A few weeks ago I was watching one of my favorite shows, ABC’s Shark Tank (for those of you who haven’t seen it, the basic concept of the show is that entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas to a panel of investors like Mark Cuban and Barbara Corcoran, aka “the sharks,” in hopes of getting a partner and investment in their business). One of the products featured on the show was called PostureNOW, created by Matt Franklin and Mike Lane in response to concerns that their office jobs were ruining their posture. After speaking with chiropractors and physical therapists, they developed the product, two armbands linked by a flexible elastic band, which serves as a “gentle reminder” to sit up straight.
Apparently wearing it just 30 minutes per day can drastically improve posture by encouraging muscle memory to sit/stand up straight, even when not wearing it. PostureNOW is endorsed by celebrity coaches of Dancing with the Stars, and as an active young woman with a dance background who also finds herself sitting in front of a computer for hours on end, I was intrigued by the product.
Many people forget to think about their posture, but it really is enormously important. Most of us received the “sit up straight and don’t slouch” spiel from our parents and don’t doubt that having good posture is a good thing. But how many people have really considered the actual benefits are of having good posture? In reality, the benefits are numerous and affect a great deal more than a propensity to develop back problems later in life.
Of course, there are many health benefits of having good posture. The Southern California Orthopedic Institute made the comparison to an architect designing a bridge who must consider laws of gravity and weight distribution in noting that “like a building with a poor foundation, a body with poor posture is less resistant to the strains and stresses we experience over the months, years, and decades of life.” The entire structure of the body- bones, muscles, ligaments, joints, cardiovascular system- everything functions more optimally when the spine is straight and aligned properly.
But what are the implications of having good posture on our personal and professional lives, if any? We can all agree that walking tall is sexy. It inspires confidence in others. It shows self-confidence (and can even mask insecurities). In reality posture can affect the way you’re regarded in the workplace and whether you get that promotion. It can influence whether or not that handsome guy at the bar notices you when you walk into the room. In fact, it turns out that it can even affect the way you think about yourself.
In recent years, some on NYC’s premiere companies have begun investing in corporate wellness programs that include postural ergonomics training for their employees. A study by professors and PhD students at Kellog School of Management and Stanford Graduate School of Business revealed that a person’s posture affects his or her ability to behave in a high-power, confident, and decisive way more than having a high-power title. The moral to the story? You may not have the title you want, but if you walk into that big meeting with your boss standing tall, you are more likely to behave in a confident, powerful way and more likely to convince him or her of your promotability up the corporate ladder.
Another study by Richard Petty, co-author and psychology professor at Ohio State University, even revealed that posture also affects the way we view ourselves. Good posture made participants in the study more likely to believe what they were saying about themselves. Saying the right things is important, but it’s also important to believe what you’re saying. People can sense when a person is confident in their point of view, so just remember to sit up straight at that next interview or date and sell yourself! If you believe what you’re saying, why shouldn’t they?
In conclusion, making a conscious effort to have good posture is definitely worth doing. The benefits (health, personal, and professional) are numerous. I for one am definitely going to make an attempt to improve my posture on a day to day basis. Maybe I’ll even take a page from the Shark Tank book and try out the PostureNOW. Has anyone out there tried it? I’d love to hear your feedback!
Now stand up straight, get out there, and SHINE!
DASHA wellness & spa is a luxury lifestyle brand and New York City-based wellness center created to offer a truly holistic approach to wellness. To learn more, visit dashawellness.com.
