Keep Moving With Your Desk Job
By Donna Stark
Did you know your physical and mental health could be compromised by sitting at a desk all day? And did you know your overall productivity could be affected too? One of the unhealthiest decisions a person can make is to remain sedentary for lengthy periods of time. Even while at work, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to serious health issues, such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. It can also affect a person's memory and their ability to focus and create. This is why it is so important to take plenty of breaks throughout your day so you can get your body moving! Here are a few suggestions from your local chiropractors on how to move with intention while working your heart out.
Workstation
The first place to start is the place where you spend the most time at ... your desk. Take a look at your workspace and try to come up with a design that encourages active movement. Invest in a desk that can be adjusted from sitting to standing, get rid of your chair and sit on a balance ball, or place your filing cabinets out of arm's reach.
Meetings and Phone Calls
Getting out of your chair to walk to the conference room down the hall for your daily meeting does add some extra steps to your days, but you could add even more if you took the meetings outside and went on a walk while holding them. You can also do the same for those long phone conversations with your clients. But if the weather is a bit too chilly or rainy, don't worry! You can always have the meeting inside. Just be sure to schedule plenty of breaks during them.
Face-to-Face Conversations
Do you really need to email or text your coworkers who are working just a few cubicles away? Get up out of your seat and talk to them in person! Face-to-face conversations are better anyway. They can strengthen the relationships you have with those people, and reduce the confusion and number of misunderstandings that may occur during the day.
Benefits of Movement
Some of the immediate benefits of adding movement to your days are reduced joint stiffness and pain, increased blood flow, better concentration and focus, and enhanced creativity, and some of the future benefits heading your way are a reduced risk of serious health conditions, joint degeneration, and cognitive decline. So, don't just sit there and continue working the way you are used to. Get moving and improve the quality of your work and your overall health and wellness!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Arlington, Tex.