Reports have indicated that individuals who sit for long amounts of time are more susceptible to injuries and illness, prompting the rise of the phrase: “Sitting is the new smoking.”
Exercising once in a while isn’t enough to offset the damage done by sitting for 8 hours or more each workday. However, by integrating the following suggestions, you’ll be supporting your own health and even your productivity.
3 Practical Ways To Build Healthy Habits
1) Make Time for Exercise
If you’re staying organized, you probably already have a large amount of appointments in your digital calendar. So, it shouldn’t be too much trouble to schedule in some exercise during the workday.
If you have a fairly flexible job situation, consider using a mid-afternoon trip to the gym or run. A lunchtime or afternoon exercise routine can also provide you with a much-needed energy endorphin rush for the rest of the workday.
For some people, getting any exercise in during the day is next to impossible. These folks should prioritize regular exercise either before or after work. Also, walking meetings can help you “get in your steps” while staying productive. Even remote employees can participate in walking meetings. If you telecommute and have to be on a conference call or video conference and don’t need to shuffle through papers, you walk and talk.
2) Get Out of the Chair
Scientific studies have revealed that a flexible employee can be more effective than an office employee. This has been associated with fewer distractions, like co-workers not coming over to chat a micromanaging supervisor not looking over your shoulder. Remote work helps with focus and permits schedule versatility that can be customized to suit personal rhythms.
One issue with the lack of distractions, especially for tech workers, is the increased chance of getting so engrossed in your work you don’t get up from your desk for hours at a time. Therefore, if you work remotely, try using a standing desk or a stability ball. A standing desk is proven to be a much healthier way of doing to work than sitting, even lowering the chance of cardiovascular disease and some cancers, according to research.
3) Practice Self-Awareness
Because it’s easy to let the time fly by when you’re working an IT job, you should set alerts on your phone or computer to remind yourself to get up and move around. Ideally set to every 45 minutes or every hour, these alerts can help do anything from doing a bit of stretching to walking around a bit of yoga.
That might sound like a lot of breaks and interruptions in your day, but research has shown that we are only capable of solid concentration for around 45 minutes to an hour at a time. Furthermore, regular light exercise has been shown to stimulate creativity and productivity.
We Can Help You Find the Right Job Situation
At SMCI, we help people find job situations with flexibility and other factors that enable a good work-life balance. Please contact us today to find out how we can help you find a job situation that is right for you.
