These days the Corporate culture demands more time and higher output. This forces many of us to spend long hours sitting at our desk working, but all of this sitting around is not good for our health. There have been many articles and studies that site excessive sitting is linked to a host of health problems. The studies keep coming. We are sitting our lives away and this is impacting our longevity and wellbeing.

How often do you find yourself spending all day sitting at your desk dealing with emails, stuck on conference calls, spending hours in conference room meetings, or endless hours of computer work. You end up doing this routine over an over, day after day. My typical workday at the office was nonstop sitting until I realized what I was doing to my health.  I suffered from what I call the “Bankers-butt” also known as the “Secretary spread”.  I had to make changes by standing up for my health.

I hear you asking, “How can I reduce my time sitting? My employer expects me to do more work and that requires sitting.” or “I hear about standing desks, but my employer will not get me one without a doctors note.” Fortunately there are many different options that do not involve your company spending money.
Here are a few ideas that I do myself:

• Standup during calls: Anytime you have a call that last more than 2 minutes, just stand up for part of the conversation.  This trick is really handing when you have long teleconference meetings. Besides the standing up and sitting down give you a quick leg workout to boot.
• Alter social norms: When you are stuck in a meeting room, just stand up, move back from the table, and explain that you are taking a standing break. At first they will be uncomfortable  by you standing up, but after a while they will get use to it.  Who knows you might start a new trend.
• Schedule self reminders: Use your mobile phone or electronic calendar  to setup several reminders to stand up. At home, while watching TV consider standing up and walking round during commercials. At the office, use the printer that is not close to your desk, or use a smaller water glass/ coffee cup so that you have to get up more often to refill them.
• Give yourself a challenge: Challenge yourself to standup for 10 minutes during your lunch break  Challenge yourself to find a restroom that is the farthest from your desk and use it though out the day. Not only is she standing more, but she also gets a quick walk in.

These are just a few ideas that help get you up and out of the chair so that you can avoid the “bankers-but” syndrome. Make up more ideas of your own and try implementing ways to stand more.  You might find that after you start standing more you will desire to be more active and move around.  Have fun with it. The important thing is to standup for your health and wellness.