Posted on January 31, 2023 by Kate Halsall
Did you know that pre-covid, adults were sitting on average 9 hours a day? Would it surprise you if we said that post-pandemic, adults were now sitting on average 12 hours a day!? Hybrid working has its advantages, but it also has its disadvantages!
Here are our top tips for people working from home to move more and sit less!
1. Stand. Standing can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, improve your posture, and help with lower back pain. You don’t have to have to stand long – the movement of standing and sitting will still help to strengthen leg muscles and improve balance. If you don’t have a standing desk, you could put your laptop on a box or try: standing every time the phone rings, standing up at the start or end of a meeting and so on.
2. Walking Meetings. OK, maybe you want to hold off on these until Spring! But if you’re having the meeting anyway, why not have it away from your desk. Getting some fresh air and having a change of scene will do wonders for your mental health.
3. Drink More. If we have more drinks during the day, not only does it mean we stay hydrated, but we also take more breaks to make those drinks and to go to the toilet!
4. Office Challenge. Working remotely can mean people working in isolation or a lack of team comradery. Why not introduce an “office challenge” that helps get people physically active and encourages team building? A step or stair challenge for example.