It’s common to not even remotely think about physiology when you are studying for your accountancy exams, but it actually plays a major role in pretty much everything we do.
Every action, thought and thing is controlled by the brain, and there are a variety of ways in which we can make our brains work better, with one of them being managing our posture, however bizarre it seems.
As part of my Accounting Exam Accelerator Programme, I highlight the variety of different ways that unlikely factors can affect your studying, including everything from revision techniques to seemingly absurd physical body improvements you can make, just like this blog about posture.
Whenever you are studying, you more than likely won’t be focused on your posture, although new research suggests that we should all be paying attention to the way we stand or sit as our spine has a huge impact on brain stimulation and nutrition.
What Is The Importance Of Posture?
Good posture is important for not only your health generally, but is known to improve your mood, which is essential when you are studying.
It’s drilled into us from being children that keeping your back straight while sitting down is a good habit to get into, but very rarely do we listen to that advice and we often find ourselves slumped over a desk, or worse, hunched over a laptop on a sofa.
Whilst we won’t immediately feel the effects of bad posture and can easily dismiss it as a problem for later, not too far down the line you can encounter back, neck, hip, knee and shoulder problems, sao it’s of the utmost importance that you prioritise your positioning now.
Whereas slouching your shoulders forward constricts the lungs, making it harder to breathe, standing and sitting up straight with your shoulders back will open up your lungs, meaning that you are pumping more oxygen in and around your body.
The effects on mental health are equally as worrying as ones for your physical health, with a correlation between people who slouch or don’t keep a good posture and depression being established, as well as decreased confidence and poorer exam grades – yes, really.
How Does Posture Relate To Accounting Exams?
Changing your posture causes your brain to release chemicals associated with well-being, putting you in a better position, both literally and figuratively, to study, retain information better and write more successful answers in exams.
The links between bad posture and poor memory reinforce the idea that you need to have a good stance and positioning as it can ultimately help you in ways you never could have imagined.
It’s imperative that you actively consider your posture when studying as you can benefit a lot from simply sitting up straighter or angling your neck in a better way.
How Can You Improve Your Posture?
Knowing what isn’t good posture can help you avoid it, as it’s easier to pick up on something bad when you’re doing it rather than something good.
Bad posture includes slouching, whether it be in front of a computer or over a piece of paper, pointing your head downard whilst pushing the top half of your body forwards so that your torso and hips are at a less than 70 degree angle.
It’s a common position to be sat in, so noticing when you are doing it can be a great step towards improving your posture and benefiting from all the great aspects that good posture offers.
A better example of posture is keeping your head straight and looking forward rather than leaning, making sure that your computer screen is at or slightly below eye level, with your feet flat on the floor.
Perfect posture has different meanings, with arguments over how strict you need to be with your positioning, but the main point to note is that any improvement on being slumped is optimal.
Keep it in mind that your posture needs to be proper in order for your brain to properly function, so one of the easiest ways to maximise your mind power is by adjusting your body in a matter of seconds.
Shoulder back, body straight, head up – live by these three pointers and not only will your pain be alleviated, but your brain will also be working at a higher capacity.