Good Posture: How to Sit Correctly at Your Desk

Many of us work up to 40 hours a week or more sitting at a computer desk, and if you’re not careful, it can have a lot of strain on your body. Maintaining a good desk sitting posture is important for your health and comfort throughout the working week. If you want to make it to the weekend ache and pain-free, this article covers the correct sitting posture and what you can do to make your desk-space more comfortable.

Make Your Workstation Comfortable

The first step to having good posture at work is making sure your workstation is ergonomic. Follow the advice we have included below and make the required adjustments to help you stay free of injuries and strain.

Support your back

You can reduce back pain by properly supporting your lower back. One way you can do this is by ensuring you have a good quality office chair. An adjustable chair means you can change the height, back position and tilt, helping you sit more comfortably. Most good chairs come with additional lumbar support, adding extra comfort and encouraging a good desk sitting posture.  

Adjust your chair and desk height

Making sure your chair and desk height are set correctly will stop you from straining your arms or shoulders. You don’t want to be overreaching constantly throughout the day using your keyboard and mouse, as this can lead to repetitive strain injuries. Your arms should be kept at a 90-degree angle and sit comfortably on the adjustable chair arms, a feature you should make sure any office chair you buy has.  

Make sure your screen is eye level 

Good desk posture means avoiding neck injuries too. You want to make sure your monitor or laptop is at eye-level and about an arm’s length away from you. This way, you won’t be straining your neck while looking up or down at your screen. To make sure you can achieve this without adjusting your chair or desk height from their correct settings, you should look at buying a laptop or monitor stand. This way, everything on your desk can be adjusted for maximum comfort. 

Rest your feet on the floor

Correct sitting posture also includes your legs and feet, and you need to make sure you’re in a position where you can rest your feet comfortably on the floor while working at a desk. Sitting with your legs crossed or in another uncomfortable position can reduce the blood flow through your body and have an impact on the rest of your posture.   

Keep your mouse and keyboard close 

To maintain good desk posture while typing, it’s recommended that you keep it directly in front of you with a gap of about 4-6 inches at the front of your desk where you can rest your wrists. Keep your arms at an L-shape and your elbows at your side on the chair’s armrests. The same applies to your mouse too – keep it close to prevent uncomfortable wrist movements. For additional comfort, buy a wrist rest and a mouse pad. Both will give you extra support through those long days. This also applies to your everyday work items; the less you have to stretch and reach across your desk, the better it is for your health and comfort.  

Avoid phone strain

If you spend a lot of time on the phone, investing in a headset can help you stop phone strain. The constant cradling of a phone between your ear and shoulder can lead to neck strain.  

Take regular breaks

A busy work schedule may not allow this, but it is recommended that you change position or take a short break every 30 minutes. Changing position may not always work as it may result in bad posture, so a quick walk, even if it’s just to grab a drink is a great way of staying comfortable at work. Another consideration if you’re working in an office is standing meetings, which mean employees can spend a short time out of their office chair which can make a big difference. You may think that these breaks could impact your productivity, but regular movement improves concentration.  

Keep your screen glare-free

Screen glare can prevent you from sitting comfortably as you attempt to avoid the glare or strain to see your monitor. You can use a mirror to identify where the glare is coming from and try to position your workspace somewhere that won’t get any glare. If need be, turn the light off or pull the blinds to make sure you can properly see your monitor.  

The Best Desk Sitting Posture

Now you have an office space that meets your individual requirements, what is the best way to sit at your new desk? We have put together some tips to help you stay fit and healthy: 

• Keep your eyes level with the top of your computer monitor  
   
• Relax your shoulders, avoid keeping them high or hunched up 
   

• Your lower arms should be parallel to the floor and rest on a support 

• Rest both feet flat on the floor, buy a footrest if needed 
   
• Keep your upper back straight and maintain the natural curve in your lower back. This should be supported by your chair 
   
• Don’t slouch in your chair, keep your hips as close to the back of the chair as you can 
   

• Your upper legs should be at a 90° angle from your body 
   
• Sit up straight and keep your monitor an arm’s length away from you 
   
• Avoid leaning on one side, however tempting it might be 

Now you have the workspace and the knowledge to keep the best desk sitting posture during a day at work. It can be difficult to get used to sitting this way all the time, but once you get used to it you will certainly feel the difference. If you’re looking for new ergonomic furniture for your office space to help you stay fit and comfortable, visit Furniture at Work.