If you don’t walk or bike to work, chances are you start your day seated on in a car, on a subway, in a bus or on a train. If you work in an office, it’s likely you go to your desk and sit down to work. Sitting is not evil. Humans have padding on their rears for a reason! You can get a lot done while seated. But, when sitting becomes your default workday position it makes it more difficult to get in the variety of movements needed to keep your cardiovascular system, joints, mind, and muscles healthy.
Standing up during your workday, even for very short bouts of easy movement, can improve your productivity at work, your fitness level and, ultimately, your quality of life.
5 Interesting Things Happen When You Get Off of Your Booty and Move a Little!
1) You Can Prevent Injuries
Movements, even gentle ones, increase blood flow throughout your body which warms muscles, tendons, and joint lubricating synovial fluid. This helps relieve stiffness that can lead to inefficient movement patterns and, ultimately, injuries.
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2) Your Productivity Will Improve
The increase in blood flow that occurs when you stand translates to better oxygenation for your brain. Work-related mental tasks and problem solving will be easier after a physical reset.
3) You Can Stand Up to Stress.
A few deep breaths, a posture re-alignment, increased blood flow through your body and stretching tight muscles can render the calmness and clarity you need to handle a moment of work-related stress. It can also prevent stress hormones from building in your system and causing health problems like hypertension, insomnia and other issues.
4) You Can Avoid Tech Neck
Getting up and moving during your work day gives you the opportunity to realign your spine and avoid tech neck that results from too much time spent leaning forward looking at a computer screen, phone or another device in front of you.
5) It Can Help You Meet the Weekly Amount of Exercise Suggested by Experts
The American College of Sports Medicine suggests adults get 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise each week to maintain general fitness. Fortunately, these minutes can be divided into bouts as small as 10 minutes. If you get up a few times during your workday, you can count it in your tally!
Keep in Mind, Movement Doesn’t Have to be Fancy to be Functional!
- Get a desk that converts to a standing station if possible. That way you can easily do some calf-raises, simple stretches, standing push-ups, squats and other moves.
- Sit on a stability ball that demands body balance and affords you the opportunity to sneak in some pelvic tilts and hip rolls to relieve spinal tension.
- Walk, walk, walk! Walk when you’re on a cell phone call. Schedule walking meetings. Use the stairs.
- Schedule standing breaks. Set a timer or whatever you need as a reminder to take a stand!
