After watching the video, try reading one of our Related Blog posts about ergonomics safety in the office or at the workplace:
After watching the video, find out how Posture can affect your mood and success at work from our previous blog:
“Just sitting up straight, a simple power pose, may increase self-confidence.”European Journal of Social Psychology
The Mind-Body Connection
The mind-body connection refers to the ways our mental state and mental processes affect our physical body. For example, when you’re happy you smile or when you’re upset, you may frown. Research has revealed that the reverse may be true as well, thus the mind-body connection. In a 2010 study, “people who sat or stood in expansive poses for just one minute not only felt more powerful and in charge, they also had an increase in testosterone and a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol.” Psychological Science.
Knowing that it’s possible to affect the mind by being more aware of what your body is doing, let’s explore some of the ways we can apply this body-mind connection to the office or work place.
Mind Posture in the Workplace
“By simply changing physical posture, an individual prepares his or her mental and physiological systems to endure difficult and stressful situations.”- Psychological Science
Your posture can be a very powerful too in the work place. It turns out that your posture may not only affect how people perceive you, but how you perceive yourself. People that sit up straight or stand with good posture may experience a boost to their self-confidence. In a study conducted by the European Journal of Social Psychology a group of people were asked to write down their strengths, weaknesses, and a description of themselves during a mock job interview. Participants that did the task while sitting up straight with their chests out in a confident posture rated themselves higher and had more confidence in their self-attitudes than those who sat slumped, with face looking down at their knees in a doubtful posture according to European Journal of Social Psychology.
Having an increased feeling of self-confidence can lead to success in the work place. According to the job interviewing and recruiting team at RIVS, self-confidence helps you “run successful meetings; dictate what type of work you do and how you do it… you can develop a greater sense of autonomy and easily convince your manager to let you work flexibly or remotely.” Furthermore, self-confidence will help you get those promotions or pay raises.
What is Good Posture?
With all of its benefits, what is good posture? As CYH defines it, “Posture is the position in which you hold your body and limbs when standing, sitting or lying down. To have good posture means that you need to be aware of always holding yourself in a way that puts the least strain on your back, whatever you are doing.”
Because having good posture means that you are putting less strain on your body, it has many benefits beyond just appearances. It can reduce the chance of injury in the workplace.
If you feel you may not be strong enough to maintain good posture due to workplace injury or lack of strength, you should consider exercising to build your strength. At Solutions Northwest, we have assembled a YouTube series which features exercises you can do at the office with only a desk or a chair. Check out this link to learn more
Be sure to share these tips with your employees, especially if you work in the Human Resources department. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more detailed information.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
“Just sitting up straight, a simple power pose, may increase self-confidence.”European Journal of Social Psychology
The Mind-Body Connection
The mind-body connection refers to the ways our mental state and mental processes affect our physical body. For example, when you’re happy you smile or when you’re upset, you may frown. Research has revealed that the reverse may be true as well, thus the mind-body connection. In a 2010 study, “people who sat or stood in expansive poses for just one minute not only felt more powerful and in charge, they also had an increase in testosterone and a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol.” Psychological Science.
Knowing that it’s possible to affect the mind by being more aware of what your body is doing, let’s explore some of the ways we can apply this body-mind connection to the office or work place.
Mind Posture in the Workplace
“By simply changing physical posture, an individual prepares his or her mental and physiological systems to endure difficult and stressful situations.”- Psychological Science
Your posture can be a very powerful too in the work place. It turns out that your posture may not only affect how people perceive you, but how you perceive yourself. People that sit up straight or stand with good posture may experience a boost to their self-confidence. In a study conducted by the European Journal of Social Psychology a group of people were asked to write down their strengths, weaknesses, and a description of themselves during a mock job interview. Participants that did the task while sitting up straight with their chests out in a confident posture rated themselves higher and had more confidence in their self-attitudes than those who sat slumped, with face looking down at their knees in a doubtful posture according to European Journal of Social Psychology.
Having an increased feeling of self-confidence can lead to success in the work place. According to the job interviewing and recruiting team at RIVS, self-confidence helps you “run successful meetings; dictate what type of work you do and how you do it… you can develop a greater sense of autonomy and easily convince your manager to let you work flexibly or remotely.” Furthermore, self-confidence will help you get those promotions or pay raises.
What is Good Posture?
With all of its benefits, what is good posture? As CYH defines it, “Posture is the position in which you hold your body and limbs when standing, sitting or lying down. To have good posture means that you need to be aware of always holding yourself in a way that puts the least strain on your back, whatever you are doing.”
