^Motion is lotion, isn’t it? Sitting isn't part of our design. You may not think of your office chair or the couch you enjoy binge-watching on when you think of something that might pose a health risk. When you sit for long periods of time, the body deteriorates, according to Dr Joan Vernikos, author of Sitting Kills, Moving Heals.

How Sedentary Are We?

Around three million avoidable deaths are caused by physical inactivity each year (6% of all fatalities). Among noncommunicable illnesses, it is the fourth leading cause of death.

The following studies demonstrate how sedentary we are:

• According to PubMed Central, 52.1% of participants in the study were not physically active. Studies conducted in India and abroad have reported similar findings. 
• It was reported that 56.8% of participants in a study conducted in Punjab, India, were not sufficiently active as recommended by the WHO. 
• According to data from the Indian Council of Medical Research study, Chandigarh has a 66.8% prevalence of physical inactivity.
• According to a study, 49.7% of adults in southern India were physically inactive.

Sitting and Exercising

Marathon sitting sessions cannot be negated by exercise. Lifestyle fitness, whether it is exercise in the gym, running, yoga, pilates, or another form of exercise, will not make you healthier if you sit for long periods of time. Instead, you are more likely to live a happy healthy life if you sit less during the day.

Sitting for Long Periods of Time.

Sitting for long periods of time can actually alter your metabolism. Sitting for just 30 minutes slows down metabolism by 90%. The large leg and gluteal muscles can weaken and waste when sat for long periods of time. 

With weak glutes, the legs are less stable and have less power. If you sit consistently with poor posture, it can also result in back problems. Even your sciatic nerve, which runs from your lower back to your toes, may be irritated by the back, hip, and buttock muscles together.

When you spend a lot of time hunched over a keyboard, your neck and shoulders can become stiff and painful. As you do this for hours and hours, you reduce your flexibility and movement, straining your neck and upper back muscles.

While scrolling through social media on their phones, people sit in compromised postures that can be detrimental to their rotator cuffs, wrists, and forearms.

Heart Health and Sitting

Heart disease is more likely to develop if you sit for a long time each day. Diabetes type 2 and obesity, two major risk factors for heart disease, can be caused by sitting, which can lead to insulin resistance. In addition, during a heart attack, the blood flow slows down, which causes the blood vessels to accumulate fatty acids.

Heart disease results from disruption of vascular function. According to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, there is an independent relationship between prolonged sitting time and deleterious health outcomes, regardless of physical activity. 

You still have a risk of heart disease and death even if you clock in an hour of intense physical activity a day. This is especially true for those who work continuously without taking a break; therefore, companies are focusing more on employee wellness programs to assist them to build healthy working habits. 

"Sitting is the thief of health." - Steve Jobs

Depression and Anxiety

We don't understand the relationships between sitting and mental health as well as we do the ties between sitting and physical health, but we do know that those who sit more are more likely to suffer from anxiety and depression.

This might be due to the fact that those who spend a lot of time sitting lose out on the benefits of workout and fitness. If this is the case, getting up and moving may be beneficial.

Living a Movement-Based Lifestyle

Here are a few ways you can incorporate physical activity into your daily routine:

Make sure you take frequent breaks. After 30 minutes of continuous sitting, get up and move around

• When possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator
• Stop texting your colleagues and walk over to them instead
• If you can, enjoy a short walk during your lunch break
• Consider switching to standing and sitting-friendly height-adjustable desks. 

 You will have increased energy levels and endurance once you become physically active, and your muscles and bones will remain strong when you are physically active.

Final Words

It appears that stretching your muscles breaks up long periods of sitting, so strive to incorporate more exercise into your day. Every once in a while set a timer to remind yourself to get up and walk. Stand up while you're taking a call. You may want to consider an adjustable standing desk if you have a PC. Sit on a stability ball rather than an armchair while watching TV to keep yourself upright. Exercises to relieve joint pain are also recommended.

^In the journey to greater productivity, understanding the underlying psychological principles that influence our behavior can be a game-changer. By learning these frameworks and how to apply them, we can optimize our work habits, maximize our output, and reduce burnout. 

