Whether you’re working from home or back at the office, I’m going to share with you one of the easiest ways to increase your productivity.
Even better, this simple strategy also improves your health.
It doesn’t involve any magic pills or expensive technology.
All you have to do is stand.
That’s right.
A newly released study from the University of Texas A&M showed employees to be more productive when having access to a desk in which they could alternate between sitting and standing.
Specifically, these workers were 46% more productive than those who sat all long.
That’s a massive boost in productivity but not a surprising one as a standing desks are beginning to appear in corporate America all around the country.
“We hope this work will show companies that although there might be some costs involved in providing stand-capable workstations, increased employee productivity over time will more than offset these initial expenses,” said Mark Benden, Ph.D., C.P.E., associate professor at the Texas A&M School of Public Health.
The logic behind these new findings is pretty simple – healthier workers who feel energized are going to produce better work.
Sit Less - Live Longer
Sitting for too long more than doubles your risk of diabetes and is linked with an increase in heart disease. In fact, inactivity is the fourth-biggest killer of adults, according to the World Health Organization.
Studies show that every hour of TV that people watch — presumably while sitting — cuts about 22 minutes from their lifespan. In contrast, it’s estimated that smokers shorten their lives by about 11 minutes per cigarette.
“Prolonged sitting is not what nature intended for us,” says Dr. Camelia Davtyan, clinical professor of medicine and director of women’s health at the UCLA Comprehensive Health Program.
James Levine, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. adds, “The chair is out to kill us.”
A study published in the journal “Diabetologia” in November 2012 analyzed the results of 18 studies with a total of nearly 800,000 participants.
When comparing people who spent the most time sitting with those who spent the least, researchers found increased risks of diabetes (112%), cardiovascular events (147%), death from cardiovascular causes (90%) and death from all of these factors (49%).
Not only will working while standing result in a higher of level of performance inside the office, you’re going to be healthier and feel better.
I believe in the next few years sit/stand desks are going to be the norm in offices and schools across the country.
If you’re already using a sit/stand desk or are thinking of making the switch, please let us know your experiences and thoughts by leaving a comment in the comment section below.