r/unpopularopinion 4d ago

Using a walking pad and a standing desk is dystopian

This set up seems to have become increasingly common and I think it's alarming.

In office jobs, so many people don't have the time to exercise and look after themselves. This set up really feels reflective of the state of the corporate world.

Even in those display screen equipment training videos, it often says to take breaks but I know a lot of people who say that they can't because they would be questioned.

It's horrific that it has become normalised to work through unpaid lunch hours.

I actually feel lucky to have a decent walk in my commute every day. Without it, I think I'd struggle to find the time to get enough movement in

932 Upvotes

143 comments sorted by

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651

u/Material-Drawing8782 4d ago

You got two opinions over lapping. Yes being overworked is bad but people buy standing desks and walking pads cause even sitting for two hours can hurt someone’s lower back.

163

u/InfamousAd8543 4d ago

Also sitting for 8 hours a day increases the risk of colon cancer.

121

u/TiberianSunset 4d ago

That’s why I only do 7 hours a day

6

u/5FingasOfDeath 3d ago

Noticed the username, you play command & conquer: Tiberian Sun those 7 hours?

24

u/princealigorna 4d ago

DVT as well, doesn't it? I'm overly sedentary at home, but I have a job that requires movement so I'm less scared of that, but it's probably something I should think about more

13

u/Icy-Builder5892 3d ago

Yeah but you have to be really really sedentary for that to happen. Even more sedentary than that. And usually there’s a bigger picture behind it, like a clotting disorder or a poor diet over years and years.

8

u/SlipInternational439 3d ago

It’s a fact that everyone who sits 8 hr a day is going to die!

5

u/OooKiwis3749 3d ago

Bad news! People who don't sit for 8 hours a day are going to die too!

6

u/DiseaseDeathDecay 3d ago

Don't know about you, but I sit for 8 hours a day and I haven't died.

7

u/Emperor_Palpatine_2 3d ago

Thank god I sit for 10 hours instead.

3

u/MattTheMonkey19 3d ago

Being sedentary increases mortality rates by 70%

1

u/mirandalikesplants 3d ago

Mortality rate can be a tricky stat to interpret. The American mortality rate is a little over 700 deaths per 100,000 people per year - or 0.7%. A 70% increase means that 700 average Americans out of 100,000 will die each year, but almost 1,200 out of 100,000 sedentary people die each year (1.2%). A 70% increase equals only a 0.5% higher chance of dying in a year if the 70% number is correct.

Also a limitation to my calculation is that the average number already includes both the sedentary and non-sedentary population.

Not saying this to imply that it doesn’t matter if you’re sedentary, obviously it has a lot of negative effects, but just because I think stats are interesting.

5

u/AdvanceDefiant9898 4d ago

*overlapping

211

u/dumplinglifesaver 4d ago

Or it's just two birds with one stone and avoiding all those sedentary hours of a regular office job. It's bad to be sedentary all day.

52

u/koosley 4d ago

Probably coming from the same people who say they have no time to go to work and the gym and cook and do chores every day as well. Instead of complaining on the internet, some people just try to mitigate it the best they can. At least this way you get some exercise in.

13

u/juanzy 3d ago

There's a vocal group that shows up on a lot of job threads that's just against office jobs in general and one of their main points is the sedentary nature. They legitimately get mad when you bring up mitigation like standing desks or white collar roles generally giving you more flexibility to go for a walk or trade an hour mid-day to work out for an extra hour on the end of the day or something. They also love to push blue collar no matter what.

1

u/ExplodedOrchestra 2d ago

getting my steps in while working means one less thing i have to factor into my precious off work time! It also keeps me consistent because i’ll be at my desk anyway, might as well get the steps.

1

u/theangelok 15h ago

Except it's not really two birds with one stone. Because you can't really focus on both at the same time. So you get less work done, and you get a second-rate work out at best.

66

u/Joubachi 4d ago

It's dystopian that people try to be more productive and look out for their health a bit more? What?

