Walking to Work (Remotely!)
By Gracie Hogue
For those of us who work at a desk, we've all grown familiar with the sensation of our backs (and let's be honest: our butts) not feeling the greatest at the end of the workday. Sitting in a chair and leaning toward our computer screens, our postures take the brunt of our hard day's work. How many times have I clocked out of work and felt like my body was just kind of... mad at me?
Personally, most of the things I do in life are centered around sitting. When I'm not at work, I'm drawing or painting at my desk, writing, sitting at my sewing machine, or sitting on the couch knitting or sketching while a favorite movie is on. But this autumn, I read a little quip about how "sitting is the new smoking," and that got my attention. The article also talked about how those who sit all day long-term are more likely to develop cardiovascular issues, more at risk for cancer, and even more at risk of developing Alzheimer's disease in their old age. On a "lighter" note, sitting all day makes someone more likely to have permanent back and shoulder issues, and can have repercussions on mental health. It can even affect where our body will tend to gain and hold weight (in the gut).
Then I looked into the benefits of walking at a desk, and there are so many! Basically, the benefits are the opposite of all the risk factors mentioned above:
- Less at risk to develop cardiovascular disease
- Less at risk to develop cancer
- Less at risk to develop Alzheimer's disease
- Better posture, less back and shoulder pain
- Better mental health
- Increase of gut health and better digestion
- Increase in metabolism
- Better blood circulation
- Increase in hormonal balance
- Decrease in stress
...and the list goes on. Now, I'm not a gym-culture or "sporty" person whatsoever. I'm nerdy and bookish-- as unathletic as they come. But I realized that I wanted sitting to be a reward, not a way of life. So I got a standup desk and an under-desk treadmill. Immediately, I am seeing the benefits.
For starters, my feet which have been notoriously cold 24/7 because of bad circulation and hormonal imbalance are no longer ice blocks. My digestion and gut health has improved. My mental focus has improved. My posture has improved. I no longer experience lower back pain at the end of the workday. When I clock out, instead of my body feeling mad at me, the sensation is "Whew! Good job!"
After our MPS team Zoom meeting in the morning, I turn on my treadmill and set it at 1.5 mph, and I "walk to work." Last week I walked 10 miles while working. This week, my goal is to get at least 4 miles a day in. Who knows, maybe more. And honestly, one of the best parts of it is that when I do my recreational hobbies at the end of the day that do involve sitting, it feels like a reward; I have the clarity of mind to enjoy it and I don't dread the task of "more sitting at a desk."
I understand that this is not a possibility for many people in their line of work. But if you do work remotely or have the capability to have a standup desk and under-desk treadmill, I cannot recommend this enough. You don't have to spend tons of money-- my treadmill was under $100 and it works great. If you're not a gym person either and don't enjoy workouts, this is a way-more-attainable 2025 resolution. I promise you won't regret it.
