What To Do If You Sit All Day
shivani k 
Image: Shutterstock
We all strive to walk along a path that leads us to a healthier and happier life. But what happens when we get stuck at the desk for eight to nine hours a day because of our jobs? The overflowing inbox, the spontaneous client meetings, the numerous presentations that we need to get done with — all this leaves us feeling physically and mentally taxed. All our life (ever since childhood) we’ve been warned about not being a couch potato. A couch potato was someone we frowned upon. And in the rat race of earning a livelihood and balancing work and personal life, we give in to becoming a couch potato. Spending half of our day at the desk makes us lethargic and tired. It makes us wonder how much we are risking our health. What do you want to be? Wedges? Or fries?
Worry not! We’ve picked out some of the best hacks that are a ticket to maintaining good health even while you’re sitting all day. All you need to do is to incorporate some tiny things at work (1). And watch for yourself how your physical and mental well-being takes a positive turn slowly!
1. Adjust That Monitor Right
We have all been taught and warned by our parents about sitting too close to the T.V. Because it damages our eyes. As we move on from childhood to adulthood, we tend to forget these teachings. Sitting in close proximity to your laptop or your desktop at work can cause a lot of stress to your eyes — dryness, redness, eye exhaustion, itchiness, muscle pains, etc. Furthermore, if your work monitors are placed at a wrong angle or height that requires you to bend too much, it leads to headaches, nausea, double vision, neck pains, and back pains. All of these can be considered as the symptoms of an ever-growing popular condition called “computer visions syndrome” (CVS) (2).
You can overcome these problems by placing your monitor or laptop right in front of you, at an arm’s length from you. A ten-degree angle should be considered while you look down at your computer, not more than that.
2. Drink Lots Of Water
The benefits of this are very simple. One — it is going to keep you hydrated for a much healthier and energetic body (3). Your skin becomes flawless and clear.
Two — the main intent behind encouraging you to drink more water at work is that in order to refill your water bottle, you will have to get up from your workstation. Same applies to when you answer nature’s call. This way, you are engaging in some physical activity and not just sitting glued to the chair all day.
3. Ditch The Elevator
We’re not asking you to do this if you are working in a high rise building of 30 floors (you can if you want to). But, if your workplace is situated anywhere between the first and the third floor, we’re sure you can take the stairs instead of an elevator (4). It’s going to pump up your circulatory system and awaken your otherwise sleeping hormones that are responsible for your energies throughout the day.
4. Blink Away At Your Desk
We aren’t asking you to wink at your colleague here. Just blink! Yes, we do blink anyway, every day, isn’t it? Do it more often now considering your eyes need to be glued to a monitor at work. Follow the 20-20 rule of looking 20 feet away from your screen every 20 minutes. This will relax your vision. Make your own blink patterns to keep your eye problems at bay (5).
5. Do The Chair Yoga
It’s amazing how you can do yoga almost everywhere. It’s easier to reap the benefits of it. After all, doesn’t yoga involve a lot of sitting postures? So, start performing yoga exercises that can be done while sitting. For example, the eagle pose, the spinal twists, the forward bends, the stretches like cat-cow, etc., all these can be done at your workplace (6). It will ease the stress from your mind, release the numbness of the body and help blood circulate better throughout the body.
6. Keep An Alarm
You don’t have to keep a really loud alarm and scare your colleagues. Keep a vibrating alarm every 1 hour that will remind you to get up and take a few laps around the cubicle you are stationed at. Otherwise, you might end up feeling very lethargic sitting in one place for 8-9 hours of your work day.
There are many other ways that could save you from sitting like a potato at work. These were our favorite picks. Do you have your own set of hacks to keep yourself active and healthy at work? Do let us know in the comments below.
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