Let's delve into five such frameworks that can transform the way we approach our work.

1. Zeigarnik Effect: The Pull of Unfinished Tasks

Named after Russian psychologist Bluma Zeigarnik, the Zeigarnik Effect is a psychological principle that posits that people remember unfinished or interrupted tasks better than completed ones. This cognitive bias is why uncompleted tasks can preoccupy our minds and hamper our focus on new tasks.

Leveraging the Zeigarnik Effect for productivity involves breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable parts. When we complete these "mini tasks," we get a psychological reward in the form of a sense of achievement, fueling our motivation to proceed. Meanwhile, the unfinished larger task keeps our minds engaged, prompting us to return to it with renewed vigor and fresh insights.

For instance, if you're working on a comprehensive project report, break it down into sections and tackle each as a separate task. This approach provides frequent mental rewards, keeps your focus sharp, and can lead to a more thoroughly completed project. The benefits here include improved focus, enhanced motivation, and potentially better work quality due to ongoing mental processing.

2. The Pareto Principle: The Power of Prioritization

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule, is a principle suggesting that 80% of effects come from 20% of causes. In terms of productivity, this translates to 80% of your results coming from 20% of your efforts.

Applying the Pareto Principle involves identifying and focusing on the tasks that yield the highest value—the 20%—rather than equally distributing your effort across all tasks. For example, if you are a salesperson, you might find that 20% of your clients bring in 80% of your revenue. By focusing more on these clients, you can maximize your returns with the same or less effort.

The benefits of using the Pareto Principle include efficient use of time, higher productivity, and potentially higher satisfaction as you see better results from your prioritized efforts.

3. Parkinson’s Law: The Efficiency of Time Constraints

Parkinson's Law, named after Cyril Northcote Parkinson, proposes that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion." This means that if you set a generous deadline for a task, you're likely to use up all that time, even if the task doesn't inherently require it.

To combat this, impose stricter, yet reasonable deadlines on your tasks. For instance, if a task could reasonably take three hours but you typically allow six, limit your time to three hours and stick to it. By doing this, you'll push yourself to work more efficiently, cut out distractions, and avoid unneeded perfectionism.

The benefits include higher productivity, better time management, and less time wasted on over-polishing or unnecessary additions.

4. The Pygmalion Effect: Boosting Performance

The Pygmalion Effect is a psychological principle that explains how our performance can improve when we have higher expectations of ourselves. In essence, if we believe we can achieve something, we are more likely to make it happen.

To use the Pygmalion Effect to enhance productivity, set ambitious but realistic goals for your tasks. Your belief in your ability to achieve these goals can stimulate a self-fulfilling prophecy, where your high expectations lead to improved performance. For instance, if you believe you can finish a high-priority task within a day, you're more likely to accomplish it within that timeframe.

The benefits of the Pygmalion Effect lie in improved focus, enhanced self-confidence, and higher levels of achievement, leading to a satisfying sense of competence.

5. Flow Theory: Optimal Zone of Functioning

The concept of 'Flow,' introduced by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, refers to a mental state of complete immersion and enjoyment in an activity. It's that sweet spot where the challenge of the task meets your skill level perfectly, leading to heightened productivity and creative thinking.

To achieve this state, it's necessary to find tasks that engage and challenge you, but not to the point of causing excessive stress or anxiety. For example, if you're a writer, the task of writing an article on a topic you're passionate about could trigger this state, where your words flow effortlessly, and you lose track of time.

The benefits of achieving a flow state are multifold, including improved concentration, increased satisfaction from work, heightened creativity, and of course, a significant boost in productivity.

Final Thoughts

By understanding and applying these psychological frameworks—the Zeigarnik Effect, Pareto Principle, Parkinson's Law, Pygmalion Effect, and Flow Theory—we can transform our work habits, maximizing productivity while reducing stress. As we consciously align our work methods with our mental processes, we move towards a more efficient, satisfying, and balanced work life.

Interested in seeing how these principles can revolutionize your team's productivity? Reach out to us today, and let's embark on a journey towards a more productive, satisfying, and balanced work experience for your team.