There are several things to consider before accepting a desk job, or any job for that matter, but along with a desk job comes a whole slew of other things to think about! When you interview with a company, if you're anything like me, you think about things like if you are a good match for the company, if the company is a good match for you, if you will enjoy the day-to-day work and if you can see yourself growing within the company. Unless the work conditions are just horrible, you might not even think about the physical conditions of the job. Until taking a desk job recently myself, I never thought about the following things that should definitely be considered before accepting a desk job!
The amount of sitting that occurs during the work day should definitely be considered before accepting a desk job. I recently read that sitting is the new smoking and I couldn't agree more. One of the very first days on my new job, I was shared these scary numbers: on average, many people burn only 368 calories per day sitting all day long compared to other jobs that you are on your feet more often, like a nurse, homemaker, or a florist, where you might burn 3,000 calories per day. That's a big difference!
Sad but true, the more we sit, the shorter our lives. Some research suggests that sitting long hours at work increase your risk of dying due to cardiac and metabolic issues. While other occupations that involve some form of activity seem to be healthier, I am convinced that a healthy diet can overrule this saddening statistic! Because of this I choose to eat, and encourage you to eat, a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins and whole grains!
In order to make up for the lack of calories burned throughout the day, you have to eat less to prevent unintentional weight gain. As I shared with you above, many people that spend all day long sitting will only burn around 400 calories in eight hours. This is less than a cheeseburger when we're talking food! In order to make up for the lack of calories burned throughout the day, you really have to watch every single bite that you put in your mouth to prevent unintentional weight gain.
Not only is sitting all day long bad for our health, but it is also very restricting. Whether you have a small cubicle or a large office, you are still restricted to one place all day long. As a mover working a desk job myself, I tend to take walks around the office and even outside of the building whenever I get a chance! This really seems to break up the monotony of the day!
Another bad thing about spending all day sitting on your rump is that it is particularly bad for your circulation. This sedentary position can even lead to musculoskeletal disorders down the road. Try to stand up and stretch out your legs at least once an hour (hopefully more!) in order to prevent poor circulation.
Although you would think that sitting all day long wouldn't be very tiring, sitting all day long can actually be quite exhausting! This is usually a false sense of tiredness and all you need is a little exercise to turn your entire day around! Sitting all day long can be boring, redundant and overwhelming on the information front. This is what might cause you to feel tired at the end (or beginning!) of the day. Even when I feel the most tired as I'm walking out of the office at 5 pm, I head straight for the gym and feel like a million bucks shortly after!
Sitting in a desk chair all day long can also be very bad for your posture and lead to back pain if you sit slouched over for too long. Over time, your muscles weaken, leaving your spine curved with little strength to support your spine. Try to sit up tall even when you are sitting in a chair with a comfortable back in order to prevent back pain from creeping up on you!
Working a desk job has several rewards, however, health benefits are certainly not one of them. In order to stay as healthy as possible, it is up to you to make healthy decisions each and every day! What are your biggest challenges when it comes to working a desk job?