How to Reduce Sitting Time Effectively? 6 Simple Ways

Do you know sitting is the new smoking? People worldwide spend a lot of time sitting either in their office, driving their cars, having lunch, watching television, studying, and a lot of other chores. People often wonder how to reduce sitting time when most of their tasks demand sitting. There are some activities where we cannot reduce the sitting time, but in some, we can reduce our sitting time and work while standing instead.

As an office worker, you typically spend 8-9 hours sitting at a single spot daily, sending emails, talking to your colleagues and clients on the phone, and working on other tasks. Health specialists often advise people to reduce their sitting time at work. But why should we sit less at work, is sitting bad for you?

Why Should We Sit Less at Work?

Think of a typical day at work; you spend hours in your cabin and hardly sneak a peak in your colleagues' cabin. The only time you move away from your cabin is when you have to go for lunch. A larger fraction of your day is spent in your cabin. So, the only place where you can reduce your sitting time and divide it between sitting or standing in your office. The major reason why people should often sit less at work is the lethargy that this habit causes and the associated health hazards. Ever wondered what health hazards you may become prone to if you sit a lot at work? Know that yourself here.

How Can Sit Excessively at Work Effect Your Health?

You all know that health specialists discourage you from sitting excessively at work due to the associated health hazards. The most common outcome of sitting longer hours is obesity. You become overweight and lazy in doing your tasks. Although obesity itself is bad for your health, it brings makes you more prone to encounter several other health disorders such as diabetes, heart and cholesterol problems, and even some types of cancer.

Sitting even slows down your metabolism, and overall, you become an inactive person with a bad posture. So, this is pretty evident that sitting is bad for you. We know that as a full-time office worker, you must be thinking about how to not sit all day at work. Therefore, we have shared some simple tips here that you can follow to reduce your sitting time at your office. So, let’s dive in deeper!

1. Work on a Standing Desk

Ever since the research discouraging sitting excessively became popular, the idea of having an adjustable standing desk gained good traction. You can get the most out of this desk if you know how to use a standing desk effectively. Our SmartDesk helps a lot in correcting your posture and allows you to align your desk’s height with your position. So, getting one will help you comfortably work while standing.

2. Adopt Active Sitting

A good ergonomic chair is a must-have for any office worker, but those ergonomic office chairs that offer you comfort and lets you adjust the chair's height are comparatively better. You can even think of getting something like a gymnasium ball, any other slightly unstable seat, or a standing stool to stay more active at your workplace. Such a seating surface engages most of your core muscles and ensures you stay active and motivated.

3. Take Out Some Time for Short Workout Sessions

You may think of going for a walk on your treadmill in your office or do an exercise circuit that allows you to engage your core. Physicians advise that you should workout at least 150 hours every week, so taking some time off from your office tasks to take some time out for a good workout session would be a great way to sit less at work and stay active.

4. Try Taking Regular Breaks While Working Long Hours

How to reduce sitting time when I have long working hours and a hectic day? Well, we suggest that you never miss out on any short breaks that you get during your work. You may be thinking of staying in your cabin and have lunch, but to stay more active, we would suggest you walk to the cafeteria to have lunch to get some time away from your work desk and socialize.

5. Set a Time Duration for Sitting

Dividing your time sitting or standing is always a better idea. You may use the Pomodoro timer in this regard. This timer will help you allocate your time to sit and stand while working in your office. If you have a standing desk, this intermittent standing behavior will become easier because then your posture will not get affected when you change your standing position.

6. Stand Up and Walk to Your Colleagues to Communicate

Sitting all day in your cabin can be too boring and dull on its own. So, try creating short coffee breaks where you leave your cabin, go to the kitchen, and make your coffee. Socializing with your colleagues in the meantime can also be a great way of reducing your sitting time. In this way, not just your sitting time will get reduced, but your office culture will also stay alive.

You know that sitting excessively is bad for you, so instead of mailing your colleagues, think of reaching out to your colleagues by walking up to them so that you get some time off your work desk, socialize, and stay active and motivated at your workspace.