Millions of us work in an office and use a computer for countless hours, oblivious to the strain we’re placing on ourselves.
It has always been widely accepted that we require two things in life: a good bed and a good work chair, as we spend the majority of our time either asleep or sat at a desk. The latter is certainly an imperative for us all, but often it’s not the chair that’s at fault.
More often than not we are inadvertently slouched or rigid at our desks and unaware of our posture predicament.
Admittedly it can be extremely difficult to be sat in the correct position every minute of the day, but we do encourage that you try. To help, we’ve compiled some top tips on how to not only sit right, but arranging your desk properly too…..
### No Strain, No Pain ###
A correctly adjusted chair will significantly reduce the strain on your back. Select one that is easily adjustable so that you can manipulate the back position, height and tilt.
Ensure that your knees are below your hips too. The right ergonomic office chair will help provide adaptable support, as well as comfort.
### Do You Want The Hot Seat? ###
Working in an office can also mean a lot of ‘hot desking’, so remember to re-adjust your chair accordingly. The versatile reflex office chair, for example, simply shapes to whoever uses it and cleverly solves this problem.
You can now take your place in the hot seat with peace of mind and comfort!
### Stay Grounded ###
Although sometimes hard to accomplish, try to keep your feet flat on the floor. If your feet aren’t flat on the floor ask for a footrest as this will allow you to rest your feet at a level that’s comfortable for you.
Try not to cross your legs as this can potentially cut off circulation and cause hip problems.
### See Eye-To-Eye With Your Monitor ###
It’s recommended that your have your monitor approximately 12 to 30 inches away from your eyes.
Or in other words, place the monitor about an arm’s length away, with the top of the screen roughly at eye level. A monitor riser will impart more flexibility too.
### Screen Your Screen ###
Your screen should be as glare-free as possible, but if you’re experiencing any degree of glare, position the monitor to avoid reflection from overhead lighting and sunlight and pull blinds across the windows.
Adjusting the screen’s brightness or contrast can make it much easier to use, but again a monitor riser will help.
**Remember: Be patient! We know how frustrating it can be when trying to adjust your screen!**
We all need to consider that back pain is a very common condition in the UK and is one of the largest causes of work-related absence. So, if you sit at a desk – either at work or home – then it’s essential you’re giving your back the correct support.
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##### See how our [ergonimic furniture](http://www.posturepeople.co.uk/) & solutions can improve your posture & productivity today.
#### [Jo Blood](/author/joblood) is an expert in workstation ergonomics and is a director and co-founder of Posture People, a company which specialises in supplying ergonomic office products.
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Images:
[RobertSimmons](http://www.flickr.com/photos/wyscan/3368200674/) ~ [Guim.co.uk](www.guim.co.uk) ~
[Posture Reminder](http://www.postureminder.co.uk/tips.html)
