There are Three Powerful Reasons for Getting Off of Your Duff

By Dr. Barrett Mosbacker

January 18, 2014

Three Powerful Reasons for Getting Off Your Duff

• Your physical health — sitting is more dangerous than you know
• Your mental productivity
• Your leadership and impact on those around you

I got a big surprise the other day. I am disciplined when it comes to eating and exercise. In fact, I fast jog at a 13.5-degree incline for 50 minutes, six days a week. I thought I was covering my bases for good health.

I was wrong.

Research shows that even if you work out daily but sit the majority of the day, you are at the same risk as if you were smoking:

If you think that you are doing your body good when you fit in an hour-long workout before or after a long day at your desk, think again. Even two hours of exercise a day will not compensate for spending twenty-two hours sitting on your derriere or lying in bed. No matter how much you sweat it out during a daily hardcore workout — or, if you save it all for the weekend — if you are routinely sitting for hours at a time, you may as well be smoking.¹

I find myself sitting at my desk a great deal — meetings, phone calls, email, writing. That is risky behavior.

Given the research on the negative effects of sitting, I decided to make a simple change. Here is what I do:

• I work for 50 minutes and then walk through the school for approximately 10 minutes. I do this every hour unless a meeting runs long.
• I take phone calls standing up.
• I hold as many walking meetings as possible.

There Is a Bonus

Health was my motivation for taking walking breaks. After a week of following this routine, I discovered two additional benefits.

• I found myself less tired and more mentally alert, which increased my productivity. The time I “lost” by walking was more than compensated by my improved alertness and ability to focus and think.
• I rediscovered the power of managing by walking around. I have been far more visible to students and staff, I interact throughout the day with everyone on campus, and I notice things to praise and things to address.

A Tool for Accountability

To hold myself accountable, I searched for an inexpensive application that would remind me to take breaks at customizable intervals and could be reset as needed. For Mac users, the application “Healthier” fits this purpose well. Comparable applications are available for Windows.

For a well-written, non-technical guide to good health, I recommend David Agus’s A Short Guide to a Long Life.¹

So, get off your duff. It will be good for you and for your leadership.