Entrepreneurs: Improve your posture, Improve your Success

Entrepreneurs: Improve your posture, Improve your Success

More than 13% of entrepreneurs in a startup lose a minimum of 6 hours a week in productivity due to common postural distortion patterns. Most common symptoms interfering with success were headaches, back pain, and loss of concentration.   Lost productive time from common pain conditions among active workers costs an estimated $61.2 billion per year. The majority (76.6%) of the lost productive time was explained by reduced performance while at work. Factors such as the position of the work chair, workstation table, keyboard, mouse, and monitors, along with monitor refresh rates and ambient room lighting, have become secondary considerations. Paying close attention to the basics of workplace ergonomics and correct posture can go a long way in increasing productivity and reducing fatigue, thus allowing full realization of the potential of up to 64% increase in productivity.

Your posture affects your productivity

Entrepreneurs are hard working people by nature. Their future generally depends on their productivity.   Why would we continue to throw away 6 hours a week because of bad posture, when it could be better utilized for success?   The answer is commonly one of being unaware of the importance of posture on productivity. Most entrepreneurs spend a large amount of time working at their computers. Most often these workstations are not conductive to good posture.

Ergonomically incorrect workstation cause bad posture.

When the workstation is incorrect it often causes the entrepreneur to sit with incorrect posture. Common postural distortion patterns are having the computer too low, and too far out of reach. The screen causes the person to tilt their head forward and down to see the screen. The chair is not at the appropriate height causing the knees to either be raised too high or too low, with no low back support. This causes slouching and curving of the spine with rounding of the shoulders.

Bad posture increases pain, and decreases function

This position of rounded shoulders, curved spine, and forward head posture increases the stress on the muscles of the back. It reduces proper circulation, and irritates nerves, while increasing the chance for degeneration of the spine. Sitting in this position for long periods of time each day creates postural distortion patterns that not only decrease productivity, but also increase the chances of spinal disease and bad health.

Check if you have these Postural Distortion Patterns

You can easily see if your working position is preventing productivity and creating postural distortion patterns. Sit in your workspace. Sit up straight with your back away from the chair, head over your shoulders, feet flat on the ground, and elbows by your side. If you cannot see the screen without looking down, or reach the keyboard from this position your working posture is decreasing your productivity.   To know for sure if your working posture is causing postural distortion patterns get a thorough Posture Diagnosis Online from the American Posture Institute at www.AmericanPostureInstitute.com.

4 Posture Tips to Increase Productivity

Posture Habits Re-education

• Use Posture Reminder
  1. Label an item clearly visible at your workspace (or use a sticker placed on your computer) as your “posture reminder”. Every time you see this reminder, remember to Sit up straight, and maintain correct posture. Over time you will develop the habit of staying in good posture.
• Posture Breaks
  1. Every 30 minutes – 1-hour take a 20 second posture break. Stand up, stretch, move around, bend over, and take a mental break. Taking 20 seconds every hour is much better than losing 6 whole hours a week in productivity. Plus you will be more alert and produce better quality work.

Posture Rehabilitation

• Side Planks
  1. Performing side planks every morning will increase the endurance of your core muscles allowing you to maintain correct sitting posture for longer periods of time. Laying on your right side, place your right elbow on the ground. Now using your feet and right elbow raise your hips off the ground. Hold this position for as long as you can. Rest 30 seconds, and repeat on the other side. Do this 5 times per side.

Spinal Alignment

• Cervical Traction
  1. Improve the curve of the neck to decrease forward head posture while sitting. To perform this lay on your back facing up. Place a rolled up towel or small cushion under your neck. The cushion should increase the curve of your neck.

For more information on how your posture may be causing your health problems, how to stay healthy through proper posture, or for more ways to improve your posture contact Dr. Mark Wade at: API@AmericanPostureInstitute.com or find more information like this at www.AmericanPostureInstitute.com

Reference:

• The ergonomics edge. Improving safety, quality ,and productivity. Dan MacLeod. 1995. John wiley & Sons, Inc. Canada. ISBN 0-471-28511-0

• Importance and Effects of Altered Workplace Ergonomics in Modern Radiology Suites. Mukesh G. Harisinghani, MD, , Michael A. Blake, FFR(RCSI), FRCR, , Mansi Saksena, MD, , Peter F. Hahn, MD, PhD, , Debra Gervais, MD, , Michael Zalis, MD, , Leonor da Silva Dias Fernandes, MD, and , Peter R. Mueller, MD. Department of Radiology, Division of Abdominal Imaging & Intervention, Massachusetts General Hospital. August 18. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1148/rg.242035089

• Stewart WF, Ricci JA, Chee E, Morganstein D, Lipton R. Lost Productive Time and Cost Due to Common Pain Conditions in the US Workforce. 2003;290(18):2443-2454.