Turns out our parents were right. Sitting up straight is an important skill to achieve. However, the definition of what “up straight” is can be relative to where our bodies are used to being in space. Yes, we need to have balance between the front, back, and sides of our bodies. We need to have our heads balanced on top of our spines and we need to be able to move with ease and grace from any position regardless of how we’re sitting or standing. But in order to have balanced posture, we need a reference point to where being “upright” is. Texting, computer use, and driving makes balanced posture a challenge, as our bodies are very adaptable. Our bodies will accommodate whatever position we tend to be in and our brains will register it as “upright”, indifferent to what “upright” really is. So forward heads and rounded shoulders become our default posture. Here are a few tips on how we can help our bodies reset and find our natural balanced posture. It takes awareness and time, but not much time.
When we are sitting in the car:
1. When driving keep the back of the head against the headrest. Just resetting the middle of the back and the head will help our brain realize what upright really is.
2. Keep both hands on the wheel. Leaning with one arm on the side armrest may not seem like a big deal but these daily habits add up. Just think how much time is spent driving the kids to school, driving to work or waiting in traffic on I-4!
3. When driving tilt the rearview mirror up just a tad. Sit up just a tiny bit more, head back against the headrest and lean into upper back/ribcage area.
Implementing these daily posture habits will give our brain a new option for what “upright” is. Even more important, it sets us on our path to a mindfulness self-care practice.
Check back for balanced posture tips in the office!
