When you go on a long road trip, you do want to get off your seat every now and then to stretch your legs, right? So what’s different with sitting in front of your computer for countless hours? Perhaps you’re distracted by your tasks or the seat’s too comfy that you don’t mind not getting up at all. It’s probably difficult to keep track how many experts have constantly said that we shouldn’t be sitting on our butts for many hours on end – all day long is even worse. But they know what they’re talking about because there are many dangers to keeping in a single position for long periods.
Below is a list of possible health issues associated with physical inactivity at work and what you can do about them without compromising the quality of your work.
Muscle Loss
Your legs may quite literally end up in atrophy. Your legs and its muscles are built and designed to hold your full body weight. And if you don’t move around enough, these muscles will weaken and you’ll find yourself constantly sore even if you’re just making a quick trip to the grocery. Switching to a standing desk every once in a while will help keep you on your toes—literally. And this will give your muscles a good chance to stretch and build up the support your body needs.
Mental Health Issues
Did you know that sitting for extended periods can lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression? You better believe it. When you hear the words “walk it off” that’s not just a mere suggestion to walk away from conflict. Walking for a few minutes will give your mind a mental break from the monotony of your tasks. And you know what that means, get off the chair!
Neck and Shoulder Stiffness
After a couple of hours, you’ll notice that your neck and shoulders are beginning to feel stiff. And you can’t figure out why apart from dismissing the reason as sitting for too long. While that is technically true, the chair you’re using plays a factor. Using ergonomic chairs will improve your posture and will give your body good support that will likewise prevent pain and stiffness from developing. When it’s difficult to break free from your tasks, having a good chair beneath you will give you just the kind of support you need.
Weight Gain
Ever heard the term couch potato? What do you imagine? Someone who’s stuck in a couch and probably getting unnecessarily overweight. Well this applies not just to couches but to work chairs as well. Because there’s no actual muscle movements apart from your fingers and wrists, then there are practically no calories burning. You sit for everything—even when eating. So what are you really expecting? Using good work furniture such as a standing desk will do you a lot of good. You’ll get to stretch out your muscles and burn more calories as you continue working. And what’s to stop you from dancing a little bit while you’re at it, right? Two birds with one table—er, stone. Believe it or not, standing lowers your risk of weight gain and obesity.
Loss of Focus
You’d be lying if you’ll say that you’ve never found yourself dumbfounded and “out of it” while doing your tasks at your table. When you stay monotonously still for long periods for days on end, your mind and body will tell you that they’re not having it anymore. It demands some more movement, variety, and a break from the monotonous activity. You don’t even need to switch from one table to another location, just merely changing heights will give you a lot of benefits. And an adjustable height desk can do just the trick. You can easily switch from sitting to standing in a matter of seconds. If you’re feeling like unleashing a little of your fun side, you can adjust the height enough to use a large exercise ball as your chair and bounce around and get a little exercise while you’re working. Using one of these desks will open a whole lot of opportunities and benefits that you can easily reap.
The concept of ergonomics have not been fully embraced by the public. This is often dismissed as mere hype and does not prove to be as beneficial as claimed. But that is where many are definitely wrong. It’s a safe bet to make that you’ll see all the difference once you get to try an ergonomic chair while working. Trying out a standing desk doesn’t sound exciting at all because you’ll likely imagine that you’ll easily tire out if you’re standing while working. But again, once you do, you’ll find yourself seeing things in a whole new light. Even if you’re doing the same tasks, you’ll feel lighter, ideas will come easier, and your body will thank you for it, too. Besides, this doesn’t mean you’ll need to be standing for the whole day, just listen to your body. When you feel like your legs are starting to get tired, go back to your default table height and sit comfortably on your chair. It’s just like taking a break from sitting and standing by interchanging your position every now and then. Oh, one more thing, did you know you digest easier—therefore minimizing weight gain—when you eat while standing? There’s food for thought for you.
Many of us will easily dismiss the potential dangers of constantly sitting in front of our tables. A whole day will pass us by and we can only count in one hand the number of times we actually got up. Even then, the time and distance we’ve covered in those measly breaks are such sorry excuses for a good stretch. And in this day and age when these situations are practically inevitable, we need to get smart with how we can make things better for us, our bodies, minds, and even the quality of our work. A happy worker is a productive worker, and believe it or not, a good chair and a good ergonomic table can be just the solution you’ve been looking for.