Simple tips & tricks for more health in your everyday work

Sitting is one of the biggest health risks in everyday life, especially in the long run. Just over 50 percent of Germans are "chronic sitters," meaning they don't move from their desks for at least four hours a day. The coronavirus pandemic and working from home have further exacerbated the problem. Yet, only a few small things need to be considered to keep one's health from being endangered. We have five tips for you on how to integrate movement into your workday!

The Dangers of Prolonged Sitting

Sitting is an underestimated danger – this is primarily due to the fact that the consequences often only become noticeable in the long term. The subsequent complaints that can arise from direct damage should also not be underestimated. Among the many negative effects of too much desk work are:

• Neck, back, and joint pain due to rigid posture for several hours; poor posture further exacerbates the problem.
• Weakening of the abdominal muscles, which often results in the so-called "hunchback" in the back.
• Pinching/compressing of internal organs such as the lungs and stomach.
• Poor circulation in all body parts and also the brain, which affects concentration.
• Increased risk of mental illnesses such as depression or burnout.
• Lower calorie consumption, so you are more likely to gain weight if you sit for longer.
• Increased risk of diabetes and various metabolic diseases.

These are just some of the many consequences of prolonged sitting. Especially in Germany, it is a major problem that has unfortunately become normal. With small tricks & changes, the risks can be almost completely eliminated. Below, we have summarized the most important tips!

At Deskspace, we have made it our mission to enable our customers to have a healthy office routine. Height-adjustable desks and ergonomic stools keep your body moving. If you want to learn more about our ergonomic office furniture, feel free to visit our website.

Tip 1: Movement Breaks & Standing Activities

To avoid endangering your health and to stay fit even on long working days, you should sit for a maximum of 60 minutes at a time. After this time, your concentration already decreases, and you slowly become tired, which also affects your performance. A study has also shown that you become more forgetful after long periods of sitting. This is, for example, one of the reasons why movement is so important for dementia.

The term "movement break" sounds more complex than it actually is. Just 3-5 minutes of light movement are enough to get your circulation going again. If you work from home, it would already be sufficient, for example, to briefly put the laundry in the dryer or water all the flowers. Even if you briefly vacuum the apartment, you have taken some steps and can sit back down at your desk with more concentration.

If you work in an office, here are some tips on how you can integrate movement there too:

• Making calls while standing: Since the coronavirus pandemic at the latest, video and telephone conferences have become part of everyday life. In many companies, 2-3 hours of meetings a day are normal, and most employees naturally participate in these while sitting. You can do your health a favor by now conducting all phone calls while standing. We will explain right away how you can easily participate in video conferences while standing and what advantages this brings!

• Doing things in person: You are certainly familiar with this: you are sitting at your desk and have to deliver a message to a colleague. Reaching for the phone is much easier here, even if the person is in the same building. Here you can get used to doing even small things in person from now on. This is unusual at first and takes a little more time, but it promotes health and personal relationships.

• Parking space at some distance: When most people drive to work in the morning, they look for a parking space as directly in front of the door as possible. If you have a sedentary job, you should immediately get used to parking a little further away from the company building. This way you already have a good "head start in movement" before the workday has even begun.

2. Height-Adjustable Desk & Ergonomic Office Stool

In many companies, height-adjustable desks are now standard. The benefits for employees and companies have been proven many times over, and these desks are also recommended for image reasons. An ergonomic workplace creates an incentive for new employees and may even be a unique selling point in your industry/region.

The height-adjustable desk makes switching from sitting to standing incredibly easy. With it, you are much more inclined to work standing up. Your freedom of movement is significantly better when standing, so tasks such as sorting documents or handling daily mail are much easier and can be done faster.

Many users of a Deskspace standing desk have also stated that they rarely sit down again once they are standing during the workday. Habit plays a major role here, but working while standing also simply feels much more natural. Additionally, you are more inclined to move once you are standing. Going to the printer or having a personal conversation is less of a hurdle than if you are constantly sitting at your desk.

The height-adjustable desk also promotes better blood circulation in your body. This allows you to concentrate better and for longer, and your memory also benefits from it. Now for the advantage in video conferences: In a digital presentation or a meeting, your colleagues/business partners immediately notice that you are not sitting. Your posture and gestures are better when you are standing – you automatically appear more self-confident and professional!

The height-adjustable desk goes hand in hand with an ergonomic office stool. Its movable rubber base ensures that you are always moving minimally, even when sitting. The stool can also be adjusted by a gas spring, so using it while standing is also not a problem.

Both a height-adjustable desk and an ergonomic sitting and standing stool have become affordable for everyone today. At Deskspace, you can get a high-quality height-adjustable desk in various colors starting from 449 Euros, and the Wobble stool costs 149 Euros. All our products are made from high-quality materials and have a long lifespan as well as high resistance. On our website, in addition to detailed product pages, you will also find more articles on the topic of ergonomic workplaces. Just check out the Blog menu item!