A Sustainable Approach to Sitting Better

In today’s world, many of us spend countless hours seated—whether for work, leisure, or study. But few realize that the way we sit impacts our long-term well-being. Traditional advice might say, "Sit up straight!" but the motor learning research suggests there’s a more sustainable approach.  This approach utilizes both constraint-based learning; and applying focus of attention to certain body cues.

What is Constraint-Based Learning?

Constraint-based learning is a method that uses specific limits offered by, in this case, the “sitting”environment such as the chair you happen to be using, i.e., a car seat, office task chair, living room sofa, arena seats at a sporting /entertainment event to name a few.  You acknowledge what the environment is providing you and discover ways to help the body naturally find positions that are aligned with its structural design versus forcing yourself into a rigid "perfect" posture.  Constraint-based learning allows you to explore subtle shifts and movements within your sitting routine and environment; this means listening to your body’s cues—tightness, discomfort, or even restlessness—and using them to discover how small adjustments can make sitting more sustainable over time.

How Attention Plays a Role

At the root of unlocking these sustainable habits is your focus of attention. When we practice mindful attention to our body's signals, we can make tiny adjustments that alleviate discomfort before it turns into strain. For instance, when you feel slight tension in your back or shoulders, that's a cue to notice the relationship between your pelvis, spine, and head.  The key is to make the subtle shift in the way your pelvis, spine, and head are interacting with one another towards a better relationship and away from a more rigid, structural distortion. Paying attention builds awareness and encourages you to adopt new habits that help sustain a better structural balance, and prevent pain and stiffness.

Why This Approach Works Long-Term

Building a relatively better understanding of what structural balance feels like allows you to notice how your “sitting” environment is impacting it.This provides a process that’s easy to incorporate into daily life. Instead of rigidly sticking to one posture, you’re encouraged to move and adjust based on what you are noticing at the moment. This not only reduces strain but also makes sitting a more dynamic, less fatiguing experience.

Small Shifts, Big Benefits

To become a better sitter, start by setting small reminders to check in with your body every 10-20 minutes.  Notice any areas of discomfort and experiment with shifting your position. Over time, these subtle adjustments become second nature, creating a sustainable approach to sitting better that benefits your body in the long run.

In my next post I will review what body cues specifically to recognize; followed by “how to”execute an appropriate position shift towards what I have defined as the sitting Zero Resting Neutral Position (ZRNP).

Embracing this interactive approach offers a path to healthier sitting habits that don’t require constant reminders but instead develop naturally—one small adjustment at a time. Don’t be shy. I’d would love to hear your feedback on this particular exercise or related movement management concerns.

Until next time,

Rick