Perks of Perfecting Posture
As
attorneys, we spend a significant amount of time sitting at our desks. We lock
our eyes on to our computer screen, roll our shoulders forward, and type away.
While doing so, we risk enduring muscular pain and poor posture. Perfecting our
posture can help improve our work product, mental health, and physical
longevity.
Positively Influencing How Our Peers Perceive Us
Clients,
jury members, and peers form their initial opinions of you within seconds. The
secret to making a positive impression lies within your posture. Give the
heart-posture a try. It involves standing up straight with your pelvis and
shoulders aligned, head straight forward, and shoulders relaxed.
Fostering Positive Emotions
Our
posture also influences how we view ourselves. Researchers conducted a study
wherein they measured participants’ emotions and body-image satisfaction when
viewing themselves in a mirror. First, participants performed this exercise
while slouched over, and then they repeated the exercise while standing
upright. (1) The results demonstrated
that standing upright improves self-image and fosters positive emotions.
Strengthening Cognition
Good
posture is also strongly associated with enhanced cognition. Working while
sitting in an upright position helps people read faster, process information
quicker, and increase overall productivity. (2) Merely standing up and
stretching for a few minutes at work each day is shown to significantly improve
cognition.
Improving Overall Health
Poor
posture places excess stress on the spine and may lead to musculoskeletal
disorders. On the other hand, emphasizing perfect posture can improve sleep
quality, increase respiratory function, and help strengthen muscles. Focus on
stretching your pectoral and scapular muscles in order to reap these benefits. (3)
(1) Marta Miragall et al., Expand your
body when you look at yourself: The rile of the posture in a mirror exposure
task, PLoS One (Mar. 23,
2018), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5865731/.
(2) Sarah Awad, Embodiment: I sat, I
felt, I performed – Posture effects on mood and cognitive performance, ScienceDirect (July 21, 2021), https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001691821001037.
(3) Paolo Montuori, Assessment on
Practicing Correct Body Posture and Determinant Analyses in a Large Population
of a Metropolitan Area, J. Behavioral
Sciences (Feb. 8, 2023), https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9952460/.
