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Four Reasons to Take Activity Breaks While Working

May 20, 2020
With the onset of COVID-19, many of us have found ourselves working from home. While you might have normally found yourself at desk or cubicle, now you might spend your work days on your couch or at your kitchen table. Whether you're in a traditional office setting or trying to find your new normal working from home, many of us find ourselves in jobs where sitting at a desk or with a laptop computer for 6 - 8 hours a day is the norm.
While you might not notice it at first, over time working without interruption for hours on end can lead to many negative side effects. You may think that even if you sit all day, your daily workout can undo the effects of your sitting, however, even if you do exercise every day, there are still detrimental effects as a result of long periods of sitting.

Here are four reasons you should avoid long periods of sitting and take a two-minute activity break every 30 minutes:

  1. Sitting for a long period of time regularly can cause adverse effects such as allowing your leg and glute muscles to atrophy (get weaker), which causes tight muscles and reduces the range of motion in your joints.
  2. A sedentary lifestyle can increase your chance for metabolic syndrome, which can cause unhealthy weight gain, especially along the midsection.
  3. Long periods of sitting can also increase your chance for varicose veins which can make your legs swell, and in extreme cases, cause a blood clot.
  4. The disease risk for diabetes, heart disease, depression, and even some types of cancer can be increased by a sedentary lifestyle.
Taking activity breaks during day not only have physical benefits, but also refresh the mind and increase focus, creativity and productivity. An activity break does not have to be long--as little as two minutes has been shown to provide great physical benefits. Activity breaks should be taken every 30 minutes and some simple activities you can do while in the office might include:

  • Chair Squats

  • Chair Stretches

  • Climbing Stairs

  • Desk Push Ups

  • Tricep Dips on the chair

  • Walking

  • Marching in Place

  • Calf Raises

  • Jumping Jacks

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