How to Sit Less During the Day

Jazmin Anderson

Today | 3 min read

Key Takeaways

Taking frequent breaks to stand up and move can help offset the negative health effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
Using an active workstation, such as a standing desk or treadmill, can also help reduce the amount of time spent sitting.
Incorporating physical activity into daily routines, such as taking the stairs or going for a walk while listening to a podcast, can make a big difference in overall activity levels.

Many people spend prolonged time in a chair daily for work, school, commuting or leisure. These activities are all necessary parts of life; however, a sedentary lifestyle can lead to serious health issues down the road.

The effects can be physical, such as damage to the back and spine or mental, like increased risk of anxiety or depression. According to Mayo Clinic, sitting too much can also be linked to conditions such as elevated blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and unhealthy cholesterol levels. Moving more and sitting less throughout the day could lower the risk of these problems.

Here are some techniques you can use to sneak movement into your daily routine to offset these harmful effects.

Take frequent breaks from sitting

A small study by Columbia University recommends taking a five-minute walking break after every 30 minutes of sitting. The study examined how this framework affected 11 healthy adults in their 40s, 50s and 60s. Researchers found the participants who took these regular breaks had significantly lower blood sugar and blood pressure levels than those in other groups. While more research is needed, this study indicates regular movement throughout the day could lead to improved health outcomes.

Throughout your day, you can use short breaks to stand up, do some light stretching or take a short walk. If you work from home, you can even use these breaks to tidy up, make a healthy snack or do a quick workout.

Taking frequent breaks also helps freshen up your mind and keep your energy up throughout the workday. You can set an alarm to make sure you don’t forget to take breaks.

Use an active workstation

You can further reduce the amount of time you spend in a chair by using an active workstation. Such a standing desk or a treadmill with space for your laptop. This way, you can work and move at the same time, which is especially helpful on days when you have a lot on your plate.

If you want to get in even more movement, you could look into stationary bikes with a work surface.

Build habits encouraging movement

Simple shifts in the way you live your day-to-day life can make a big difference in your activity levels, according to Duke Health. If you live near your workplace, consider walking or biking. When going to the store, you can park further away to get in some extra steps. Another easy shift you can make is taking the stairs instead of the elevator whenever it’s possible.

Tie your screen time together with physical activities

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2024, the average American aged 15 or older spent about 3.17 hours of leisure time on screen-based activities, such as watching TV, playing video games or surfing the web. These are pockets of time you can use to incorporate more movement in your daily routine.

For example, you can go on a walk while listening to a podcast episode or the news. Pacing around your home while browsing the internet or scrolling on social media will also help you get in some extra steps. If you want to play video games, you could choose ones that involve movement or you could stand while playing. You can even do some light stretches while watching TV if you want to maximize the amount of time you spend on your feet.

Image: Getty Images

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