OfficeHealth helps you stay healthy at work
Working in an office all day takes a toll on your health. In a report from CNN in January 2015, prolonged sitting, i.e. sitting for 8-12 hours a day or more, increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 90 percent.
Gavin Bradley, the founder of the Get Britain Standing campaign, states that “leading a sedentary lifestyle is negatively impacting your performance and increasing your risk of developing health problems,” asserting that spendigmore time moving could benefit your health and make you more productive.
Ben Novak, founder of Wedivite.com, is no stranger to these health problems that develop after long days at a desk. He created an app, OfficeHealth, which reminds you to get up and move at your desk. You set the timing to get reminders to exercise throughout the day. According to the OfficeHealth website, you should get up every 20 minutes and move around. Novak went to his physiotherapist, who identified the cause of his back problems from a sedentary lifestyle. He developed the app when he couldn’t find anything comparable in the Apple store.
Novak is the sole owner of OfficeHealth, and he is currently based in Tel Aviv, Israel as the creative VP at a mobile agency. He works on the app after his work day is over. Earlier this year, he had friends who asked him about the app, so he offered it through private settings on the Apple store. In the upcoming weeks, he hopes to go public. The projected price of the app is $4.99, and it will be available on Google Play and Apple.
Why OfficeHealth stands out in a sea of competitors
If you search “office workout” on the Apple store, there are apps that come up. One appears to be childish with a “lazy monster” as the demonstrator of the workout. Another, Instant Fitness, shows a man in workout clothes demonstrating difficult positions that would not be appropriate for the office. DoMobile offers a Ladies’ Office Workout for free, but the woman is not wearing office apparel, which would give me pause.
OfficeHealth offers its suggestions in text and is gender neutral.
OfficeHealth is a small investment in your health
According to the website, you will feel better after one day. While I find it hard to believe that one day could make a difference after ten or fifteen years of a sedentary lifestyle, you do need to start somewhere. Having a reminder to take a break and get up is a step in the right direction.
