Intro

Ben Greenfield a health expert and influential biohacker, who I admire, has an assortment of useful practices he implements to increase movement in your work routine. Some of these practices I have adapted in conjunction with my own experience and are given in this article. If you would like to see his entire library of content check out his website & podcast “Ben Greenfield Life” and his assortment of books (I highly recommend reading “Boundless: Upgrade your brain, optimize your body & defy aging).

Spaces for Movement

A variety of desks = variety of resting positions

Firstly, think one of the best ways to improve any type of environment (at home, office, or outside) is to make them more conducive for movement. That means implementing a structure that promotes movement.

I’ve found it helpful having multiple desk/workspace setups right next to each other. I currently have a regular desk in my office alongside a dresser which I have converted into a standing desk. I have placed a laundry grill on top of it to rest my computer on while I use the top of the dresser for writing and typing. This allows me to go from standing to sitting and vice versa in cycles. I have found this to aid in back pain, soreness, and irritability when trying to be productive. Another thing I’ve been wanting to incorporate to my setup is a ground desk. Similar to a japanese style coffee table low to the ground. Tony Riddle, a barefoot ultramarathon runner, is a a huge promoter of ground sitting as it allows a broad freedom in comfortable sitting positions and promotes micro-movements. He even went so far as to remove all sitable furniture in his house by cutting off most of the table legs in his house to convert them into ground tables.

So all together the ideal setup in my opinion consists of:

• Standing desk & Sitting desk (both or a convertable sit → stand desk)
• Ground desk (japanese style)

Ideally a few more options would be in the mix. Some things that Ben greenfield suggests in his book Boundless are:

• Stool Chairs (a nice alternative to cycle with standing instead of sitting down)
• Treadmill desks
• Yoga Ball (for sitting)
  • This is good because it forces constant micro-movements to keep you balanced which is good for hydration and posture. There is amazing content on how micro movements promote the movement of fascia (essentially our bodies water transport system) in the book “Quench” by Dana Cohen.

Essential gadgets for movement

In addition to a diverse desk set-up there are some essential gadgets for movement I recommend having around your house or next to your workplace:

• Foam Roller
  • Great for loosening Fascia and hence improving hydration & blood flow. Also just feels great on any tight muscles.
• Lacrosse Ball
  • Great combo with foam roller to target troubled areas in shoulder and back from sitting for too long or w/ bad posture. Lacrosse ball is for higher intensity pressure and accuracy than roller.
• Pull up and/or Dip bar
  • Great for relaxing back muscles, decompressing the spine, adjusting posture, and working your grip (which has a host of other benefits). Also great to just get some reps in, and increase your heart rate. Do a couple every time you pass next to it, especially if you have one in your doorway.
• Yoga mat or carpet nearby
  • Makes stretching out during work breaks a lot more comfortable and easier on the knees or bum. I learned from my girlfriend how simply laying down on your back and relaxing for a couple minutes can help with relaxing a tight body (whether it be back, shoulders, neck, or hips)

Essential movement practices

Most of my work practices are structured using the pomodoro technique. For those who aren’t familiar, it’s a work-rest cycle philosophy. Typically, 25 minutes on and 5 minutes off, for 3-4 cycles and then you take a 30 minute break. Personally, I’m a fan of doing 25 minutes at either my standing or seated desk, and then switching from standing to sitting (or vice versa) for 25 minutes, then resting for 5-10 minutes. Here are some examples of general pomodoro techniques I’ve created or like using:

• Type 1: 25 on, 5 off, 4x, 30 off
• Type 2: 25 on standing, 25 on sitting, 10 off, 2-3x
• Type 3: 50 on, 10 off, 2-3x

One work cycle I really enjoy is to a modified Type 1. Every cycle I’ll switch from standing to sitting and vice-versa, and in my 5 minutes off I’ll do stretching that is in the alternate position than how I was working. So if I was sitting I’d do standing stretches then switch to my standing desk and vice versa.

• Ex: 25 on standing, 5 off ground stretch, 25 on sitting, 5 off standing stretch

I also like to just thrown in exercises every time I finish 50 minutes of any sort of static working. This applies to all the pomodoro types listed above. They mainly consist of pushups, squats, wall-stands, and some yoga poses. I find that periodically completing exercises dramatically improves my focus during extended work blocks, while simultaneously decreasing my stiffness from continual sitting/standing.

I use this great little Avinia display timer as my work cycle clock. I like having a timer that is seperate from the devices I’m working on. It also has this really satisfying scroll aesthetic that I thoroughly enjoy. Here is a link to the product on amazon:

Digital Kitchen Timers, Visual timers Large LED Display Magnetic Countdown Countup Timer for Classroom Cooking Fitness Baking Studying Teaching, Easy for Kids and Seniors Black

Wrap-up

Overall, I believe that movement is one of the most underrated yet essential factors in improving focus during work sessions. Our bodies are screaming to move, it’s the natural state of being human. Since mind and body are connected, a screaming body leads to a screaming mind. To clear the mind we must move the body, and doing work on a digital device or in a stationary position should not be the exception to this fact. So go forth and move in any which way you can, every bit helps. Your mind and to-do list will thank you.

Mentions

• Ben Greenfield
  • Book recommendation: Boundless
• Tony Riddle
• "Quench"