Prologue

After reading my ideas on enhancing personal productivity, one of my long-time associates sent me a message: “You should write something on avoiding cervical spondylitis and better sitting positions—common problems we are facing.” My first thought was, “Come on, I am not an ergonomist.” But then I understood his perspective.

Talking solely about productivity is like promoting an industry without addressing the environmental risks or suggesting ways to mitigate them. To take a more contemporary example, it’s like launching a cryptocurrency without a plan to reduce energy consumption.

So, I gave him a more reassuring response: “OK. Let me see how to tie some of these to what I know.” And that’s the spirit behind this write-up.

 Motivation

If you are still not convinced about you need to do something about your health along with the sedentary work, let me advise a powerful video that I saw few years ago. It’s a very impactful video by Markus Rothkranz on the health hazards of a sedentary lifestyle. While some of his claims might be debatable, the core message is clear: We are harming our health when we remain sedentary, like sitting in front of a computer for extended periods.

But work needs to get done, and we need to be in front of a computer for that. So, here are some ideas I employ to mitigate these ill effects and stay productive while maintaining good health. Of course, I’m not a health expert, and I share this based on my experience and common sense. This is a journey, and I hope to discover more helpful ideas as I progress.

Physical Exercises

These exercises take very little time but are highly effective in mitigating the damage caused by prolonged sitting.

  1. Lower Back and Leg Stretches – Long periods of sitting affect the lower back and legs. I found this video by Tone and Tighten very useful for controlling back pain. (6 minutes)
  2. Neck Exercises – Tone and Tighten also provides a great set of neck exercises. (6 minutes)
  3. Static Stretches – Static stretches involve adopting and holding a position that stretches a muscle or group of muscles. This video from Harvard Medical School offers a comprehensive set of static stretches. (6 minutes)
  4. Dynamic Stretches – Dynamic stretches typically take specific muscles and joints through their normal range of motion, loosening up the joints and stretching the muscles. This video from Harvard Medical School provides a thorough set of dynamic stretches. (6 minutes)

Including these exercises, which take just about 20 minutes in total, in your daily routine will keep your body flexible and prepared for the perennial onslaught of work.

Pro tip: It’s not an all-or-nothing matter. Don’t feel overwhelmed by trying to do all four exercises right away. Start with your favorite one, then gradually incorporate the others as you feel comfortable. Remember, something is always better than nothing. More often than not, you’ll find yourself completing all of them, but even if you don’t, every bit helps. A wonderful addition would be to include weight training, cardio, or swimming sessions three days a week.

Let’s talk about another interesting and vital exercise in the next post in this series.

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