We all know that sitting in a chair slumped over a computer for hours on end each day is bad for our health.
Research shows that time spent sitting can make us overweight, raise our blood-sugar levels which can lead to Type-2 diabetes, and increase our chance of heart disease. Let’s not forget the commonly occurring back aches and neck pain resulting from poor posture.
And it’s not just the sitting we do during work hours. You might be sitting during your commute, sitting while eating and sitting while watching TV in the evening. On average, most people are sitting between 13 to 14 hours of their waking day.
Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that even if you exercise with some moderate-intensity on a regular basis, it’s not enough to combat the health risks if you are still spending a large majority of your day sitting.
The great news for remote workers working from home, is that you often have more flexibility in your work day and certainly more control over your work environment, making it easier for you to tackle the problem. Here are some tips to help you reduce the health risks associated with sitting in a chair for long periods.
- Stand up at least every 30 – 40 minutes.
- Regularly change your posture.
- Move your arms and legs and do some simple stretching exercises (here are some examples).
- Take a walk around your office/home or out into the garden.
- Add a standing desk to your home office – and it’s not something you need to outlay a lot of money for. You’ll find some great DIY standing desk options in this article on LifeHacker.com.
And if you’re someone who gets easily carried away with sitting and working at your computer for hours at a time, there are plenty of Apps to remind you to keep moving, like “Stand Up!” by Raised Square; a flexible, fun work break timer that fits any schedule.
It’s simple really – don’t sit for long periods, stand up and keep moving!
