve naturally. If the pain persists, visit a physiotherapy clinic for long-term treatment. In addition, check out these eight tips to improve your posture when working from home:

Do you have bad posture, and work in front of a computer all day? Read this article for eight tips on how to improve your posture when working from home! Click To Tweet

1. Don’t work in bed or on your couch

If this is your first time working from home, you might be tempted to work in bed or on your couch. After a while, you will realize that this isn’t such a good idea after all.

To improve your posture, be sure to work at a table, or even better, at a desk. This will allow you to be more comfortable over long periods, get proper lumbar support, and keep everything you need within your arm’s reach.

2. Install your computer screen at eye-level

Are you working with a laptop computer? If so, bending your neck to look at your screen for hours is undoubtedly responsible for pain, soreness, and stiffness.

To fix this problem, install your laptop on a stand so the screen can be at eye level. This way, you will be able to keep your neck in a neutral position while you work.

3. Make sure you have good lumbar support

If you have an ergonomic office chair at home, use it. If you use a regular office chair or just a chair you took from your kitchen, make sure you still have good lumbar support.

You can use a lumbar support cushion or simply a small pillow to support your lower back and avoid muscle strain. This is even more important if you regularly suffer from lower back pain.

4. Keep your elbows at the right angle while you work

Improving your posture is all about keeping your spine, but also your joints, in alignment. If you want to try to make your workspace as ergonomic as possible, make sure your elbows are at a 90-degree angle while you work.

If your hands are below or above your elbows instead of being aligned with them, it will create some tension in your back, shoulders, and neck.

5. Consider using a standing desk

Working while standing up could be a good alternative if you don’t like sitting on a chair all day. When you are standing up, with your computer screen at eye level and your elbows at a 90-degree angle, of course, your spine is in a neutral position, and you can more easily avoid muscle tension and strain.

Before you buy a standing desk, make sure you can work while standing up. It could be a good idea to first alternate between a sitting and standing position so your body can slowly get used to it.

6. Use a headset if you have to make many phone calls

If you often have to make phone calls during a regular workday, you might have developed the habit of holding the phone against your shoulder with your ear.

If you only do this once in a while, it isn’t too bad. But doing this daily will put some strain on your neck. A good alternative would be to use a headset or earbuds and a microphone, so you can keep your neck in a neutral position when you’re on the phone.

7. Stretch more than one time during the day

Even if you are sitting or standing in an ergonomic position, you should still take a few breaks during the day to move and stretch your muscles.

It could be a good idea to spend one minute stretching after every 30 minutes of work to prevent muscle stiffness and soreness. Going for a short walk after your lunch will also help improve your posture and motivation when you come back to your computer.

8. Take a moment to reset your shoulders

Are your shoulders slouched right now? Sometimes, we can be so focused on what we are doing that we don’t realize we are hunched over our desks. To counteract slouching, reset your shoulders many times during the day.

To do it, stand with your arms straight in front of you. Lift them and clasp your hands behind your neck. Then, let your hands go while keeping your shoulders in this position.

Do you know the best posture for sitting at a desk all day?