How Posture Makes You Happier and More Energetic at Work
Stand up straight. Keep your head up. Keep a tall spine. We all grew up hearing we should have good posture. That’s even more true now, as we all spend so much time sitting. It turns out that not only is good posture important for the body, it has a powerful affect on your mood and thoughts as well.
Berkeley-based behavioral scientist Erik Peper has done extensive research on posture and mood. In his recent study, Peper and his team explored how changes in body posture while standing affect strength and mood. Peper’s team found:
“It only takes 2 minutes of posture change to initiate changes in your hormones, energy levels, strength, and mood. These 2-minute changes done often may change your life.”
In a 2015 study published in Health Psychology researchers found that sitting upright may help build resilience to stress. When study participants maintained upright seated posture during times of stress they had:
- better mood
- lower fear
- higher self-esteem compared to participants with slumped posture.
It turns out your middle school teachers were right. You feel better when if you sit up straight.
So, want to change your mood? Change your posture.
Increase your energy and decrease your stress and anxiety with some simple posture changes throughout your day.
Tips for Good Workplace Posture
- Get up and move every 30 minutes
- Do simple exercises throughout the day: calf raises, neck rolls, toe touches, squats
- Keep both feet planted on the floor (while seated)
- Try not to cross your knees
- Lean forward slightly and sit on your pelvic floor not your sits bones
- Keep your chest open and not rounded forward over your computer
More info on how your posture influences how you feel:
- Fast Company talks posture and moods
- Erik Peper’s study on how posture affects strength & mood
- Health Psychology study on how slumped and upright posture affects stress
When you video conference, consider using a big screen TV for your meetings. Instead of looking down at a laptop, you can look up at a big screen. For easy, affordable big screen video conferencing, learn about Pluot’s free hardware. Cheers!
