Get Moving! Tips for Being Active at Work
Prolonged sedentary behavior has become very common in daily life. Compared with our parents and grandparents, we spend much more time on sitting at work, at home or in the car. In fact, a growing body of research shows that sitting for a long period of time can lead to many physical and mental problems, including obesity, cervical spondylosis, metabolic syndrome and even premature death. The World Health Organization (WHO) even has defined "physical inactivity" as the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. What’s move, there are more evidences show that the risks caused by inactivity like prolonged sitting can’t be counteracted even if exercise regularly.
To improve this problem, specialists suggest to get moving and take more exercises. However, we don’t have to go to the gym after work, as exercising seems nearly impossible to fit into a hectic schedule - there are plenty of ways we can do to be more active at work, simply taking these steps toward a healthier daily routine.
1. Bike or walk to and from work
Try to ride a bike or walk to and from work if you live close to your office. If you drive to work, park the car further away from the entrances and take a long walk to the workplace. Furthermore, if you can, try to climb stairs instead of taking elevators which is recommended by doctors and health authorities worldwide for its powerful and positive impact on your health.
2. Using an adjustable standing desk
As we all know, prolonged sitting has negative impacts on our health, however, with the adjustable standing desk, people can switch working postures from sitting to standing easily while at the desk, so that can stay active, increase energy, and burn extra calories while working. According to the report of 2017 employee benefits by SHRM, providing employees with a standing desk had the greatest increase of benefits in US workplaces over the past five years. So, if it’s possible, using an adjustable sit-stand desk in your office can be a great choice. As a professional ergonomic Chinese manufacturer, LUMI provides a variety of adjustable sit stand desks to choose from, such as electric sit-stand desks, manual sit-stand desks, and related components, etc.
3. Take lunch time break outside
It is normal to have lunch in the office now, especially when you are busy with your works. But studies found that take a lunch time break can significantly reduce stress and lower cortisol levels. Having a lunch time walk can boost people’s performance and is a good opportunity to get active too.
4. Walk to coworkers instead of calling or IM
Nowadays, office workers can communicate with others in any corner of the office through technology. But in order to be more active during work hours, try walking over to talk with coworkers instead of calling or IM (Instant Messenger), and it can help boost your energy level once you return back.
5. Take a water break
You are probably heard about “drink about eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day”. That’s to say, to keep healthy, we should drink enough water even if we don’t feel thirsty, for Adequate water gives you more energy, relieve tension and improve productivity. So, in order to get more active, we can switch our mug to a smaller cup so that we have to get up more often to refill it.
