Science has suggested that sitting is the new smoking. What we used to consider as resting, if it lasts for more than five hours a day, could result in diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity and the list goes on. Naturally, this is alarming for most of us who work in an office who sit almost eight hours a day. Usually, you stand up only to get lunch or coffee. If you read up on studies conducted by different organizations all over the world about the risks of long hours of sitting, you’ll convince of how urgent it is for you to break the habit. Here are some easy steps to follow that will get you up and healthy.
Regular gym time
Most of these studies suggest that physical activities can counter the adverse effects of extended sitting. There are just about hundreds of types of exercise you can sign up for at the gym, do on your own at home, or you can take the casual run at the of a six hour work day. Getting a personal trainer is ideal for people who have not previously been in a regular exercise program. The recommended kind of exercise is the active one, so reserve some energy for the gym after a long work day. For some, exercise is easy but flexing the schedule is not. This brings us to the next tip.
Pacing and stretching
In the six hours that you spend at work, how many hours do you spend standing or walking around? If your answer is less than 2.25 hours per day, then you might be at risk of obesity, and well other diseases that come with it. You might need to change your work habits. You can deduct a little bit of time from your sitting hours by:
1. Set a timer on your computer that will prompt you to get up and stretch. Do this every thirty minutes. This can also the perfect time to clean your desk. In some offices, they even make this culture; they make their employees stand and stretch together.
2. Talking on the phone is an excellent opportunity to get off the chair and pace around.
3. Walking to your coworker or boss’ desk when you need to talk to them about work matters. Typically, we talk to them using instant messaging and emails, which requires us to stay in front of our screens and our desks. Now there might not be enough matters to talk about that would require you to walk up to your co-workers, which is why there is another tip that could prove useful.
Standing
Well, this obvious. How do you counter sitting? Of course by standing. Experts say that standing can reduce the risk of obesity, boost the metabolism, burn extra calories and even tone the muscles. The easiest way of increasing standing time is while working is getting an adjustable desk which can raise when you stand or lower when you need to sit. These types of desks are used increasingly in many workstations and offices.
The important thing to remember here is to stand up, move a little or move a lot. But of course, you have to ease this routine. Once you change your habit, make a better and healthier one.
