If you’re anything like me you likely have a tendency to hunch your back over your work when you are focusing on your firefighter promotional exam prep. It may be time to kick that bad posture habit if you want to pass your firefighter promotional exam.
Posture
Posture is simply “the way you hold your body.” Having poor posture can have a myriad of impacts on your body, such as joint pain, muscle pain, breathing issues, and even digestive issues. If bad posture can affect your body in such a negative way, let’s see what good posture can do to benefit your body and help you pass your firefighter promotional exam.
More Energy
Believe it or not, improving your posture can give you more energy. This is because when you have incorrect posture your body is forced to work overtime because muscles and tendons are taking on weight and pressure they were not designed to bear, making you tire faster than if your posture was improved. Improving your posture realigns your body, putting your body back where it was naturally designed to be giving your body more energy to use elsewhere. Try focusing on your posture during your next study session and see how your body feels, if it becomes distracting try doing some posture exercises other times of the day so your posture will naturally improve while you study.
Increases Productivity
You will have a hard time focusing on studying for your firefighter promotional exam if you are in pain sitting at a desk because your posture is all out of whack. Improved posture can decrease any low back pain you may be having, decrease the number of headaches you have, reduce the tension in your shoulders and back and so on, allowing you to focus on your work instead of your aches and pains. Trying to study and focus while in pain is going to get you very far, but you may be able to focus and do more if you correct your posture and eliminate some of your body's aches and pains.
Increases Confidence
Lastly, increasing your posture can give you a huge confidence boost. Better posture will make you stand, and sit, taller making you feel more confident in your body. Confidence is a must when it comes to taking your firefighter promotional exam. If you are not confident in yourself and your thoughts because you are slouching over and feeling unattractive you might be surprised to hear you will not do as well on your firefighter promotional exam because of it.
Ways to Improve Posture
Exercising is an excellent way to improve posture, especially core exercises and yoga. There are tons of exercises out there to help improve posture as well.
Be aware of what position your body is in when you are sitting or standing and change positions as necessary to keep your posture nice and straight.
Sit with your feet flat on the floor.
When sitting, make sure your back is supported as well as your legs and hips.
Sit at tables that are an appropriate height so you aren’t hunching or contorting your body.
The Takeaway
Your body's posture has a huge impact on your overall health. Improving your posture is not something that will happen overnight. You will need to take the time to train the muscles in your body to work in a way they are not used to and like any exercise regime, results take time, but it will be worth it. Improving your posture has the potential to improve your overall health and wellness and help you when it comes time to take your firefighter promotional exam.