Kenya, a country known to the world as the birthplace of legendary athletes is also home to a big population of sitters. They work in offices, sitting between 3 to 8 hours or more. Sitting does not end in the office.
Those in Nairobi will be leaving the office to enter another sad sitting phase, traffic. It is not a surprise that cases of obesity are on the rise more so in the capital Nairobi. That is according to the Global Nutrition report. One in every 2 women in urban areas is either obese or overweight.
Experts warn that sitting for too long can kill you. In fact, a study published in Annals of Internal Medicine confirmed that the longer you sit, the more at risk you are.
So what do you do?
Take a Break Every 30 min
During the break, take a walk, stretch. You can even do squats if you do not worry about looking awkward. What is awkward anyway in the face of a stiff back or overly tired you?
If there is any work you can do standing, do it. Leave the office messenger alone. Instead of sending somebody to deliver that package to a colleague, why not stand up and do it yourself?
Resist the inviting lift. Sometimes it is just so inviting when you want to laze around the lift catching up with a colleague. What if you all took the stairs and had that conversation as you rewarded your bodies for being so kind to you?
Meetings outdoor
Companies should now be open to the idea of doing meetings in more relaxed places. What would it take to do a meeting outside? Or grab a coffee in the office and just stand? The brain will still be engaged. I know this involved fighting rigid office cultures that expect you to be seated around a table staring at each other. Some even have mandatory tea/coffee and some biscuits. Well, you perhaps do not need all of that. And if you do, having a meeting while standing in the same room over the same tea is not such a bad idea, is it? Try it and feel awesome.
Keep your fitness gear in the office
This will keep you motivated to grab your bag and go for a run or to the gym. Doing the same thing every other day can feel like a drag. If this is a problem, look for some company. You will inject much-needed fun into the routine and you will be motivated.
Bear in mind that breaking the routine of sitting for prolonged hours is your aim. Do not think that by going to the gym after sitting for 8 hours is going to help you much. Far from it.
If you have spine issues, or back pain in general, a more active routine might be what the doctor ordered.
