Today kicked off the Take Back Your Lunch movement, conceived by [the folks at] The Energy Project [TEP] and which will actively run throughout the summer every Wednesday in NYC's Madison Square Park and public parks nationwide. The idea is based on the fact that too many of us don't take the time to actually take a break from work during lunch— whether it be due to time constraints and/or workload— and, as a result, actually counters our efforts to be efficient.TEP states:
'Human beings aren’t meant to operate like computers, at high speeds, continuously, running multiple programs at the same time. Rather we’re meant to pulse — alternating between spending and intermittently renewing our four key sources of energy'— physical (sustainability), emotional (security), mental (self-expression) and spiritual (significance).
So, it is their mission to help organizations maximize their energy, or, as they say in physics, their 'capacity to do work', and thus be more productive [not to mention profitable].
As of recent, I've been heavily plagued by this exact issue. It's been quite some time since I've participated in the traditional practice of eight-hour desk and, admittedly, I'm still trying to both get used to it and find its workaround.
I almost couldn't agree more with TEP. I proclaim, sans research [gasp!], that we are not meant to sit for so long. One, two, maybe three hours absolute max, at a time, about the length of a movie. I'm telling you, the entertainment industry's got it..
One way to think about it is, is in terms of the blame that's placed on weight gain as we age. People always attest to a slowing metabolism but I can only partially agree. Logic, or mine anyway: We're more active when we're younger, hence, burn more and have more lean muscle mass, which increases metabolism. Vice versa is also true: we're less active when we're older and, hence, we just don't burn as much, making it seem like age itself is what causes a slowing metabolism, when, in fact, we're just idly weaker. That's what is known as a confounding factor, in case you were wondering.
As such, I think office life should somehow re-emulate high school. That is, 45-50 minute bouts of work; mandatory five-minute walks between; and at least one, though ideally two, periods of physical activity; all included. I'm actually ok with eating lunch while working, I mean, you're sitting anyway and it would also help compensate for the 'ideally two' activity sessions. Perhaps weekly luncheons with the co-workers, though, would be nice— as we all know the school cafeteria was a great opportunity to strengthen social bonds.. kidding, about the latter, not the former.
Additionally, I think offices should become more 'floor-friendly'— this, in part, goes even further back by re-emulating elementary school.
In elementary school there were desks but there was also 'The Rug' and plenty of other places where they made you sit on the floor. Getting up and down from the floor and sitting on it helps maintain some form of body awareness, agility, and even flexibility. The idea comes from doing yoga and work on the mat, as well as observing the difficulties heavier-set folks have when it comes to dealing with the floor, whether it be sitting on it or reaching for something etc. Sitting down and getting up in a chair, on the other hand, is pretty easy, too easy, and limits use of your body; sitting itself, in a chair, also limits movement and isolates weight to just one area— sucking the juicy out of your juicy. That's not to oust the desk completely but just expand and maximally utilize resources. or something.An additional bonus $uggestion is the invention and implementation of the stationary cycling desk— with practice, pedaling doesn't take any extra thought, and over time, it'll leave you feeling, and actually, juicily fit.
So that's my schpeel and what I've come up with so far to improve occupational hazard that is the office. Have better ideas? Click Comments.
Happy Healthy Juicy at the Office!
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