This may sound funny to some, but walking at the workplace indeed helps combating common health hazards often occur due to constant sitting in front of the computer in one posture.
Here are some impactful tips by Jason Heredia, VP Marketing, Steelcase Asia Pacific to rule the lifestyle diseases
1. Break the Myth-Walking is a diversion
A common workplace myth is- if you are walking around in office then you are probably distracted or wasting time. On the other hand, sitting constantly in front of the computer makes you look more focused. However, according to the Steelcase Posture study, sitting in poor postures for long periods of time with little movement and few breaks for standing or walking can impact our health and reduce our productivity.At workplace, stand at a height adjustable work surface for between 1.5 hours and two hours per day to maintain a healthy balance of postures.
Tip: Try to work while you walk, take phone calls or have a quick discussion with a colleague
2. Walk smarter to work better
Walking is crucial however some common faults while walking may make it a cause for acute physical pain. One should be aware of the correct postures for walking such as keeping your back straight and avoiding facing the ground. Similarly to help correct other posture problems employers should educate employees on the ergonomic choices available to them.
Tip: Innovative solutions like walk stations or treadmill desks are now available which help workers maintain healthy walking postures without compromising on their work time.
3. Stop! Text then Walk
Texting while walking leads to people adopting rigid postures like locking of the arms, trunk and head in order to keep the phone steady in front of their eyes. This posture not onlystrains your neck and shoulders it also exposes you to various inconveniences like mind diversion, unclear vision andmany more. According to Steelcase study, 45% employeesin the world are suffering from an acute neck pain ailment called ‘text neck’ due to posture problems caused by their ‘texting’ practices at work.
Tip: Try to avoid walking while texting, instead stand or sit for a bit, finish the text and resume walking.
4. Walk lighter
Walking with a lot of burden such as a briefcase, laptop, jacket or coat leads to shoulder or arm pains. One should try to not walk frequently while carrying bulky objects as that might cause irreversible damage to the back. The moment you reach your workplace you should set the objects you won’t need aside to avoid carrying them around. Pick a chair which provides ergonomic support to your strained back and clever storage solutions for your ‘baggage’.
Tip: The bag/ luggage we carry should not be more than 15per cent of our total bodyweight and should be carried close to the body to minimize strain on the back
5. Use a palette of postures
Within the workplace there needs to be spaces that encourage people to sit, stand and move throughout their day, while supporting the different kinds of work they do and the multiple technologies they use. The good news is, technology has freed workers from the cubicle. The bad news is, they can still sit poorly at an improperly adjusted work surface. The workplace should subtly encourage workers to adopt different healthy postures during their work day which will alsoadd to their productivity.
Tip: Walking seems more of a task if you are sitting. Get height adjustable tables which allow working while standing and therefore encourage more movement
This article is written by Jason Heredia, VP Marketing, Steelcase Asia Pacific as per his personal views and research.
