Slouching and hunching over a computer all day puts real stress on your spine and muscles, and the aches tend to show up long before you notice the habit. The good news is that the best tips for better posture at work are simple, free, and quick to practice.
In short: keep your ears, shoulders, and hips stacked, sit all the way back with your lower back supported, keep your feet grounded, and change position often. Below are seven practical habits — plus a quick self-test — that we share with clients every week.
Key takeaways
- Good posture means your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles stack in a relaxed line — not a stiff, military-straight back.
- The wall test is a quick self-check: more than about 2 inches of space behind your lower back means your posture is off.
- At a desk, sit all the way back, keep knees level with hips, feet supported, and your screen at a height that doesn't pull your head forward.
- Posture extends beyond the office: footwear, driving, phone use, and even sleep position all add up.
- No posture is good if you hold it all day — change position often.
Good posture plays a major role in how you look and feel throughout the day. Beyond helping you avoid back, neck, and shoulder discomfort, it can lift your energy, mood, and focus — and poor posture can even make it harder to breathe deeply. These tips focus on the individual habits; for how posture fits together with breaks, eye care, and daily movement, see our guide to posture and movement at work.
What Does Good Posture Look Like?
Good posture is a relaxed, stacked alignment: standing, your ears, shoulders, hips, knees, and ankles fall roughly in one line. You shouldn't feel stiff — let your knees and shoulders settle into what feels natural while keeping that line.
Sitting, the same principle applies. Push your hips as far back in the chair as they go, keep your knees level with your hips, and make sure your lower back is supported so you don't have to lean forward to reach your work. Keep your hips and shoulders parallel rather than twisted toward one side of the desk.
7 Tips for Better Posture at Work
These seven habits cover the places where posture usually breaks down — at your desk, on your feet, in the car, and on your phone. Start with the first one, because awareness makes every other tip easier.
1. Check your posture with the wall test
Be aware of your own body. Take a minute to notice how you're sitting or standing right now. A reliable way to check is the wall test: stand with your back against a wall and notice which parts of your body touch it. Your head and shoulder blades should touch the wall, and there should be a little space between your lower back and the wall. If there are more than 2 inches of space, your posture is off.
2. Build core strength
Strengthen your core on a daily basis — yoga and other bodyweight exercises are great ways to do it. As your core muscles get stronger, holding good posture through the day takes less effort. You can also engage your core while sitting and standing, especially on an active seat such as a perch stool or saddle chair from our chairs and seating collection. Keeping those muscles lightly engaged increases blood flow and helps you feel more alert.
3. Choose supportive footwear
Your feet are the foundation of your posture. Shoes that throw off your balance, like high heels, force your body to compensate — your muscles strain and your spine bends to make up for it all day. When you stand for long periods, choose shoes that support a neutral stance.
4. Sit with support, not effort
It's easy to drift out of good posture in a seated position, because a traditional chair doesn't ask your core to do much. Sit with your knees level with your hips and your feet flat on the floor, then sit up with your shoulders relaxed and back. If your feet don't reach the floor once your chair is at the right height for your desk, here's why a footrest helps. Your screen matters too: a monitor that's too low or too far away pulls your head forward, so check where to position your monitor.
If you tend to round your upper back by mid-afternoon, a thoracic support such as the BackBone Thoracic Cushion gives your shoulder blades something to rest against so sitting tall doesn't feel like work.
5. Stand with soft knees
Working on your feet can take stress off your spine — as long as you practice good posture. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and most of your weight on the balls of your feet. Keep your knees slightly bent, pull your shoulders back, and keep your head in line with your shoulders. If you stand for long stretches, shift your weight back and forth while staying in line.
6. Drive without slouching
Commuting doesn't have to hurt. Avoid reclining in your car seat. Adjust the seat so your knees are slightly bent and at about hip level, and don't forget lumbar support — a portable cushion like the McCarty's SacroEase Ergo Curve works, or even a rolled-up towel in a pinch.
7. Raise your phone instead of dropping your head
Most people hunch over their phones when texting or scrolling. Tilting your head down strains your neck, so mount or hold your phone closer to eye level. If phone calls are a big part of your job, use a headset and take regular stretch breaks.
How Can You Improve Posture Outside of Work?
You improve posture outside work the same way you do at your desk: by supporting your spine in whatever position you spend the most time in. For most people, that's sleep.
- Choose a firm mattress and, if you can, sleep on your back.
- Side sleepers: place a pillow between your knees to keep your spine aligned.
- Stomach sleepers: a pillow under your hips can ease the pressure on your lower back.
Overwork and fatigue also weaken posture — when you're tired, you sag. That's one more reason to take short breaks and keep moving through the day rather than powering through for hours.
Good Posture at Your Desk: Quick Reference
| Situation | Do this | Avoid this |
|---|---|---|
| Sitting at a desk | Hips back in the chair, knees level with hips, feet flat or on a footrest, lower back supported | Perching on the seat edge or leaning toward the screen |
| Standing | Feet hip-width apart, knees soft, weight toward the balls of your feet, head over shoulders | Locked knees or leaning on one hip for long stretches |
| Driving | Seat upright, knees slightly bent at about hip level, lumbar support in place | Deep reclining that rounds the lower back |
| Phone use | Device raised toward eye level; headset for long calls | Tilting your head down or cradling the phone on your shoulder |
| Sleeping | Firm mattress; pillow between knees on your side, or under your hips on your stomach | Positions that twist the spine for hours |
Recommended Products for Better Posture
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Posture habits are much easier to keep when your workstation supports them. Ergo Works in Palo Alto, CA helps individuals and employers create safe, healthy workstations, especially for heavy computer users — through workstation evaluations, workshop training, office space planning, and on-site installations.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct posture at a desk?
Sit all the way back in your chair with your lower back supported, knees level with your hips, and feet flat on the floor or a footrest. Keep your shoulders relaxed, elbows close to your body, and your screen positioned so you don't have to push your head forward to read it.
How can I improve my posture quickly?
Start with awareness: do the wall test, then set a reminder to check your posture and change position every half hour or so. Adjusting your chair, monitor, and foot support usually produces the fastest visible change, because the setup stops pulling you out of alignment.
Can bad posture make you tired?
Yes. When your body is out of alignment, muscles work harder to hold you up, which drains energy over the day. Many people find that better posture and regular movement go a long way toward easing afternoon fatigue.
Is standing better for posture than sitting?
Neither is better if you do it all day. Standing can take stress off your spine when you stand with good posture, but the real benefit comes from alternating between sitting and standing and moving often.
Photo by: istockphoto.com/fizkes
This article shares general ergonomic guidance and is not medical advice. If you have persistent or worsening back, neck, or shoulder pain, talk to your doctor or physical therapist.
About the Author
Angela Maldonado writes for Ask Ergo Works, where our ergonomic specialists have been fitting chairs and workstations from our Palo Alto showroom for more than 30 years.
