Our insalubrious out cold existence

Our soul, spirit, mind, energy, feelings and emotions become vulnerable and fatigued without a healthy body. Spending hours sitting and facing screens at times makes us question our own intellect. The world of smart apps, gadgets and stretched working hours of captivity play a major role in causing anxiety and distress in our lives. In most occupational settings people are denied the opportunity to practice healthy behaviours by the design of their workspaces and jobs.

Taking time out for your wellbeing is equally important as giving time to your profession. Practising short periods of walking in fresh air or body movements are vital to activate the arterial pump and assist the return of blood from the lower limbs.

We can improve our physical health by making small efforts during the day by walking across the floor to talk to a co-worker instead of sending an email. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car further away from the entrance, take a longer way to your desk, set a timer to remind you to stand up and move about for at least 10 minutes each hour. You can either walk, stand or take the opportunity to do a few simple exercises by your desk.

Sitting involves the body being optimally stacked over each other in a natural and relaxed manner. Sit with a straight spine, check breathing, keep back and pectoral muscles relaxed and abdominal muscles engaged. Stretch sitting is another posture to elongate your spine. Stretch the back as you sit down, place buttocks well back in the seat, place feet about hip-width apart and relax legs, lengthen spine, then lengthen it farther and release the tension in your arms.

Believing in and practising a work-life balance not only makes us real, productive and effective at our jobs, but also gives us a chance to appreciate and enjoy our personal life and wellbeing at its fullest and purest.

- The reader is a Pilates instructor based in Dubai.