“Dharma at the Desk” by Sarah Sharma discusses the effects of introducing corporate wellness into a sedentary lifestyle. While the notion of incorporating wellness activities like yoga in the office is widely accepted as something healthy, Sharma delves deeper in the chapter by stating that corporate yoga is an example of recalibration or another method of social control to ensure that workers stay sedentary and are more motivated to finish their tasks at their desk. There have been a number of segments in the media as well as studies that indicate the toxic nature of sitting and staring at screens all day.
When I did a simple Google search on how to beat a sedentary lifestyle as a desk worker, many results popped up outlining simple “exercises” that can be done at the desk. This article from Medical Daily popped up as one of the first few results: http://www.medicaldaily.com/sedentary-lifestyle-desk-job-exercise-plan-393080. The video outlines exercises like squats, leg raises, and “book curls.” While the solution to a sedentary lifestyle involves just taking more frequent breaks by walking or standing, these exercises still chain the worker at the desk – which Sharma confirms in the chapter is the underlying goal of the corporation.
With the basic understanding that sitting or inactivity for long periods of time is detrimental to physical and mental health, can you think of companies who try to incorporate activity in the workday (in a holistic manner)? An example I can think of is Google, in which they provide different avenues for free time on site – such as video games, parks, etc.
A fascinating read, Erika. The presentation done in class by one of our peers raised this question in my mind, and made me think, in which direction is corporate lifestyle heading in order to be accommodating for workers. A word that has stuck with me throughout years of business classes is "ergonomics". If something is ergonomically correct, it is thus beneficial to the worker and allows him or her to be productive without any intrusions. Ergonomics is not solely the message of this article, however, and sedentary exercises could surely take a hold on pleasureable work experiences. I liked the article you posted, and your question about various companies and their attempts to incorporate greater exercise routines for their workers is interesting. I would say that various restaurants do what they can to allow for their servers to work more efficiently and with less stress. The need for writing down orders and feeling trapped in a bundle of paper is no longer, as many restauants are adapting to a iPad ordering system where all is online and delivered to the cooks and the servers through that form of communication. Most commonly seen in Japanese sushi restaurants in metropolitan areas.
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