This Is Killin’ Ya
WFH and desk dads, you might’ve heard before that "sitting is the new smoking."
Our bodies evolved to move.
Prehistoric humans could be found fishing, running from lions, and building shelters.
Nowadays, not so much.
You’re lucky if you make it to a gym session each day when you’re a busy dad.
How much you sit matters.
Researchers looked at 13 studies and found that sitting is as bad as being obese or smoking. Does anyone still smoke these days?
The evidence shows that lack of movement can lead to depression and increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some kinds of cancer.
I’m a desk jockey and this is my horse.
I sit at a computer, fire off emails all day and talk with people through my screen on Zoom meetings.
The study did show that 1 hour of moderately intense exercise is a great anti-venom to sitting. Which I do every morning.
But I still feel the effects of sitting for hours post workout.
I need to do better.
The research inspired me to find a way to combat the effects of sitting at a computer for long stretches.
And here are the 4 that I found and one of which has had more than a health benefit.
1/ Take a break
Take a break every 30 minutes per Mayo Clinic.
I found with my 3 young kids that are mostly at home, I use breaks from my desk to chase them around for 10 or 15 min.
These breaks both revive me and help me connect with my kids.
Wins all the way around.
2/ Try an alt-desk (standing or walking).
I haven’t done this because of my WFH setup (see pic up top).
But people I know who do say it is great.
It gets the blood flowing and keeps the heart rate up!
One day when I have a proper office, I will invest in an alt-desk.
3/ Address the pain points.
My lower back suffers the most from sitting too much.
I recently found this lower back routine from fitness influencer Dan Go.
I’ve mixed in a few of these moves and it has helped.
Precise moves that relieve pain points and get you moving are win-win.
4/ Walkie-Talkie
Walking meetings and phone calls.
This one has several benefits.
Especially for a tough call or a cold call.
It makes me a little looser and a little more relaxed.
Now that the weather is getting nice I anticipate doing this more often.
I get steps in and get my work done.
Have you found anything to incorporate more movement into your day?
