Standing On The Job

Here’s Exactly How Much Time You Should Spend Standing During The Day

Sitting all day at the office is seriously problematic, even if you get hit the recommended amount of exercise. While the solution is to stand and move a little more throughout your day, the exact prescription of how often was left undetermined. Until now.

The suggestion issued in the British Journal of Sports Medicine is: you should be accumulating two hours of “standing time” during work hours. Actually, they want you to start with the two-hour goal, then aim for four hours per day of “light intensity activities.” But you know, start small.

Does this mean you should get yourself a standing desk ASAP? You could. The experts do endorse them. However, Gavin Bradley, director of Active Working, a group that want to increase awareness of the dangers of sitting and was responsible for putting together the journal’s expert panel (along with Public Health England), says there are lots of other ways to get out of your seat.

“Taking your calls standing. Walking around. Pacing. Holding standing meetings. Walking meetings. Walking over to a colleague’s desk instead of sending an e-mail. Using the stairs instead of the elevator. Taking a lunch break. Simple stuff,” Bradley tells The Washington Post.