Get Off Your Butt

at least every thirty minutes, anyway.

A longitudinal study of over 17,000 Canadians revealed a relationship between sitting and mortality. Which is researchese for the longer we sit the sooner we die.

Well yeah, just another pitch for more exercise right? Nope. Had nothing to do with the amount of exercise, age (well, a little to do with age), smoking or how fat we are. All else being equal, those who sit the most die the soonest.

Further studies determined "The greater the number of breaks taken from sedentary behavior, the lower the waist circumference, body mass index, as well as blood lipids and glucose tolerance." Even if the physical activity and sedentary times were otherwise the same.

So what's the take-away? Set a timer for 30 minutes, get up, stretch, scratch your head, pace the floor for a few minutes. If you really want to get productive, use Pomodoro and make this a natural break between units of intentful activity. Doesn't have to mean productive all the time, but intent, even for entertainment, tends to contain and generate energy, rather than leak it like the rusty bucket of distraction. And the miniscule amount of energy required to set an intent each 30 minutes, is paid back with interest. 

Here are some Pomodoro free timers.