Short Hacks To Undo The Damage Of All-Day Sitting

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Most researchers agree that all-day sitting isn’t a good idea for most people. It prevents blood from moving around the body and can lead to multiple negative health effects over time. 

The problem is that a lot of people in business and CEOs in particular spend most of the day sitting. 

Fortunately, you can use some short hacks to fix this problem and protect your health. Here’s what to do: 

Walk To And From Work

First, you should look and see if you can walk to and from work. Even a few minutes is often all you need to set yourself up for the day and create balance in the body. 

Yes, walking takes up time, but you can do things while you’re on the go, like make phone calls or catch up on podcasts. Learning as much as you can as you go can be a great way to make the effort worthwhile. 

Add A Mini Workout Every Hour

Another approach is to add a mini workout every hour. Doing a few squats or lunges can get the blood moving and help you feel healthier overall. 

Research shows that prolonged sitting is bad for people, but getting up and moving around regularly reduces or eliminates most of the harmful effects. Just a minute every hour, set on a timer, is often enough to have the desired effect. 

Reset Your Posture In 5 Minutes

If possible, you also want to spend some time in the office resetting your posture daily. Ensuring you align your shoulders, heels, hips, and head is critical if you want to be comfortable. 

Unfortunately, many people in business make a habit of hunching over their laptops and desktop computers. Over time, this puts strain on the spine, causing it to change shape. However, regular posture breaks are a way around this. 

This option, combined with chiropractic care, can make life much better for desk-bound individuals. People with chronic symptoms can often see improvements after only a few weeks. 

Practice Deep Breathing

If you’ve been sitting all day, you can also try experimenting with deep breathing. Breathing through the belly instead of the chest helps to reset the nervous system and bring it back into alignment, all while oxygenating tissues that might be struggling in a hunched, seated position. 

Most people practice deep breathing by consciously breathing in through the belly for 5 seconds, holding for 5 seconds, and then releasing for 5 seconds. Several cycles of this is usually sufficient to reset the nervous system and relieve stress, which is another cause of tension. 

Stand Up On Calls

If you can stand up and walk around on calls, that’s another great way to add more movement to your day as CEO. Again, it gets the blood circulating and allows you to spend more time on your feet than you would otherwise. 

Pacing is even better. Walking around mimics conventional exercise, giving you a workout there and then. You can even create a circuit for yourself or use earbuds to free up your hands for activity. 

Adjust Your Chair And Desk

Another way to undo the damage of sitting all day is to make your desk and chair more ergonomic. The more these follow the contours of your body, the better. 

The best chairs offer ample support to the lower back. They also ensure that your eyes are at screen level so you don’t have to tilt your neck up and down to see what’s on your screen. 

Once you have the ergonomics dialled in, you should notice improvements in how your back feels over a few weeks. Changes can be quite significant, particularly if you have damaged fascia under the surface. 

Stretch At Your Desk

Some CEOs also like to do desk stretches every now and then. Again, these help to put the body back into its natural form. 

Desk stretches take around 30 seconds and allow you to relieve tight sections of your body. Usually, the goal is to lengthen the posterior chain of muscles and joints, which can become compacted with excessive sitting around. 

Take Short Breaks Every 30 Minutes

Lastly, it’s worth setting a timer to take short breaks every 30 minutes or so. These get the blood pumping and body moving so you don’t run the risk of clots. 

These days, you can get apps on your phone that provide you with reminders. These ding once or twice and then assume that you’re getting on with the movement as instructed. Focus on moving naturally if you’ve been sitting for a while to reduce injury risk.