You don’t have to spend hours to improve your posture — and prevent back problems. In just ten minutes a day, you can straighten and strengthen your back.
- Every morning, take a minute to look in the mirror. Stand facing sideways and make sure everything is aligned. Your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles should form a straight line. If they don’t, straighten up and see if you can get everything into place. Do this every day and your body will start to remember how it feels to be aligned correctly.
- When you get to work, check your posture. It will only take a minute (or less) to make sure your feet are flat on the floor, your eyes are level with the monitor, and your hands hit the keyboard at a comfortable angle. Use a footrest if you need to — you want to keep your feet flat on the floor.
- Throughout the work day, take a one minute break to walk around the office or parking lot. Sixty seconds of standing can improve your posture. Repeat five times during the work day for a total of five minutes.
- Throughout the work day, take a break for a posture check. Make sure your shoulders are down and rotated back, your thighs are parallel to the floor, and your feet are flat. It should only take thirty seconds (or less) to check. Repeat four times during the work day for a total of two minutes.
- Ready for bed? Take one last minute to make sure you are sleeping in the best position. Experts suggest laying on your side or on your back for best back health. If you are a side sleeper, try sticking a pillow between your legs for spinal support.
That’s it! Ten minutes of mindful posture spread throughout the day can really make a big impact on your back. You can ease minor back pain and avoid future problems if you take the time now to check your posture.