MOVE AT WORK

𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀.

Some recent studies have shed new light on the link between prolonged sedentary behaviour and common health problems such as weight gain, metabolic syndrome and diabetes. The studies examined many variables that negatively affect people’s health, but failed to isolate the negative association between sedentary behaviour and poor health. The researchers did not look at the specific health consequences of long-term behaviours, nor did they name a single behaviour that contributes more than others to poor health – there was no clear evidence.

The truth is that sitting won’t kill us. But as this paper will show, sitting for long periods in poor posture with little movement and few breaks to stand or walk can affect our health and reduce our productivity. “We know from a wealth of research and practical experience that these problems can have a significant negative impact on employee wellbeing and a company’s bottom line. By offering employees the information and products they need, on the other hand, we can have a positive impact.”

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸:

– Move or stretch for at least 3-4 minutes every hour.

– Add more steps to your day in simple ways: Park further away!

– Walk to communicate instead of calling, emailing or texting.

– Use your lunch break to walk/exercise AND have a healthy bite to eat.

– Use a full water bottle to do some strength exercises, such as overhead lifts or bicep curls.

– Do an extra lap around the building after getting up.

– Create and maintain a daily activity routine at work.

– Consider a sit-stand workstation.

– Move your feet by circling your ankles or moving them up and down to improve circulation.

– Change your position or posture frequently.