Smarter: You’re Not Sitting in Your Chair Right

1. You’re using a laptop for long periods of time.
As a laptop user, this was the hardest thing to learn: that it’s hard to have good posture while working exclusively on a laptop, especially if you’re on a couch or lounge chair. As Paul describes it, a mentor of his once said: “Don’t call it a laptop—it’s a notebook. It doesn’t belong on your lap.”

Instead of working exclusively on your laptop, you should pair it with a laptop riser or external monitor to prevent your neck and back from being hunched. An external keyboard and mouse are also essential because they help keep your shoulders in a healthier position and wrists unbent and straight. 

2. You’re sitting too far forward. 
Instead, scoot back to have your back supported by the backrest of the chair. But make sure you don’t sit on a seat that’s too long because you still want to ensure there’s a 2-inch gap between the back of your knee and the seat to avoid pressure and discomfort.

3. You’re sitting on a hard surface.
A properly cushioned seat can help support the distribution of your weight across your buttocks to avoid uncomfortable pressure points. If you don’t have a padded office chair, try adding towels or pillows to the one you have.

Though bear in mind that too much cushioning—imagine sinking too far down into a couch—might also be bad for you because it can restrict movement, reduce blood circulation, increase skin temperature, and cause discomfort.

4. Your chair height is too high or too low.
If your chair is too high, your wrists might be extended uncomfortably. And if it’s too low, it can create a pressure point where your forearms touch the desk and cause the wrists to bend in a similarly uncomfortable position.

5. Your feet aren’t supported properly.
It’s common to see people bend their knees back when they’re sitting so they can rest their feet on the chair base. But that often results in an acute angle of the knees, which can cause discomfort, Dana says.

Both of your feet should be flat on the ground or on a footrest, and your knees should be bent at an angle of no less than 90 degrees. You can check out the graph in this article to see what I mean.

6. The monitor isn’t positioned correctly.
If it’s too far away, you could be craning your body forward to look at the screen. Our monitor should be about an arm’s length away.

The height of the monitor is also important. If it’s too high, you can strain your neck muscles and increase pressure on your cervical spine, while a monitor that’s too low might strain the muscles and ligaments in your neck, shoulders, and upper back. Ideally, the top of the monitor should be even with your eyes.

7. You’re not taking enough breaks.
After every 30 minutes of sitting, you should take a short break, doing things as simple as getting up to get a glass of water. The key is to increase blood flow and take a break from the static postures you settle into when working on a computer.

Oftentimes, your next posture is your best posture. Try alternating between sitting at a desk and using a standing desk when you work. And during your breaks, move around or stretch.

Bonus tips for better sitting habits:
You can be creative with the modifications you make to your chair and workspace. For instance, you can use rolled up towels to provide makeshift lumbar support or thick books to create a riser for your laptop.

And if you feel discomfort while you’re working, don’t try to push through the pain. Take a second to identify where it hurts and how you can make adjustments to find a more comfortable position. Your back will thank you for it.