Working at the PC 16 hours a day. How to stay healthy?

[krackato]

Okay, I don't actually work on the PC 16 hours a day, everyday, 7 days a week. But I do work at the computer a lot and yes, it is work. I have looked for some solutions to staying healthy, but I don't think I'm the only one whose agility, limberness, health, dexterity, etc. has gone down since the computer age.

Some of my solutions that I think might work:

1. Workout 3x a week. That's kind of a given for anyone in today's society.

2. Doing 2 minutes of push-ups, situps, jumping jacks, etc. every hour. Perhaps 1 minute every 1/2 hour. Maybe I can find a software program that will alert me every 30 minutes I figure if I"m at the desk or computer for 12 hours, that works out to 24 minutes of working out per day, which is more than it seems if you consider that in the gym while lifting weights for an hour, you're resting a third or a quarter of the time anyway.

3. The Treadputer (I love this idea)

The Treadputer

Treadputer 2

You walk at about 1 to 2 miles per hour. Supposedly if you work like this, you can lose lots of weight at the office instead of gaining weight at the office. The hardest thing with this solution is making the treadputer and secondly finding a place to put it in my small apartment.

Those are my ideas. Obviously I don't recommend anyone actually spend all day at a desk or at the computer, but lots of people spend 8 hours a day programming, etc. And after the 8 hours of programming, they spend plenty of hours sitting in their car, sitting watching TV, sitting at the movie theater, sitting at a restaurant, sitting, sitting, sitting. I'm just trying to find some solutions to today's environment where one can be more productive sitting than one can be climbing trees for coconuts and pineapples. I don't think people are lazy (okay, yes they are). I think that in the past, productivity automatically required physical activity and thus took care of your physical movement needs daily. But in todays world, if you're running around climbing trees, you're NOT putting food on the table.

Thoughts?

[Kaspian]

Sit-ups, push-ups, etc can lead to short muscles, and sitting at a computer leads to short muscles, so balance the 2-minute workouts with stretching. One possibility: on odd numbered hours, stretch, and on even numbered hours, get your heart rate up.

Or do the treadputer thing. What a cool and whacky idea!

[Jennihul]

Quit working 16 hours a day at a computer.

No one says that HAS to be your life.

Jennifer

[Barcs]

Wow! That threadputer thing is very neat. I wish I could put one of those in my office! That would save a lot of sitting around! Unfortunately though I have to cover 4 different offices, so installing it at one location would be futile.

[WanderingOak]

I daresay pedaling one of these bicycles about would give you quite a workout. Imagine blogging on the road, while riding your bicycle...

[Doku]

If you are going to be sitting at a computer that long, the number one thing you can do for your overall health is invest in a good chair.

[prasunsen]

I would agree with Jennihul, if you work 16 hours per day, there is something wrong.
Try to keep at leats one day in the week totally away from the PC. Try to stand out and walk few mins at least once per hour.

[Ali from The Office Diet]

I'm in front of a computer for 7.5 hours a day doing tech-support/testing.

I also usually put in 45 mins before work of writing, and spend most of the evening (probably averaging about 3 hours?) blogging, reading blogs, emailing friends and so on.

What's worked for me is:
- Cycling to work and back (helps me wake up in the morning and unwind in the evening, too)
- Taking 1.5 hrs for lunch (I get in half an hour early to compensate!) and going to the gym

I also find it helps to keep an eye on the things I eat ... very easy to grab quick snacks at a computer and not stop for a proper meal.

If you're interested, I've got a blog, The Office Diet, all about healthy eating and fitness for busy desk-based workers.

Best,

Ali

[Jennihul]

Originally Posted by Ali from The Office Diet

I'm in front of a computer for 7.5 hours a day doing tech-support/testing.

I also usually put in 45 mins before work of writing, and spend most of the evening (probably averaging about 3 hours?) blogging, reading blogs, emailing friends and so on.

Oh, well that's like nearly half. Drama King.

You are just like the rest of us schlubs. Eight hour workday. Welcome to the club.

Only, I'm on my feet for all eight hours. Not sitting.

Jennifer

[Ali from The Office Diet]

Hehe, yes, I didn't mean to imply my routine wasn't fairly typical! Unfortunately it's probably the sort of lifestyle a lot of us lead...

Best,

Ali

[MartialDev]

Have you tried a standing desk?

[MasterD]

Why didn't you ask 'How do I go without food and fluids for the rest of my life and stay healthy?'.

Working 16 hours a day, 7 days a week is ridicilous and can never be sustained for long periods of time.

[Amadeus]

I have a pretty good solution to your problem. Work on the computer standing up. Set the computer on something that will be level with your chest. You'll burn thousands of more calories in a week just by standing up and you won't have to remind yourself to exericize. It will also be a lot healthier for your back.

[kpugh]

Balance - it's all about finding balance. On days when I know I'll be at my desk a LONG time, I actually set my watch alarm for 15 minute intervals. It's enough to shake me out of my stupor (or prevent stupor altogether) and just stand up and stretch. I'm also a marathoner, and constantly battling how my desk-job is shortening my hamstrings, calves, and hip-flexors. Since chronic dehydration is also an issue for me, that 15-minute alarm reminds me to take a drink too. I purposefully don't bring a water bottle with me to work anymore. There's an ice-cold water fountain 10 feet from my office door. So a quick walk to the fountain to get a slurp doesn't cause unrecoverable interruptions in my taskiness at my desk.

[shiggityjoe]

It is indeed all about balance. You need to above all: Eat, Sleep, and Exercise and do them all well.

You should check out my article called Lazy Man's Training

I give a few ideas for getting exercise in even when you are watching t.v. or playing warcraft haha

[Amit_S]

Originally Posted by Amadeus

I have a pretty good solution to your problem. Work on the computer standing up. Set the computer on something that will be level with your chest. You'll burn thousands of more calories in a week just by standing up and you won't have to remind yourself to exericize. It will also be a lot healthier for your back.

Yup. Thats what I often do. I'm a 3d animator.
Just don't stand static in a place. Shift weight on one foot, then the other. Prop one leg/knee on the chair you are supposed to sit on....

Also check out this video on youtube by Craig Ballantyne:
YouTube - Shoulder Mobility Exercises

[ragtag]

Try Workrave .

It's a small open source program for Windows and Linux that reminds you to take breaks every now and then. I've been using it for a short while now, and I think it has actually increased my productivity. Taking short breaks often helps me solve problems by stepping away from them (the computer) for a moment.

[eblight]

Don't forget to do some eye and neck exercises regularly.
Eye exercises:
Keeping your head still:
Look up to the right, down to the left, up to the left, down to the right.
Roll eyes in a circle one way and then the other.
Look at your palm for a few seconds.
Look into the distance for a few seconds.
Rub your palms together until they are warm, and then cup them over your closed eyes for a few seconds.
Neck exercises:
Slowly bend your head to your right shoulder and then slowly to the other side.
Slowly drop your head to your chest and then to your back.
Slowly rotate your head clockwise and then counter clockwise.

[ken nubo]

Originally Posted by Jennihul

Quit working 16 hours a day at a computer.

No one says that HAS to be your life.

Jennifer

I second that.

[evelynlim]

How about logging into youtube to watch the tons of yoga workout videos in there? This maybe a good practice while you wait for documents to download or to print.