A Guide to Good Posture for Remote Workers

By Made In Group
schedule29th Jun 20

 

For many British workers, remote working has now been part of day-to-day life for as long as three months now. Some people predict that remote working may become a long term trend for businesses who are able to carry on this way of working, therefore, it is vital that employees keep themselves safe and healthy through practicing correct posture and not simply slouching their working day away on the sofa. 

To help give our members the knowledge they need to stay fit and healthy during remote working and beyond, Physiotherapist Molly Brown, a graduate from the University of Birmingham, recently spoke to us at length about the potential dangers of remote working on your physical health and what can be done to prevent bad posture habits. Read Molly's advice below on how to maintain good posture during remote working:

 

Develop Some Awareness of Your Alignment

The first step to developing better posture is becoming aware of your current habits.You ultimately want to resist the work-from-home tendency of sitting on a sofa or bed throughout the day. Sitting at a table or desk is obviously key here, however, a standing desk can actually be the most beneficial, even if only for a portion of the day.

How to check in with your body:

Neck – Your head should be in an upright position, ears aligned with your shoulders and your eyes looking directly forwards. Consider using a laptop stand or placing your device on some books to bring the screen up to your eyeline. The main aim here is to prevent looking down, as the weight of your head will bear excessive strain on your neck.

Shoulders – Correct those slouchy shoulders by rolling them backwards in their socket to regain an open and relaxed position. This can feel challenging and unnatural if you are out of habit, but be disciplined, it's important! You want to make sure your elbows are roughly at a 90 degree angle, allowing your forearms to rest on the desk.

Back – Your chair should be supportive of your lower back, supporting it’s natural inward curve. To achieve this you can either purchase an appropriate back support online, or simply bridge the gap between the chair and your back using a pillow.

Knees – Try to sit with your knees at a 90 degree angle, allowing your feet to sit comfortable on the floor; this will ensure your thighs are parallel with your forearms, avoiding any subconscious twisting.

 

Incorporate Regular Movement into Your Workday

It is imperative that you break any habits of sitting at a desk for 8 hours straight. Much like the days when we commuted, walked to meetings and headed out to pick up lunch, regular movement is equally as important whilst working remotely.

Simple ways to integrate this into a daily routing include walking or standing whilst taking phone calls and setting an alarm every 30-60 minutes to remind you to move.

Easy and effective stretches to do at your desk: neck rolls, shoulder rolls, arms above your head with interlaced fingers – breathing deeply.

 

Acknowledge Your Stress

A stress-inducing email or meeting will automatically send your body into fight-or-flight mode. Your shoulders will likely tense, heart rate increase and breathing will become faster and shallower.

Take a moment to acknowledge your stress and the impact that it has had on your body; this can be achieved by checking back in with your posture. By re-adjusting your positioning, you will automatically open up the diaphragm and chest to regain control of breathing. Relax and regather.

 

Embrace a New Era of Networking at the Live Digital Business Festival

With remote working becoming a reality for many, Made in Group felt it was important to keep the manufacturing industry connected by creating a socially distant, safe alternative to their annual physical exhibition.

Backing Britain Live 2020 is a virtual expo with a tactile aspect, giving UK industry an opportunity to embrace a new era of networking and stay connected. Featuring over 30 events in a two week period, this is an entirely new concept in terms of attending an exhibition and will be a landmark moment for British manufacturing.

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