OK, avoid it might be a strong word. After all, you’re a writer, and writers do most of their work sitting down. In fact, as a writer it’s usually considered a serious “win” to sit in a chair in front of your computer pumping out words for hours on end.
What’s unfortunate is that all the sitting you’re doing could be slowly killing you.
Don’t believe me? Just check out this infographic for starters:
How Can You Combat This?
As a writer, you obviously are going to find yourself sitting down pretty often. That doesn’t have to be a death sentence for your health, though.
As I’m sure you noticed, there are quite a few suggestions in the infographic itself for how you can combat the damage long periods of sitting does on your body.
A few other ideas to help you are:
- Make sure you’re doing stretches that are specific to writers
- Take a Creativity Walk at least once a day
- Think about creating some kind of standing desk you can use to rotate with your sitting desk
My makeshift “standing desk”
I don’t have the space in my apartment right now for a standing desk (or any desk, for that matter), so what I do is use my laptop at the counter a few hours a day. I also take breaks once an hour and take my dog for short walks 2-3 times throughout the day.
I didn’t share that infographic with you to try and scare you (I don’t believe in scare tactics). I did it so you’d see how important it is to take good care of your body. The reason I love the above infographic so much is because it not only defines a problem, but it offers a solution.
That’s what I’m all about: solutions, actions steps, planning. Whatever helps you (and me) get our writing done.
Share With Us
How do you plan to combat the health risks of sitting for so long?
This is a really interesting post! The statistics were pretty awful, but it was good to know that my habit of standing while on the computer is actually beneficial to me! Even when I was in my corporate job, I was always finding reasons to get out of my chair and dart around the office. My co-workers thought I was a bit (or a lot) on the hyperactive side, but I just hated being stuck in a desk for hours straight. Anyway, one thing I do need to get better at is consistently stretching, so thanks for the reminder on that! : )
I’m with you! When I had a corporate job I’d get up and walk to the printer or to the bathroom at least 10 to 15 times a day. I hated being cooped up all day long with no sunlight or creative inspiration of any kind. Yes! Stretching is so important. I’m actually working on a little stretching video for sore writer arms
“How do you plan to combat the health risks of sitting for so long?”
I bought a 30″d x 42″h round pub table. I have a stool for the table but I use it to hold my notebooks and things to keep them close. My laptop sits right at bent-elbow height. It’s so comfortable, feels natural. I thought that it would bother me to stand all day but it really hasn’t. I find that I only stand still for a few minutes; my feet are contantly fidgeting. I feel free to walk around the room while I’m thinking, brainstorming, stuck, etc.
I have a bad back from a fall down stairs when I was pregnant with my 6th baby. Since I started doing my work standing, the pain has lessened considerably! I was convinced within the first few days of getting my table that it was smart choice. As a bonus, I notice my thoughts are much clearer, making my writing time more fun than chore.
@Chris that’s great! I didn’t think of a pub table but what a cool idea! Something that I thought would also work is using a podium. I taught a workshop over the weekend and used a podium and it made it a lot easier to stand for such a long time.
Well . . .
I have noticed that there are some folks who just don’t seem to be able to sit still while others have no trouble with it at all – and I’ve noticed the difference starting when they are little kids.
When I was little I did move more, but I never had trouble with sitting calmly either.
I do think some people are born needing to move more and others aren’t.
When I was 9 or 10 I can remember being engrossed in something I was doing and not even noticing that three or more hours had gone by without my having gotten up. At 12, I remember working on oil paintings and not even noticing that I’d worked from after breakfast through lunch until my stomach would start growling around dinner time.
And at that age, I could go that long without needing a pee break. LOL
That said, obviously, it is something that the “sitters” can fight against. (Seems like most everything I come across lately is another thing I need to struggle against.)
I sometimes remember to set a timer so that I get up and walk back & forth in my small house for ten minutes each hour. More often I forget to do it.
I am trying to alternate working standing up with sitting down more often because I had read similar information elsewhere. It doesn’t help that the stand I bought for my standing time keeps stripping screws thus being unable to stay at the “standing up” height. Now, I have to remember to get the Jury-rigged setup I have with four small size storage “crates” that put my laptop at a functional standing height. Obviously, for someone like me, the more of a hassle it is the less I’m likely to make the shift from one to the other.
I’m typing this in the bad form of standing up but leaning over to reach the keys with the laptop at “sitting down” height.
Wondering, as I always do with health info, if this really is going to make any difference seeing as I’ve known some very heavy people who move almost constantly and are the types who can’t stand sitting for very long.
Ah well. I’m sure it can’t hurt.
You’re right–it really is about what works for you. But it also doesn’t hurt to take breaks and move your body. I think the goal should be achieving balance between sitting and standing.
We agree on that!
Keeping in mind that we aren’t cookie cutter people is vital. It’s also a good thing we aren’t gingerbread people as life would get incredibly boring. Imagine trying to write at all if all the characters were the same! :-O
Hugs!
Thanks! Great encouragement here. I’ve taken to standing during long positioning/marketing type meetings. The first time everybody looked at me like I was from Mars. Now we’re all doing it!
You’re a trendsetter!
One can also buy adjustable standing desks for work or home. Kind of spendy, but might be worth it for a writer who actually writes many hours a day.
Thanks for sharing that info, Jen. Scary, but I’ve put on a few pounds since I started writing more, so I need to be vigilant with my workouts. (So far, so good).
One of those treadmill desks might be a good solution, too, but I think it might be hard to read or type while moving. Sort of like walking and chewing gum–some folks can’t do both simultaneously.
I don’t know if I could handle a treadmill desk, although it’s definitely a cool idea! I think I’ll keep the writing and the exercising as separate activities for now
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