6 Reasons Why Putting Work Before Health Is Just Plain Reckless
4. You need to get up
It is totally understandable that when you get involved in your work, you want to focus on it until the job is done. However, serious health problems can be caused by not moving around enough. In fact, a recent study showed that those who sit for periods of longer than half an hour at a time have a higher rate of dying at a younger age. So, get up!
"Office knee," cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, lower back pain, upper limb disorders, and more can result from not moving enough throughout the work day. Sammy Margo is a spokeswoman for The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, and she explains, "I have seen a huge surge in the number of people with knee pain and it is down to the sedentary lifestyle we now lead." A study has shown that one in four people with such jobs experience these knee problems.
So, how can you protect yourself? It's not like you can just quit your job, right? Well, there are ways to stay as healthy as possible while still getting your deskwork done. If you need to speak to someone in the office, instead of calling or emailing, walk to their desk to get yourself up. If you have to call, try speaking while standing. Make sure your posture remains proper and your chair and computer screen are properly situated to protect from unnecessary joint pains. If you find your posture slouching, get up and walk around, and roll your shoulders to get them back into place. Take a break every hour to walk around, and preferably go outside - even just for a short amount of time. Finally, outside of the office, make sure you are eating well and exercising regularly.