All day working in the office requires us to sit all day at the table. In fact, sitting too long every day poses a health risk comparable to smoking to trigger various diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Worse yet, the negative effects of prolonged sitting are irreversible and cannot be compensated for by good habits. The only way to avoid this health risk is to reduce the length of time you are sitting per day and get active.
Researchers at the University of Warwick report that in order to undo the negative effects of sitting over time, you have to walk 11 kilometers or stand for seven to eight hours. Can you?
Walking eleven kilometers a day (or even 10,000 steps) seems impossible for most people. However, there are a number of easy ways you can start to be active while in the office.
- Go for a walk or stretch for at least 3-4 minutes every hour
- Work with a standing desk
- Hold meetings while walking
- Have lunch or buy an afternoon snack at a place far away on foot
- Buy coffee at the coffee shop that is some distance from the office on foot
- Park your car or motorcycle far from the entrance to the office building
- Approach each other to communicate with each other in the office, rather than skype call, chat, or email
- When you want to pee, choose the bathroom on one floor below / above your office by going up and down the stairs
- Go up and down the building stairs to reach your office floor, take a break to go buy coffee in the lobby, or have lunch
- Take the elevator or escalator to the 2-3 floors below your office, and continue the rest up the stairs
- Rock your feet by tapping your feet or twirling your ankles as you work to improve circulation
- Use the trash / printer / fax / copier that is farthest from your desk
- Stand up during meetings and presentations
- Walk around the office building after lunch or when you arrive late
- Get off the bus at one stop before the one you subscribe to, and walk to the office
- Walk around the room when calling
- Change the sitting position or posture as often as possible
- Stretch your wrists, arms, and neck muscles after hours of typing
- Do a half squat, little jumps, or alternate holding your balance on one leg while you wait for the coffee machine to finish brewing
- Go back and forth as often as possible to get drinking water
Not everyone has the time, energy, or ambition to hit the gym after a long day of work. For those of you, please try to apply a number of easy tips every day to encourage yourself to be more active while working.
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