Because having good posture means that you are putting less strain on your body, it has many benefits beyond just appearances. It can reduce the chance of injury in the workplace.
If you feel you may not be strong enough to maintain good posture due to workplace injury or lack of strength, you should consider exercising to build your strength. At Solutions Northwest, we have assembled a YouTube series which features exercises you can do at the office with only a desk or a chair. Check out this link to learn more
Be sure to share these tips with your employees, especially if you work in the Human Resources department. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more detailed information.
Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
Watch Solutions Northwest Inc.’s Ergonomics Exercises video series:
“Exercise at Your Desk: Foot Exercises” by clicking on the image above or visiting our YouTube channel.
After watching the video, try reading one of our Related Blog posts about foot pain in the office or at the workplace:
Sore feet from heels? Tips to survive wearing high heels at work:
High heels are “Sitting Shoes” Don’t worry, this is not an ergonomics lecture on the risks of wearing high heels. We are not even going to tell you to stop wearing them. Instead, let’s think of them in a different way. High heels are sitting shoes.
Heel height and comfort in the work place If you are going to be doing a lot of walking or standing, a 1″ heel is about as high as most doctors will recommend. If you are planning on wearing heels higher than 1″, it’s a good idea to have an extra pair of lower heeled shoes with you. Having a pair of low heeled shoes in your desk drawer or in a shoe box under your desk will work.
Ergonomics tips for your work station set up It’s important to make sure your keyboard surface height, chair height, and monitor height are always correct.
If you wear different heel heights on different days or sometimes don’t wear heels at all, a quick way to adjust your workstation is to set the workstation up for when you are wearing heels and use a footrest for when you wear flats. That way your legs won’t dangle when you are wearing flats.
Tips for height adjustable desk work If you use a height adjustable desk it’s recommended to wear a 1″ or lower heeled pair of shoes with a blockier heel while using the desk standing. Stillettos are harder on your body and will also negatively affect your ability to balance. It is an option to wear heels while sitting at your desk and then switch to a lower heeled pair of shoes when standing at your desk.
Be sure to share these tips with the rest office workers or employees. For more guidance on all work related health and safety issues, visit SolutionsNW.com or Contact Us for more information.
Be sure to subscribe to our blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc., ergonomics consultants located in Washington State, Northern California, Oregon, Seattle, Olympia, Tacoma, and Portland.
Standing while working has become increasingly popular. For employers who provide height adjustable surfaces, it is important to know the correct way for employees to use them. Although standing while working can be healthy, using height adjustable surfaces incorrectly causes ergonomics risk factors which can lead to pain and injury.
Upon delivery, set the sitting and standing heights of the surface and monitor at the right heights for the employee. If a keyboard tray is being used, it is important for it to be the correct height as well. If the surface has automatic settings, set them for the employee when the surface is delivered. If the surface does not have automatic settings, the employee can be provided with a measuring tape and notes of the measurements. Alternatively, the wall can be marked with a pin or some type of marking to indicate what heights the surface should be while standing and sitting.
When doing ergonomic assessments, Solutions Northwest educates employees on the following procedures when a sit-stand surface is used:
Tips for Working While Standing
Your Feet and Legs:
Whenever possible, move while you stand. Standing is not moving.
Point your toes forward.
Keep your weight evenly on both legs.
Keep your knees slightly bent, not locked.
Elevate one foot on a footrest or ream of paper to avoid swaying your back.
Wear shoes with good arch support and cushioning.
Use an anti-fatigue mat. A 2’ x 3’ mat is a good size. Move it out of the way when you are using your chair. The mat should have a beveled edge which is not a tripping hazard.
Use the anti-fatigue mat as your movement spring board.
Your Hands and Arms
Keep your elbows by your sides, not resting on the surface.
Recognize the symptoms of fatigue. If you are leaning on the surface, you are tired. Sit down before you are fatigued. Stand before your muscles tighten up from sitting.
Back and Shoulders
Avoid hunching forward. Keep your head over your shoulders.
Remember To:
Develop a good schedule for switching between standing and sitting.
Do not let pain be the reminder to change your position from sitting to standing or vice versa. Change your position before pain sets in. Make note of when your body starts hurting while standing. Switch to sitting 10 minutes before the time your body started hurting while standing.
Walk for at least five minutes every hour.
Having the newest equipment does not ensure that employees will be healthy in the workplace. Although having ergonomically correct equipment cuts back on pain and injuries, it is not the only solution. Both equipment and behaviors need to improve to reduce health risks. For more Ergonomics Tips, visit Solutions Northwest or contact one of our experts today.
