It’s 6am. Your alarm goes off and you roll over to hit snooze. You take those extra five minutes to mentally prepare opening your eyes for the day. It’s 6:05 and you finally arise, feet hit the ground and you walk to the sink to brush your teeth. If you’re like me and work in an office, this may be some of the only moments that you get on your feet. Sure, you walk to the car, walk into work, walk to get coffee and may even dabble in an hour of exercise that day. But is that enough?
A study conducted by the Mayo Clinic has proven that remaining sedentary for long periods of time increases your risk of metabolic syndrome. This results in increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels. But you work out right? You take a break and go on a run or you start off your day with a spinning class. Unfortunately, research shows that—while this may help mitigate risk—it doesn’t particularly curtail the effects of elongated sitting.
So what can you do to combat these risks? Constant, steady movement throughout the day is key. And unfortunately this may be the only solution. While we understand that this can seem unattainable with the work life so many of us are consumed by, there are several small changes you can make to largely benefit your health & wellness.
- Improvise your desk situation. If all you have is a desk, then why not add a lift to your computer so that it can meet you at eye -level while standing? Don’t want to spend money on a mount? Grab stacks of unused computer paper and set your laptop on top of that homemade computer stand.
- Use an ergonomic desk. Don’t have enough paper lying around to create a mount? Go ergonomic. The offices at Shift are stacked with ergonomic desks, and most of them are automatic. This forces you to stand all day, and you can bust out some dance moves, too.
- Eat lunch standing up. Shift’s community kitchen is a great place to take a lunch. Grab your leftovers and head over to the tall barstools. Kick those bad boys out of the way and enjoy. Hey, chances are you’ll take part in stimulating conversation with a fellow member. Get your blood flowing and network, all the while retaining sustenance.
It’s proven that moving and standing pushes your body to trigger natural processes that break down sugars and fats. You’ll also increase your energy levels, jumpstarting your productivity at work. See, it’s a win-win.
