Energise Your Research activities: Strategies to Stay Active and Enhance Productivity
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What Happens When You Sit Too Much
Sitting has become the most underrated health threat of modern time, dubbed as the new smoking studies reveal that prolonged sitting increases the risk of several health issues, including obesity, heart disease, as well as deterioration of mental health and cognitive function.
Physical activity is not just about staying fit, it's essential for maintaining efficient brain function and emotional well-being. Movement stimulates circulation, ensuring a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients to the brain, enhancing cognitive performance and resilience.
Sitting for extended periods can significantly impair brain function and mental health by inhibiting blood flow and reducing the complexity of neural connections.
By integrating simple, actionable techniques to maintain physical activity, we can counteract the negative effects of prolonged sitting, preserving and enhancing both our cognitive abilities and research productivity.
How inactivity affects your research output
Prolonged sitting and sedentary behaviour have been extensively studied because of their adverse effects on our physical health. There with growing evidence pointing to negative impact on cognitive functions and mental wellbeing.
Research demonstrates that sedentary lifestyles are closely linked to poorer cognitive performance due to reduced cerebral blood flow and lower brain plasticity. This is particularly concerning for researchers and academics, whose work demands high levels of cognitive engagement.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified physical inactivity as a leading risk factor for global mortality and a contributor to the rise in noncommunicable diseases. Insufficient physical activity can also lead to cognitive decline, including the deterioration of memory, attention, and problem-solving abilities.
Cognitive decline directly impacts the ability to process complex information, think critically, and generate innovative ideas. These are core components of effective research output.
Studies have shown that sedentary behaviour contributes to fatigue and depression, compounding productivity losses. Researchers with decreased mental health are more likely to experience reduced motivation and increased absenteeism, further diminishing research quality and output.
"Routledge Companion to Wellbeing at Work" (2016) noted that employees who engage in regular physical activity report better mental health outcomes and higher productivity levels compared to their less active peers.
Active individuals are up to 20% more productive, underscoring the profound impact of physical activity on professional capabilities.
Which makes integrating regular movement and reducing sedentary time not merely beneficial but essential strategies for sustaining and enhancing the intellectual vitality necessary for research and academic success.
How Physical Activity Transforms Research Productivity
Physical activity is relevant to the conversation about enhancing research productivity, with a wealth of studies affirming its numerous benefits for brain function and overall wellbeing.
Engaging in regular movement not only alleviates the detrimental effects of prolonged sitting but actively boosts cognitive capacities essential for effective research and promotes increased cerebral blood flow.
This enhanced circulation delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the brain, which are crucial for maintaining neuronal health and facilitating cognitive processes such as memory, attention, and problem-solving.
The physical act of moving also stimulates the production of neurotrophins, proteins that support neuron survival and synaptic plasticity, laying the foundation for robust cognitive function necessary for analysing complex data and developing new hypotheses.
Beyond cognitive enhancements, physical activity profoundly influences mental health and mood. According to Cooper and Leiter (2016), regular exercise significantly reduces symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress which are common ailments in the high-pressure environments of academia and research.
By improving mood and reducing the effects of stress, physical activity can foster a positive work environment and increase overall job satisfaction, all of which contribute to intellectual engagement and productivity.
The World Health Organization (WHO) supports these findings, noting that adequate physical activity levels can prevent the onset of cognitive decline and bolster various aspects of mental health.
The WHO reports that active individuals tend to have better memory function, higher concentration levels, and enhanced problem-solving abilities, all of which are vital for productive research activities.
Integrating regular exercise into daily routines has been shown to improve stamina, allowing researchers to conduct intensive studies for longer periods without succumbing to fatigue. Enhanced stamina combined with improved cognitive function leads to higher quality research output and increased work efficiency.
Physical activity can contribute to enhancing cognitive functions and mental health, as well as contributing to overall wellbeing, leading to more productive, creative, and effective research professionals.
Practical Strategies to Reduce Sitting Time
Reducing sitting time is a key component of maintaining health and enhancing cognitive function, especially for people engaged in long hours of research.
Here are some practical strategies to start integrating movement into your day and counteracting the effects of prolonged sitting:
Strategy 1: Intermittent Standing
Incorporating standing into your daily routine can significantly reduce the negative impacts of prolonged sitting. Start by using a standing desk for a few hours each day or stacking books to elevate your laptop to a comfortable standing height. During tasks like reading or phone calls, stand rather than sit. Gradually increase your standing time to avoid fatigue, and use an anti-fatigue mat for additional comfort.
Strategy 2: Scheduled Breaks
Regularly scheduled breaks can dramatically improve productivity and focus. Set alarms or use reminder apps to prompt movement every hour. 5 minute active breaks every hour can compound to have positive long-term effects. During these breaks, perform light exercises like stretching or walking. This not only invigorates the body but also clears the mind, leading to more productive work sessions.
