Sit for only 6 hours per day

You may find this difficult but it will help counter a sedentary lifestyle

More than two hours of regular activity

This includes daily chores and light walking

More than two hours of intense activity

Gymming, swimming, running, cycling, and brisk walking fall under this category

Sleep for 8 hours or a little more

Quality sleep is essential for your overall well-being. Make sure you sleep well

REMEMBER TO:

Go slow and allow your body to adjust

If you’ve been sitting at a desk for a decade, you are advised to start gradually and work your way up to an ideal number of standing hours. Don’t be unrealistic with your body’s threshold for standing endurance from day one.

Try standing for only 1 hour per day at first, broken up in small sessions of 15 to 20 minutes. It may not seem like much, but the last thing you want to do is overexert your normally sedentary body, and give up before you’re ahead. You can gradually increase the amount of standing time by 5-10 minutes per week. As you get used to standing for longer periods of time, you can slowly work your way up to the ideal range.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Interruptions matter: Sedentary periods throughout the day should be interrupted by setting up reminders to stand every 30–60 minutes. These small intervals of standing and stretching enhance focus and reduce fatigue.

Think of New Ways To Conduct Meetings: If your meeting doesn’t necessarily involve sitting, try conducting it while standing or even outdoors. Walking meetings not only help brainstorming and problem solving better, it encourages physical activity that supports cardiovascular health.

Switch between a sit-stand workstation: Try adapting to a sit-stand workstation. It is a proactive approach to combat the negative health effects of sitting for long hours. Standing desks also boost mood and increase productivity.

Fixing your sleep: A consistent bedtime routine is important to achieve high-quality sleep. Developing a series of relaxing, pre-sleep activities can greatly improve your ability to fall and stay asleep. Activities might include dimming the lights, reading a book, meditating, or practicing gentle yoga stretches.