The health issue with sitting too much

Let’s take a look at what dangers are associated with sitting too much. This is of course something highly relevant to IT professionals. Normally we sit in front of a monitor typing away at a keyboard, although the usage of standing desks is on the rise. By sitting too much you increase the risks for cardiovascular diseases, for instance chest pains or heart attack. Add obesity to this list and you can see that it is a pretty grim future.

There is a “simple” remedy to this, so often repeated:
Step 1: Get up.
Step 2: Move around.
Step 3: Get up again, and start over..

Why the quotation marks around the word simple, you wonder? I’m sure some of you get the irony, but let’s make it’s very clear: Most of us are so focused on our daily work tasks and the meetings that are scattered throughout the day. Sprinkle some random thoughts about chores, relationships and errands that occupy your mind, and yeah, to “just” “get up” and “move around” isn’t really that easy after all.

The point is, you need to move around more. On a daily basis.

Try to include your workouts as part of your daily life

What you need is therefore to make this part of your daily rhythm, instead of an extra must to squeeze into all the other obligations. After all, if your physique is bad you will underperform and your entire life will suffer as a consequence of tiredness and maybe even induced illnesses.

How about a standing desk?

There are plenty of methods to include workouts into your daily life. Work at a standing desk is one. How about positioning your desk above a treadmill to be in motion throughout the day. Use an exercise ball as a desk chair to engage your core muscles and improve your balance and flexibility. The list goes on and only your imagination and your willpower is holding you back!

Maybe you think that since you do a longer workout session in the morning or evening, that is, before or after work, you should be fine. However, this is not certain. The key here is to give yourself evenly spaced out mini workouts. Try it and you will see physical effects as well as increased energy levels.