Sitting Is The New Smoking

We’ve known for decades the detrimental impact of smoking, yet many still just don’t get it. Today, I want to address a hidden threat many of us face as business owners that can also have a very detrimental impact on your work and your life; sitting. It's easy to get caught up in your daily grind that hours slip by at your desk, and it turns out that extended sitting isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s a real health hazard.

Sitting is the new smoking!

Research like the Annals of Internal Medicine (2015) meta-analysis by Biswas and colleagues, has increasingly shown that prolonged sitting is linked with up to a 40% higher risk of cardiovascular events suggesting that it can even reduce life expectancy, much like smoking does.

For entrepreneurs, the stakes are even higher. Your work demands long periods of concentration, which often means you’re glued to your chair. Studies, like the harmonized meta-analysis by Ekelund et al. (2016) published in The Lancet, suggest that even if you hit the gym after work, sitting for more than eight hours a day can undo some of that good work.

This sedentary behaviour not only increases the risk of heart disease, obesity, and diabetes but also dampens your mental sharpness and creativity—qualities that are vital for leading a successful business.

So, if you want to stay sharp at work and healthy too… consider these actionable steps: