Before we get to my tips on standing, let’s take a look at some recent research on expanding your brain.
You know, intellectually, that you should be working on your brain, reading, meditating, etc. You can’t ignore it and expect it to work at its full capacity. Did you know that exercise is a great way to increase your memory and learning?
Yes, in a study performed at the University of British Columbia and published in the British Journal of Sport Medicine, it was found that a category of exercises actually helps to boost the size of the hippocampus. This is the area involved in verbal memory and learning.
Not all exercises seem to work. Those involved in getting your heart and sweat glands pumping appear to boost the size. These are the aerobic exercises.
Now it is recommended that you get 120-150 minutes of moderate intensity workout each week, which may seem like a lot but could be accomplished by 20 minutes a day. If this is too daunting for you they also suggest that performing housework briskly could also work. Like; intense floor mopping, raking leaves, maybe even vacuuming.
So give it a try and see what it feels like. With the estimate of 115 million people with dementia (worldwide) by 2050, working on your brain now would be a good thing to do.
Tips On Standing During The Day
Last week we talked about the proper standing posture as a good starting point. This week I want to share some personal tips on what I do to stand and work for up to 6 hours a day.
Keep in mind that I built up to this (just like any exercise) over a period of a couple of months. When I started out with my new sit to stand desk it was difficult to go for 20-30 minutes without the desire to sit down. But I kept pushing forward.
One thing I find myself doing is moving around a lot while I’m standing. I will move from one foot to the other and then back to a regular stance. This is a physical activity which keep my muscles moving, something you will not get while you are sitting at your desk.
The other thing I do is raise my leg (one at a time) and support it with an ottoman in my office. This gives my legs even more of a break and allows them to bend slightly as I raise them up and down.
What I find interesting is on the occasion when I sit at my desk I now get tired very quickly. So the standing is allowing me to have a greater amount of energy but physically and metally. This increased energy means more productivity all day long. More productivity, more stuff done during the same time period.
Are you standing? Let us know your thoughts about how you are working and the results you are experiencing.