It is not uncommon for many executives to be desk- bound for 7-10 hours per day at workplace, as their work nature warrants them to be seated for such long period to achieve their goals. However, studies have shown that sitting for an extended period is linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes, and an increased risk of death from heart disease and cancer.
For such busy executives, it is challenging for them to get up at intervals during work, as they regard such movements as distractions, but findings have even revealed that excessive sitting may slow down the process of converting food to energy in the human system.
This is why it is imperative for officials to device means of reducing some of the health risks associated with elevated sedentary lifestyle.
Physical activities like cycling to work, having lunchtime walk, strolling round the office, going to the gym, and others, have been found effective by another study to prevent 1 in 12 deaths globally.
According to Medical News Today, below is a list of physical activities to keep you active at workplace:
- Cycle or walk to work
Cycling to workplace is linked to a reduced risk of death from all causes.
Depending on the location of your job and how far you work from home, try switching up how you get to and from work. Leave the car at home and cycle or walk instead.
When compared with commuting to work by car or public transport, cycling to work has been linked with a reduced risk of death from all causes, and a lower cancer risk.
Both cycling and walking to work have also been associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
A morning ride to work could be just the tonic you’re looking for if you’d like to lose weight but don’t have the time or inclination to visit a fitness centre regularly.
- Stand up regularly
Something as simple as standing up now and then while at work could help curb the related health risks of sitting for too long.
Using a standing desk could help to improve cognitive function.
To reduce sedentary behaviour and time spent sitting at workplace, guidance was published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2015 by experts.
The team concluded that office workers should stand up for at least 2 hours during their work day, with that target eventually reaching 4 hours, to break up prolonged sitting.
Researchers believe that incorporating standing and walking behaviours into the work day might be more doable for workers than targeted exercise.
- Move more
Moving more may sound like an obvious action to take when trying to be less sedentary, but, when in the depths of a taxing project, it’s easy for many hours to fly by without any sign of movement.
Take the stairs rather than the elevator to incorporate exercise into your working day.
Research has found that for every extra hour of sitting over 5 hours, waist size increased by 2 centimeters and the risk of cardiovascular disease by 0.2 percent.
Even when you’re sitting down, you don’t need to necessarily sit still; fidgeting in your seat could make all the difference.
A study led by the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom suggested that small movements — such as those involved in fidgeting — might counteract some of the adverse effects of prolonged sitting.
- Re-engineer the work environment
Incorporating physical activity into your working day has numerous health benefits, decreases work absence, and boosts cognitive abilities, mood, and productivity. Given all the positive outcomes of being less sedentary, your boss may be open to changing up the working environment to provide more options for movement.
Small desk movements can be encouraged by using a bounce ball to sit on.
Some firms are already offering stretch classes before work, yoga breaks during office hours, and lunchtime running groups to help workers to look after their well-being and increase work efficiency.
- Take an active lunch break
Rather than eating your lunch at your computer while checking your Smartphone and answering emails, take a break and do something physically active. You will go back to work feeling refreshed, revived, and more able to concentrate for the rest of the day.
Taking an active lunch break could help you go back to work refreshed and motivated.
Whether you go for a brisk walk, cycle, swim, or to your gym for an hour, doing exercise of any kind helps to break up your day and motivate you for your remaining hours in the office.
Workers who make time to engage in physical activity at workplace are also reported to be less likely to develop mental health deterioration, such as symptoms of depression and burnout, than those who do not engage in exercise.
