It’s 3pm, you’re sitting at your desk, counting down the minutes till it’s time to clock out, and you’re slouching at the desk. We all know some version of this feeling. And I’m sure most of you have discovered for yourselves, that slouching will rather quickly lead to a stiff, sore back or neck.
It may come as a surprise however, that posture affects our health and performance in other, and even more significant ways. One of these, is the effect that it has on our cognitive function and productivity. Here are some of the ways you might notice this:
- Poorer decision making – usually you’ll notice this one at work. You’re just making worse choices, and this often leads to more work, less outcome, and ultimately, frustration.
- Slower Response Time – You’re slower on the uptake than usual. Remember dozing off with your head on the desk at school, or getting distracted at a meeting in the office, and suddenly someone calls your name – you sit up straight instantly. This is partly because your brain instinctively knows that it responds best and fastest, when you are upright! So, it’s no wonder that slouching slows this down.
- Less Productivity – Overall, we get less work done, with less proficiency. This is one of the reasons why experts often suggest techniques that involve getting up from our seat regularly, such as the pomodoro technique – which involves taking 5-minute rests after each “pomodoro” or 25-minute work cycle.
By improving our posture, you can dramatically improve these areas, which means you get more done, in less time, with greater accuracy. And as an added bonus, you’ll feel better while you do it! At Necks Backs Sports, we believe that posture can change your life. If you want to learn how to go from Poor Posture to Peak Performance, reach out to our team to book a consultation, or ask us about our in-house talks! (hyperlinked if possible)
Stay Healthy,
Dr Jacob Augimeri
