Are you getting enough activity in?
Work is not what it used to be a few decades back. It is vital to know the effects on our body as and when the work environment changes. There is a reason why exercise wasn’t so big before the digital age. India being an agrarian country had much of its population already getting exercise through work. Now that times have changed with globalisation, the majority of the youth has been employed into an office that uses computers. We sit while we commute, we sit while we work, we sit while eat and we sit while relax. It’s practically impossible to get some physical activity to be a part of our everyday life. It is that same reason why it is so important to be active. If we don’t do something about it, sitting is going to be the death of us all. A Swedish study has recently found out that sitting during commuting to work has had an increased level of obesity, anxiety and depression. Sitting for prolonged periods during work can lead to bad posture, back and neck pain, headaches and fatigue from not using your muscles as much.So what can we do? All of us don’t have the luxury to switch jobs or take a break. We have to alter our day and make a conscious effort to treat our bodies with the care it deserves.
When commuting: Use a bicycle to work everyday if you stay reasonably close to the office. Don’t get an Uber or Ola ride! Make a conscious effort to wake up in the morning and have enough time to ride a bicycle. This way, you get your daily exercise in, you reduce your carbon footprint, you save money and you improve your fitness! Walk to the bus stop if you’re catching a bus, don’t be tempted to ride a Rapido or auto however cheap the fare is because that’s how you’re hooked to the easy lifestyle! If you haven’t reached your 10k steps that day, get off a stop before and walk the entire way home.
When working: If you’re working from home, set your alarm each hour or couple hours to stand up, stretch and take a brisk walk for a couple minutes. This helps the blood circulate better throughout your body! Stand up and use an elevated workspace at home. Standing up reduced the risk of backache and gets the blood flowing. It also helps increase the heart rate. Focus on far away objects frequently to reduce the strain your eyes. If you’re working in an office, never eat your lunch at the desk. Walk to a different place, even if for a few minutes to get that physical activity. When you have to catch up with your work buddies, do it over a walk. Walk when brainstorming through ideas. Walk when you’re on a call. Make it a mission to get away from your computer and workspace if your work doesn’t require you to use a computer.
After work: It’s important to have an active social life. After work, set goals to do activities that aren’t just about going to a restaurant. Meet up to play sports and go to a dinner with your friends after playing an active sport! Use an activity tracker to keep a track of your steps and your heart rate each day.
All in all, have an active healthy life!
