Posture Fixes: Simple Adjustments for Everyday Activities

Jo Everill-Taylor
2 days ago
3 min read

This month is Posture Month in our Better Body Training Pilates community — and I want to start with something reassuring:

You don’t need to “sit up straight” all day.
You don’t need perfect alignment.
And you definitely don’t need to feel guilty about slouching.

What you do need? Awareness. Small adjustments. And movement variety.

Because posture isn’t about holding yourself rigid — it’s about how you move, load, breathe and recover throughout the day.

Let’s look at a few simple posture fixes you can start using immediately.

1. When You’re Sitting (Desk, Car, Sofa)

Most of us aren’t “lazy sitters” — we’re just tired sitters.

Instead of forcing yourself upright, try this:

Gently rock your pelvis forward and back a few times.
Stop in the middle — where you feel your sit bones evenly grounded.
Let your ribs stack over your pelvis.
Soften your shoulders.

Then take one slow Pilates breath.

That’s it.

You’ve just restored alignment without gripping.

💡 Why it matters:When your pelvis and ribcage stack well, your deep abdominal muscles and diaphragm can work properly — which means better support for your spine and less neck and shoulder tension.

2. When You’re On Your Phone

This is the big one.

Rather than dragging your head down toward your phone:

Lift the phone slightly higher.
Let the back of your neck feel long.
Imagine the crown of your head floating upward.
Relax your jaw.

Even reducing the angle slightly can significantly reduce neck load.

For women 40+, this matters even more.

As we age, bone density and joint resilience change — and repetitive forward head posture places more strain on the cervical spine.

Small shift. Big payoff.

3. When You’re Standing in the Kitchen

Cooking is a sneaky posture culprit.

Notice if you:

Lock your knees
Drop into one hip
Lean heavily on the counter

Try this instead:

Soften your knees.
Gently shift your weight evenly between both feet.
Imagine your breastbone floating slightly forward and up.
Engage your lower abdominals lightly (about 30%).

Better yet?

Do 5 calf raises while waiting for the kettle to boil.

Posture + circulation = win!

4. When You’re Walking

Posture isn’t just vertical — it’s dynamic.

Next time you walk, think:

Push the ground away behind you.
Let your arms swing naturally.
Feel your ribs rotate gently.
Keep your gaze on the horizon.

Walking well is one of the most underrated posture tools available to us — and it keeps the spine mobile, the hips strong, and the breathing three-dimensional.

5. When You’re Feeling Tired

Here’s the truth:

Sometimes your posture collapses because you’re exhausted.

That’s not a discipline problem.

It’s a fatigue problem.

Instead of “pulling yourself up,” try:

3 slow ribcage breaths.
Gentle shoulder rolls.
A wall lean to reset your alignment.

Posture improves when your nervous system feels safe and regulated.

Pilates breathing can play a huge role here.

The Bigger Picture: Posture Isn’t Static

One of the biggest myths I see — especially in women over 40 — is the idea that posture is something that gets “bad” and then needs permanently “fixing.”

In reality:

Good posture = the ability to move in and out of positions with strength and control.

That’s what we train in class every week.

We build:

Deep core support
Hip strength
Thoracic mobility
Better breathing mechanics
Awareness

And those foundations carry into everyday life.

This Month in Class…

Because it’s Posture Month, we’re focusing on:

Ribcage and pelvic alignment
Shoulder blade control
Spinal mobility
Functional strength for daily tasks

If you’ve been feeling:

Stiff first thing in the morning
Achy through the shoulders
Tight in the hips
A little less upright than you used to

This is your month to reset.

Want to Go Deeper?

If you’d like a structured approach, my Reset Your Posture: Everyday Alignment for Less Pain workshop walks you through:

Common posture types
Why they develop
Simple corrective strategies
A targeted Pilates session to support change

Because posture change isn’t about trying harder — it’s about moving smarter 😊