Everyone wishes to be more productive in life; To apply themselves better or to optimize their input and maximize their output. But often we are not able to achieve it. Blame it on bad habits, lack of alternatives, or improper application of self or ineffective technique. We fall victim to wastage of effort which causes a reduction of productivity.

But what if there was a better way- a different approach to optimization of your work?

The biohacking approach will not only improve your productivity at work but will also help you achieve overall development, evolving you into the best version of yourself.

Understanding the problem is half the solution so let’s get into it.

POSTURE

Let us start with how you position yourself in the workplace. Most urban people around the world have a desk job that requires them to have at least 8 productive hours each day. (Not to be “the employee of the month” but it is in the offer letter.) This is a cause for concern as prolonged sitting is a leading cause of back pain and posture problems. It goes without saying, a person in distress can never optimize their performance.

STANDING

Turns out, the urban working class throughout the world is suffering alongside you. Researchers worldwide are trying to find a solution to this problem. For a while, researchers thought that standing instead of sitting was the best alternative to work-induced health problems.

Research by Katzmarzyk in 2014 suggested that standing can actually improve mortality and was a healthier alternative to excessive periods of sitting.

 

Standing
Another research titled “Standing-based office work shows encouraging signs of attenuating post-prandial glycaemic excursion.” concluded, “This is the first known ‘office-based study to provide CGM measures that add some of the needed mechanistic information to the existing evidence-based on why avoiding sedentary behaviour at work could lead to a reduced risk of cardiometabolic diseases.” However, Standing is an oversimplified solution to a very complicated problem. Moreover, standing does not reverse the effects on your body. In some cases, it was found that standing for long durations was equally as bad as sitting for long durations.

According to a study named “The Relationship Between Occupational Standing and Sitting and Incident Heart Disease Over a 12-Year Period in Ontario, Canada.”, with professions which involve standing predominantly over sitting, the risk of heart disease is twofold increased as compared to a predominantly sitting profession.

SOLUTION

Using your deduction skills, you must have figured out by now that in each study or experiment on posture at the workspace, researchers blame either sitting or standing. But if you really pay close attention you will find a word repeated in almost all the research. “SEDENTARY”

The problem is neither sitting nor standing but rooting yourself to a place in the same position for a prolonged period. Human bodies are created with joints, which makes them ideal for movement. A static pose for a prolonged period of time is what causes a problem.

The simplest hacks to resolve this problem can be found below:

  • Do not keep water stored, rather visit the water dispenser.
  • Stay hydrated by drinking at least 3 litres of water per day. This will force you to visit the toilet more frequently and prevent other health problems.
  • Set up the workspace in a way that all the essentials are just outside of reach(so that you may have to move to get them)
  • Switch working posture multiple times a day. Sit in a normal chair, on a Bosu ball or work standing. If you work mostly standing, try standing on a Bosu ball or a balance board while working to keep your muscles and core engaged.
  • If possible, get a smartwatch or simply install an app that can count your footsteps. Keep a decent achievable daily target for yourself.
  • If you can afford it, purchase a treadmill workstation. Studies show that it is the best alternative to a traditional desk.
  • Set a timer at work and do 5 mins of movement every hour. A walk, some pushups, pull-ups, bodyweight squats or kettlebell swings are all doable almost everywhere. With a little creativity, you will find a lot more options easily.
  • Limit the time staring at a cell phone because it will put your body in an unnatural position, especially your neck by putting it under a lot of pressure. Use a speech-to-text feature for texting.
  • When you can incorporate a walking-meeting culture at your company. Also, walk around when you are on the phone. Remember that a sedentary lifestyle is the root of most health problems. We must understand that it must not be underestimated or oversimplified.