The Covid-19 outbreak changed the way we work, the majority of us resorting to working from home or remotely. For the past two years or so, our work routines changed tremendously. Working at home can be slightly different. You don’t sit as many hours as you do at the office. It’s only a few distractions here and there, in fact, most times; the biggest challenge working from home is distractions. However, with the government easing Covid-19 guidelines, offices are slowly filling up again as life gets back to normal. Chances are we will be back to our usual office routines, sitting many hours, staying at work till late, etc. Now that the majority of the people are going back to offices, health experts warn that sitting for long hours could be another pandemic on its own as people slowly get back to normalcy. Sitting for many hours can be quite bad for your health. Some of the effects include neck and back pain and fatigue. Today some corporate offices are opting for a standing work desk to avoid employees sitting for many hours. Scientists say the human body has been designed to stand upright. Both your cardiovascular and digestive systems function more efficiently and effectively when you are in an upright position. Studies have shown that sitting for long periods of the day raises your risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol as well as increasing anxiety. Below are some 5 tips proposed by experts to help you avoid sitting for long hours at the workplace. Schedule a reminder It is advisable that you move every 30 minutes or 1 hour at most, if you have been sitting in one place. You need to be intentional on making sure you move. Today, most email service providers allow you to schedule reminders and alarms that pop up on your computer screen or your phone, reminding you to get up and move. Research shows that light activity for as little as 2 minutes every hour has significant health benefits. Drinking water There is sitting down, but there is also sitting down without drinking water. Drinking more water is always a great idea to improve your overall health, and it’s also a good way to get you up and moving more than you normally do on a typical workday. If you are really keen, you can only fill your water bottle up half way which will mean more trips to the tap. Try and aim for around 8 glasses or 2 litres of water per day. Be active There are many ways or reasons to stand up at the workplace. For example, you can aim to stand while answering calls, unless it is a call that requires you to look at the computer. You can alternate 30 minutes of sitting with 10 minutes of standing followed by another 10 minutes of sitting. Research indicates standing more helps your blood sugar return to normal much quicker after a meal, burns more calories during the day and improves symptoms of arthritis. Take the stairs, not the elevator For those who sit on upper floors, you have a chance to avoid the elevator and move up and down using the stairs. Yes, it can be boring and time consuming but you are literally saving your life. You can do all the other tasks by moving physically, whether it is asking something from a colleague, rather than texting them and disposing off a few things in the trash. Ideally, walk to your lunch breaks and back. Exercise For the ambitious one, you can actually exercise during work time. From press ups in the board rooms to abdominals and planks, there is a lot more you can do in that office space. Don’t worry about getting sweaty. Other people do use work breaks to go to the gym. You can try it out if you are a perfectionist. Exercises help you to get your heart rate elevated, promote better posture and burn more calories compared to sitting still.
