Are you a tortoise or a flamingo? Find your ideal work posture

Are you hunched over your desk while working like a hardworking beaver building its dam? While beavers are known for their persistent nature, their constant hunching isn’t something we should imitate in our workspaces. Let’s dive into some of the common “animal-style” desk postures and how to correct them for a healthier and more “human” workday.

Here are some ways how you can find your ideal work posture: 

• Monitor Height- Ensure your screen is at eye level to prevent the need to retract your neck. If you don’t have an adjustable screen, you can always stack some old binders underneath the monitor

• Ergonomic Chair- Use a chair that supports an upright posture, encouraging your neck to stay aligned with your spine.

The Flamingo: One-legged sitting

Perching on one leg or sitting with legs crossed like a flamingo can cause hip imbalance and lower back pain over time. We know it’s the most comfortable position for some, but in a few years your hips will disagree with you.

Here are some ways how you can change your work posture: 

• Both Feet Flat: Keep both feet flat on the ground to distribute weight evenly. 

• Adjust Chair Height: Set your chair so that your knees are at a 90-degree angle, which helps promote proper circulation and balance.

The Meerkat: constantly leaning forward

Here are some better ways to work by your screen:

• Sit Back: Sit fully back in your chair with your back straight, allowing the chair to support your spine.

• Screen Distance: Position your monitor about an arm’s length away to reduce eye strain and the tendency to lean in.

The Penguin: Arms stiff at sides

Yes, sometimes resting your arms on the table is uncomfortable and the desk is stiff with no cushions, but keeping your arms rigidly at your sides like a penguin can lead to shoulder and wrist discomfort.

Here are some ways how you can fix your arm position:

• Armrests: Adjust your chair’s armrests so your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, providing support without causing stiffness.

• Keyboard Position: Place your keyboard and mouse within easy reach to prevent overextension.

The Owl: Twisted Neck

We all have a tendency to turn our heads towards our colleague when asking a question, or twisting our necks to look at the second monitor or some documents, but we should opt for turning our bodies in full towards the object we are looking at. Frequently turning your head to look at documents or a second monitor can mimic an owl’s neck rotation and it can lead to neck strain.

Here are more ways to protect your neck whilst working by your desk:

• Document Holder: Use a document holder adjacent to your monitor to keep reference materials at eye level.

• Dual Monitors: Align dual monitors directly in front of you or use a swivel chair to turn your entire body, reducing neck twisting.

Congratulations, you have successfully completed the “Desk Safari” tour and now you know which animal sitting style you have. You may have more than one style, and that is okay, the sooner you detect it the better.

We hope you had fun and that you will use some of the advice we provided. But that is not all, below you can find some general tips for all of us “desk workers”.

• Regular Breaks: Stand up and stretch every hour to promote circulation and reduce muscle fatigue. It helps, we promise.

• Strengthening Exercises: Incorporate exercises that strengthen your core and back muscles to support better posture.

Good luck at work to all of you and please, be mindful of your sitting positions. Even though we all love animals and there is plenty that they can teach us, posture is sadly not one of those things.