Strategy 3: Hydration Tactics
Using hydration as a prompt for movement is an effective strategy. Keep a small water bottle at your desk and make a habit of refilling it once it's empty. This not only ensures you stay hydrated but also gives you a chance to breaking up long periods of sitting with a walk to the kitchen or water cooler. Each trip also serves as a short mental break, refreshing your focus.
Strategy 4: Posture Variation
Changing postures frequently is key to avoiding musculoskeletal disorders and reducing the strain of static positions. Alternate between sitting, standing, and walking. During each transition, take a moment to stretch different parts of your body such as your back, arms, and legs. Introduce simple movements like neck rolls or shoulder shrugs during shorter breaks to relieve tension and improve blood circulation.
Implementing these strategies requires minimal effort but can lead to substantial health benefits and enhanced research productivity. By making these changes, researchers can ensure they maintain their physical wellbeing while excelling in intellectually demanding environments.
Overcome Obstacles to Implement Active Breaks
Implementing active breaks in an office setting presents several challenges, from spatial constraints to deeply ingrained work cultures that prioritise continuous desk work. Recognising and addressing these obstacles is the first step toward fostering a more dynamic and health-conscious workplace.
Obstacle, Lack of Space
If you find yourself in a tight, confined cubicle moving around might not seem easy. The perceived lack of physical space can discourage you from taking active breaks.
Take short hydration breaks away from your desk. Strategically place your water bottle or visit the water cooler positioned further away from your workstation, prompting you to take brief walks. This approach not only ensures you stay hydrated but also allows you to integrate light physical activity into your day. Use these moments to stretch and move, effectively breaking up long periods of sitting without the need for significant space adjustments.
OBSTACLE, LACK OF TIME
In your work environment, taking breaks might often seem like a luxury rather than a necessity. You might feel that you can't afford to step away from your desk.
Encourage yourself to schedule short, five-minute breaks into your calendar as non-negotiable appointments. Over time, these brief pauses will become a routine part of your workday, proving that they do not detract from productivity but actually enhance it.
OBSTACLE, SITTING IS THE NORM
In many offices, there might be an unspoken expectation to remain seated and continuously engaged with tasks. This norm creates a barrier to taking active breaks.
Have discussions with your manager and colleagues about the health benefits of movement and make active breaks a team initiative. When leaders like you actively participate and advocate for regular breaks, it helps shift the workplace culture.
How the Active Break Course Can Help
The Active Break Course is designed to help individuals and organisations navigate these challenges by providing structured guidance on integrating movement into the daily routine. This course offers practical solutions tailored to the constraints of office environments, including exercises that require minimal space and time.
Participants will learn efficient ways to use their breaks to refresh both physically and mentally, ultimately reshaping their habits from sedentary to active with simple strategies.
The course doesn’t just teach how to implement breaks, it also explains why these breaks are essential for long-term health and professional efficacy, ensuring a comprehensive approach to transforming workplace norms and enhancing personal wellbeing.
Summary - Committing to Less Sitting for More Productive Research
Despite the evidence of increased health risks, prolonged sitting is a threat often overlooked in today's corporate and academic environments. People who spend long periods of the day sat at their desks are at risk.
Sitting for long periods significantly impairs brain function and mental health by reducing blood flow and neural connectivity. This affects productivity, creativity, and overall research output and as well as being a major contributor to cognitive decline, negatively affecting memory, focus, and problem-solving skills.
Fortunately, regular physical activity can promote increased blood flow to the brain and improving the production of neurotrophins, physical movement enhances cognitive functions. By reducing sedentary behaviour and implementing active breaks researchers can reduce the symptoms of depression and stress, fostering a healthier work environment, boosting job satisfaction and productivity.
The Active Break Course offers structured guidance on changing your habits to make movement an integral part of your daily routine. It covers strategies such as intermittent standing, scheduled breaks, hydration tactics, helping participants reshape sedentary habits. The course provides solutions tailored to office settings.
You can also subscribe to the Active Break YouTube Channel for ongoing tips, practical insights, and community encouragement. Make these strategies part of your daily routine, and transform your workspace into a healthier, more productive environment.
References:
Cooper, CL & Leiter, MP (eds) 2016, The Routeledge Companion to Wellbeing at Work, Taylor & Francis Group, London. Available from: ProQuest Ebook Central (19 June 2023). Chapter 21 - Physical activity and workplace wellbeing
WHO - Global Report on Physical Activity 2022
Nooijen, C.F.J., Blom, V., Ekblom, Ö. et al. Improving office workers’ mental health and cognition: a 3-arm cluster randomized controlled trial targeting physical activity and sedentary behavior in multi-component interventions. BMC Public Health 19, 266 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-019-6589-4
