Introduction
I've been working from home for almost 2 years now and it's been quite an adventure. I get to make my own schedule, work in pajama if I want to and have a quality of life many people would envy. It didn't come without challenges or drawback as you can read in my article 3 reasons why making money online may not be all it's cracked up to be. But all in all, it's been a boon.
In this article, I am going to share a #lifehack I adopted that increased the quality life tremendously. This series is written for the aspiring home based business entrepreneurs and the already established one who want to better their life. I've already wrote 2 article in this series:
- YNAB - The Budgeting Software That Changed My Financial Life
- Home Business Essentials - Staying and Getting Strong - My Review of Stronglifts 5x5 program
Today, you will discover why sitting is the new smoking and about my experience in transitioning from working in the sitting position to working with a standing desk.
Sitting is the New Smoking?
From the driver’s seat to the office chair and then the couch at home, we are spending way too much time in the sitting position than ever and researchers say it’s wreaking havoc on our bodies.
As Dr. James Levine from the Mayo Clinic says:
Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.
Researchers have found very strong evidence that spending too much time in the sitting position increases the chance of developing several serious illnesses like various types of cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
As in this article from the TheActiveTimes mention:
Another reason the smoking analogy is relevant is that studies have repeatedly shown the effects of long-term sitting are not reversible through exercise or other good habits.
If you want to know more about all the different ways sitting is literally shortening people's lifespan visit this page.
The Solution
Recently, I've been experiencing pelvic floor pain and lower back pain due to extensive time sitting (sometime up to 12h a day). When I discovered about the dangers of sitting too much, I decided to buy this standing desk from IKEA.
Now, if you are on a budget, check out this pinterest board with some cool DIY models. A few sheets of plywood and you can be in business.
One more thing that you will need is a good mat under your feet. Spending hours standing may get hard on the body.
My Experience
So I've now been using a standing desk for a few weeks. At first, it was hard since my legs and my back wasn't used to spend that much time standing. Whatever you don't use you lose right? But after a few days, I got my core muscles to be more engaged and my posture improved significantly.
Also, another big improvement that I've noticed, is in relationship with my strength training program. I use to go squat and then spend 10hrs sitting afterward. That created a problem since my leg muscles would be shorten right after I big exercise. I ended up having difficulty running. Since using a standing desk, I've cut my recovery time by a lot AND no longer have issues with running.
Conclusion
If you find yourself spending too much time sitting, take the time to:
- Read on the consequences of spending too much time sitting
- Buy or build yourself a standing desk
- Get a floor mat
- Give yourself time to adjust
You will be very happy to have adopted this #lifestyle change that will pay #health benefits for years to come.