I previously blogged about and mentioned of the effects of sitting versus standing on health and well-being. I was pleasantly surprised many clients, colleagues and friends had taken my advice and its information to heart and planned to change their habits of sitting versus standing, at home or work, and redo their workplace.
If a lot of clients, colleagues and friends plan to change their daily habits of sitting and standing and clean up their work areas, it is important to help them know what are their options and show them how to properly perform each one of them. I call it: "The Art & Blueprint of Sitting and Standing at Work."
On average a human being coasts through each day and sits 20% of the time. That equates to approximately 300 minutes. Yikes! And research studies have stated sitting more than three hours a day shortens life expectancy by two years. Double Yikes!! Another research study stated people sitting and television watching approximately four hours a day lived approximately five years less than only those who did not television watch. Triple Yikes!!! And I will stop with the "Yikes." Still, it is essential to know how much we sit and its effects on our health and well-being, and it is equally important to understand economic and ergonomic solutions or ways we can kickstart our functional movement patterns, strength and support and physical activity levels and improve our state of health and wellness.
The majority of administration and corporate office are filled with office chairs. Office chairs are not the cause of low back pain or worsening health and wellness. The act of sitting is. But we must sit in order to work. And if we must sit then it is important to have a friendly ergonomic set-up to suit our needs and wants, especially after LONG days week after week. Is this picture a timeline..... of you?
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| - 8 AM - - 4 PM - |
I am not sure if this picture is of a coworker or yourself, but one thing for sure is he or she definitely needs one, if not all, of the following: aromatherapy for concentration, energy and stamina, better ergonomic setting and workstation to lower chances of posture deviations and injury risks, more fun (obviously), increase in core, gluteals, lumbar and rhomboids strength and support to improve body control, function and load, or a new job! At 4 PM I am thinking its the latter.
I have been known to be a splitting image of the picture. Please do not tell. But my ergonomics and mechanics in sitting are not ingrained in my bank of muscle memory because "I hate sitting" and it is tiring too. I feel sorry for my wife because my three sons have adopted my hatred towards sitting. They are all over the place ALL the time. And I have noticed and realized from my sons that at infancy and onward we are bombarded with instructions on how to roll, SIT and stand. Do any of these sound familiar to you? "Be aware of your posture and sit up. Don't be lazy and get up. Don't slouch!" I heard these commands and suggestions hundreds of times at home, school and work. I suppose my parents and teachers were looking out for me and were right! Though its not like I was leaning in my chair for no reason. I wanted to act and be or look cool and leaning while driving or sitting was the cool thing. Then I grew up and learned how to properly sit. Whether at the dinner table, school, home or work, we have great intentions to sit up straight and tall but we fall victim to gravity and time. As such, over the course of a day we get tired and progressively slouch and slumber. Sometimes we take a Zzzzzz! The change in our posture is inevitable over time, but is the problem a lack of aromatherapy mood boosters, muscular strength, poor sitting mechanics, proper workplace setting or unfriendly ergonomic set-up, or possibly all of them?
I think the acute or chronic changes in our posture is a matter of all of the adaptable conditions and circumstantial situations- aromatherapy deficient, lack or loss of muscular strength, especially of the core, gluteals and rhomboids, poor sitting mechanics no matter the sitting tool, such as an office chair versus stability ball, and an unfriendly ergonomic workstation.
The easiest and most perfect means to assist in dispelling foul odors, improving concentration and mental clarity, increasing energy and stamina, reducing airborne bacteria, fungi, molds or viruses, and relieving stress or tension is the use of aromatherapy, or specifically doTerra essential oils diffused in the work setting. Essential oils, such as Cassia, Eucalyptus, Lavender, OnGuard, Peppermint, Wild Orange and Ylang Ylang, are found to enhance the immune system, improve mood and increase our overall mental outlook, physical stature and well-being. And the best is they are harmless, potentially life-saving and uplifting. The Vanderbilt University Hospital Emergency Department uses it for their staff with great results and success.
The use of aromatherapy at work is possibly atypical but it is the first step in creating a healthy and pleasant work setting. Its sort of like thinking outside the cubicle. However, in order for your work area to be an enjoyable and productive safe haven, a home away from home, it is necessary to use essentials oils and plants for energy and health. The other aspects of the work setting, such as office chairs and desks or stability balls, are typical and must be personally and specifically dealt with in their own unique way.
There are a lot of people in the world. And our bodies are different from person to person in regards to varying shapes and sizes. We are not alike in many ways. My best friend and I wear different sized pants, shirts and shoes and yet we are expected to sit in the same office chair type at work. We should not be expected to fit perfectly in the same office chairs. The office chair highly recommended and most suitable for office work addresses and offers numerous adjustments for altering body positions among varying body shapes and sizes. The best features most recommended by ergonomic specialists are:
- Armrests
- Lumbar Support
- Forward Tilting Seat
- Reclining Seat Option
- Seat Cushion and Height
It is proven people more comfortable in their office chairs are more likely to be less injured, productive and sit for longer periods of time. Conversely, people using uncomfortable and unsupportive office chairs are at increased risk of discomfort, injury and pain, including increased spinal stress. Therefore, it is an understatement to say the office chair is perhaps the most important entity of a healthy workplace environment and personal workstation.
Though the office chair is a staple of an office workstation, in my previous blog I stated the importance of alternating between sitting in an office chair, sitting on a stability ball and standing and increasing the level of movement or physical activity throughout the day week to week. The stability ball is my preferred choice of sitting device but it does have limitations and precautions. It is not for everyone straight out of the box to use. But you can adapt to the stability ball over time as long as you are using the best sized stability ball specifically for you. The considerations of a proper sized stability ball for sitting are:
- Ball Size
- Feet Stance
- Position of Neck and Shoulders
- Position of Pelvis and Spinal Column
- Selection of Individualized Exercises
While enduring or prolonged use of a stability ball can put a heavy toll over time, intermittent use helps improve mood, increases energy expenditure, make stronger the back, core and leg musculature, and promotes well-being.
The creation of a routine in regards to alternating between sitting on different seat types and standing allows for more enjoyment or fun and spontaneity and enables the body to burn more calories, lessen the risk of back pain or injury and maintain muscular strength and support. And did I mention its more fun? Who does not want to break out doing a set of "bounces," crunches, planks- stirring the pot, plyometric push ups, side lunges or squats on a stability ball? You could learn and master a few new tricks and be a hit at the next work party.
In the coming blogs I will draw up and explain the aspects of diffusing essential oils and ergonomics of traditional and alternative sitting and standing options and solutions- all at and for work. I will also list and show examples of exercise routines while either sitting in an office chair or on a stability ball or while standing. Are you at the edge of your seat? Standing up? Stay tuned in.
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