Sitting Down on the Job

Here at Officescape, we are known for thinking outside the box (or cubicle); we just love to be different! But when we design an office that is a little unusual, there’s always a reason for it. We know that the standard office layout doesn’t breed creativity, productivity or job satisfaction, so we choose to break from tradition and create work spaces with a difference.

The Problem with Sitting

According to a BBC report, office workers are too sedentary and should be moving around a lot more in order to avoid a whole host of health problems that can be caused by a deskbound working life. Get Britain Standing is an organisation dedicated to getting people out of their chairs and onto their feet. They claim that sitting for more than four hours a day can lead to health issues; such as heart disease, diabetes, muscle degeneration and high blood pressure.

But what solution can they give us? Active jobs seem to be in the minority, while offices are ruling the world of work. How can we be on our feet when so many of us work at a desk looking at a screen all day?

The Solution of Standing

We have quite the solution for you – you might want to sit down for this. Standing desks. They may sound crazy, but they are actually a brilliant solution to a sedentary lifestyle. Many people have already made the switch and it seems that they are quickly gaining popularity. It’s not hard to see why people are kicking the sitting habit. Let’s take a look at just a few of the health benefits from a more active lifestyle.

– Reduced risk of obesity – It makes sense that standing, rather than sitting, can improve your general     health. Someone who is standing can burn 50 more calories per hour than someone parking their behind. We all know that being obese has a negative impact on our health, so anything that cuts down on that has got to be a good thing, right?

– Reduced risk of heart disease – We have known about the link between heart problems and sitting down all day for longer than you might think. Back in the 1950s, a study was carried out to compare the rates of heart disease in bus drivers and bus conductors. Unsurprisingly, it was the drivers who had greater rates of disease compared to the conductors, who were on their feet all day.

We could go on and on, but the list is just too long! The health benefits of having a standing desk are clear to see, and let’s face it, when you’re feeling good, your work is good.

Other Top Tips

Of course, there are other things that you can do to improve your level of activity when in the office. Get Britain Standing has plenty of great suggestions; such as removing chairs and tables from meeting rooms. Instead of meeting with a client and sitting down, you could take a ‘walking meeting’ – give them a tour of the building as you talk. You could also take phone calls standing up. Not only will it contribute to your tally of hours spent out of the chair, it will also improve your voice quality and confidence, which can only be a good thing! Most of us are guilty of emailing or phoning a colleague when they’re on the other side of the room, but why not get up and take the opportunity to get a little footwork in?

However you decide to add a little activity to your office, we can help. Here at Officescape, we are dedicated to transforming your office into the incredible and exciting workplace it could be. All it takes is a little imagination and a touch of office refurbishment! If you would like to learn more about how we can turn your office from boring to brilliant, get in contact with us today on 01553 811 833 to speak to a member of our lovely team.