How To Move More During Your Workday

Couch Potato: This isn’t news — sitting for long periods of time every day isn’t good for our bodies. A 2023 study found the average middle-aged adult spends 7.7 hours a day sleeping, 3.1 hours standing, 2.8 hours doing physical activity, and 10.4 hours sitting. Between sleeping and sitting, that’s a lot of time spent on our backs or our butts. When so many of our jobs require us to plop down in front of a computer all day long, a simple directive of “move more” is often easier said than done. 

The Benefits: Being sedentary increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity, cancer, and type 2 diabetes. But those who sit less lower those risks — plus, their moods, sleep, and daily functioning also improve. Movement can also ward off neck, back, and shoulder pain that often comes from long stretches of sitting. 

How to Do It: Set a timer to stand and move every hour. Even if you’re in a small cubicle, you can march in place, roll your head and shoulders, and do heel raises. Take the stairs (or the long way) when you can. Invite coworkers to walk and talk, and pace while taking calls.