James Brown was onto something. Researchers have found that sitting for six hours a day greatly increases the risk of an early death. Sitting for long periods is the most underrated health threat of our modern time. Yet every single day, millions of American workers do just that.
Sitting for long periods is hard on the body. It strains the back and causes the muscles to become slack. It slows the processes that metabolize calories, increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and some cancers.
So, how can you help your team? Here are a few quick and easy tips to share:
- Be a role model - get up and walk to see people rather than send an email or call
- Don't sit at your desk to eat lunch, get up and change locations
- Set an alarm as a reminder to get up and move - try 3 squats every hour on the hour
- Clean your desk up before leaving at the end of the day - even work-related task help add movement