On average, we sit for 9.5 hours a day. Far too long – particularly when we do it for long stretches at a time. Studies show that the more of your day you spend sitting, the greater your chance of dying earlier. Combine that with obesity and you have a lethal combination.
In 2007 the American researcher Marc Hamilton said that doing sedentary work carries as great a health risk as smoking.
Movement is essential for all of us. Plenty of employees are given desk jobs where they spend almost the entire day sitting down. It's an important subject to raise in the workplace.
There are a few simple tricks you can apply straight away to move a little more at work:
- Walk over to your colleagues when you want to ask them something.
- Take your lunch break away from your desk.
- Change where you work during the day.
- Go for a walk during your lunch break.
- Take the stairs instead of the lift.
These days companies are setting aside more and more budget for movement at work, from adapted office chairs to a relaxation space.
Corporate fitness is on the rise and the possibilities are endless.
There are plenty of benefits to exercising in the workplace. It can help prevent burnout, for one.
Would you like to read some of the studies?
Here are the links:
