DON’T BE DESK-BOUND. KEEP MOVING AROUND.

Spectator Sports definitely gets the person sitting in the stadium develop & sharpen the champion spirit. But does he experience the same as the man-on-ground playing the strokes? Does he feel refreshed while sweating from head-to-toe? Is he able to balance the fear and excitement of playing the unknown? Mostly No.

So, would you call these sedentary spectators in the stadium active?! Logically No. But there is a large group today, who would call them active.

Because with the changing times, the definition of an active lifestyle has also changed. Higher the no. of activities (even though they are all sedentary), more active our life is. Now-a-days, being active means digitally active which is mostly sedentary. 

This pattern is stemming from the change in workstyle in our country. A large percentage of today’s working class is engaged in jobs that are mostly sedentary. These are millennials who do a zillion things at the same time, concurrently. While these mutli-taskers might be the organisation’s top performers, but not leading a healthy lifestyle, leading to mental dis-satisfaction at work. 

The most recent Indian nutrition survey found that city-dwelling men and women work an average of more than eight hours a day. Most are engaged in sedentary office jobs. Only about one quarter exercise. The combined findings of UNICEF, the World Health Organisation and the World Bank show that Asia is growing rich, but it is becoming unhealthier too. 

Given the current workstyle, the biggest work-place paradox then becomes to be physically & mentally fit, multi-tasking and yet be socially connected. 

No wonder, within an organisation exist multiple Whatsapp groups which are more actively attended to by employees than meeting in person. Interacting with colleagues on whatsapp helps get speedy action on certain things, but does it not leave us becoming more irritable and impatient towards the EOD?

This is because Sedentary work is a passive activity which does not get us enough physical movement which is required for our body at regular intervals to keep our focus and energy levels high.

Avoiding long sedentary hours will reap a dual benefit;

1.    Good physical health leading to mental well-being.

2.    Increased levels of face-to-face interaction with co-workers and partners will improve our individual brand quotient.

If it sounds convincing, then just make small iterations to your work lifestyle that I have already started doing. 

If we start taking these small steps regularly, we will not just feel energized but also be seen as a gregarious co-worker who participates actively and proactively in things. After all, building our individual brand in the workplace is important. And getting people to trust in our capabilities and personality is a by-product of our interactions with them where personal and face-to-face interactions are an icing on the cake. Warmth still comes from visiting that desk across yours and dropping in a personal hello and not just interacting with him on email/ WwatsApp.

Walking doesn’t necessarily mean long walks or walking kilometers at a stretch. It means minimizing ‘being sedentary’ and moving our body even while at work. Though it might sound to be an extra job on our list, but it is not. The idea is to make it a seamless part of our work life.

In fact, quite a few organizations / employers are also encouraging their workforce to be less sedentary and more mobile. Soon, I would share the efforts being invested by the organizations. STAY TUNED........!

Author: Bodhisattwa Bhaumik

Lead: Compensation & Benefits, Schaeffler India Ltd.