Illustration by Jason Lee

1. �The computer screen should be about an arm’s length away and centered in front of you to avoid neck strain. This is also a good rule of thumb when you’re on your phone for avoiding so-called text neck.�
—Alan Hedge, Cornell professor and director of the human factors and ergonomics teaching and research programs

2. �You want to sit at your desk at the center of what we call the �circle of power.’ Place everything you need within easy access and comfortable reach. There’s no specific place you need to keep your phone or stapler�having something on the right or left is irrelevant�as long as it’s within that circle.�
—Stephen Barlow-Lawson, president of ergonomic-furniture-maker Biomorph

3. �To automatically align yourself, imagine a book on your head. Your chest opens and your shoulders go back. You’ll be able to get more air.�
—Rachel Potasznik, certified Feldenkrais practitioner and founder of BetterBodyLab

4. �Pulling in your neck to create a double chin is a good neck stretch. Do a few sets of ten. Women don’t like this one, but I tell them to do it when no one’s looking.�
—Kiambu Dickerson, massage therapist and head of New York Orthopedic Massage

5. �When tension builds up in the neck, shoulders, and upper back, it blocks the flow of Chi, which is energy that encourages blood flow and organ function. I recommend that people get up every hour from their desk and walk around and do some qigong stretches�shoulder shrugs, shaking the head �yes’ and �no,’ looking gently from shoulder to shoulder. They work wonders if practiced throughout the day.�
—Bethel Sabin, Brooklyn-based acupuncturist

6. �The most common mistake people make in sitting is they rock back on their pelvis, which causes slumping of the low back. The lumbar spine is in flux. I suggest sitting at the end of the chair or putting a pillow behind their back to prevent this.�
—Rey Allen, certified Rolfer and owner of Rolfing New York

7. �A simple trick to get back to a neutral body is to take a thick towel, make it as dense as possible, and place it underneath you in the chair. Push the towel a little forward, so your butt hangs off the back edge. Do this for five minutes, then take the towel away, and you’ll be surprised by how much better you feel.�
—Kiambu Dickerson

8. �Adjust your chair so you have a right angle at your knees and your feet are flat on the floor.�
—Stephen Barlow-Lawson

9. �Going the standing-desk route may decrease the pressure on the discs, but be careful about your shoes: Heels as well as flats can lead to pain. Sneakers are optimal�if Nikes aren’t an option at work, slip into them only while you’re at your desk.�
—Dr. Kenneth Chapman, assistant clinical professor, NYU Langone Medical Center

10. �Attach a height-adjustable keyboard to your work surface that allows you to tilt the keyboard down and away from you slightly for better wrist posture.�
—Alan Hedge

�Yes, sitting on a balance ball is a good way to train oneself to practice good posture, but remember it’s not a magic ball. It doesn’t make it easier to have better posture but serves as a reminder that one needs to actually work harder�that is, to actively engage the core muscles�to achieve a good sitting position.�
—Ross Markowitz, exercise specialist at La Palestra Center for Preventative Medicine, a hybrid gym and physical-therapy practice

�I tell my clients to trade chairs with someone else in the office once a week. You have to constantly change up the situation.�
—Rey Allen