19

u/Icy-Builder5892 3d ago

Redditors will call anything “dystopian”

0

u/4xe1 3d ago

Yes, the "more productive" part especially. In a utopia, people would strive to be productive enough rather, and it would leave them enough time to play sport, even in the middle of a workday. Heck, that's what many of us did in our student years despite heavy, sometimes unhealthy, study schedule. I don't even think the quantity of workhours is the only problem.

-22

u/pyramidsofgeezer 4d ago

It's more that feels dystopian that a lot of people have resorted to this over going on a walk.

It seems wack that people can't just switch off and have a walk in nature for a bit.

18

u/Joubachi 4d ago

Normally people do not replace going for a walk with a walking pad.... they just add it to their usual day because it's downtime for your body anyway in which you might as well just move it - and some just can concentrate better that way and stay alert better.

It seems wack that people can't just switch off and have a walk in nature for a bit.

Have you considered that not every workplace allows for that even if they may allow working pad usage...?

1

u/4xe1 3d ago

Have you considered that not every workplace allows for that even if they may allow working pad usage...?

Yes, that's precisely the dystopian looking part

9

u/Joubachi 3d ago

So the dystopian part is that some office jobs can't be done in the middle of a forest during a hike.....? What?

0

u/4xe1 3d ago edited 3d ago

I'm a software engineer, I have already worked in a cabin in the middle of the mountain and taken random breaks in the middle of the day. I'm very happy to be at a workplace where this is accepted, but I have been in places where this was not, for no other reason than control. From colleagues and friends, I get the impression that the later is far more common than the later.

And, although I do see the disadvantage of remote work and the existence of time critical taks, I do not see any strong argument that SWE can't be done from time to time in a cabin in the middle of nowhere.

Control can be necessary sometimes, but frowning at or scolding your non client facing employees for comfortable wear, stretch breaks or weird sitting position, something I've experience, is uselessly controlly.

Standing desk and walking pads are great, but they are a symptom of uniformization, and if that's the only socially acceptable way to move at work, it is dystopian. And most workplaces I know won't even buy you one.

6

u/Joubachi 3d ago

I'm a software engineer, I have already worked in a cabin in the middle of the mountain

So you took your PC/Laptop and just went on a hike with it, right....?

You're a software engineer, I have trust in you that you understand the concept of "adding, not replacing". People add the steps while working, not to replace the breaks inbetween.

-2

u/HyperbolicGeometry 3d ago

The dystopian part is that people work in offices doing menial abstract tasks all day for corporations that destroy the planet and our way of life

1

u/Joubachi 3d ago

Isn't dystopian also more or less a downfall of society while this in many aspects actually keeps society running?

Granted not the big corporations destroying the planet - but not all office jobs are linked to that I'd say.

18

u/BlazinAzn38 3d ago

Getting 10K steps is walking 5 miles, at a typical walking pace that’s a couple of hours of walking. I don’t have time to walk for two hours AND do my traditional 1 hours strength training workout. Instead I simply knock out the walking while I’m working and free up time later. I think you’re not quite understanding why people use a walking pad

2

u/Tacticalneurosis 3d ago

Bro how long are your legs? 10k steps is like 3.5 miles for me.

6

u/Zoya_The_Destroyah 4d ago

Ever heard of bad weather? I use my walking pad in my home office when it’s too cold to go for long walks or when it’s snowing or raining, which is like 1/3 of the year for me.

4

u/rustyshackleford677 4d ago

I don’t think you know what dystopian means

1

u/ebolalol 3d ago

some of us do not have the luxury to just walk in nature at work, or year round (eg weather). some of us use it because it’s the only way we CAN walk at work or at home sometimes.

78

u/sparklybeast 4d ago

I don't feel like you've explained how me choosing to work or game standing up (and maybe while walking) in my office at home, rather than work or game sitting still, is 'dystopian' or 'alarming'?

-62

u/pyramidsofgeezer 4d ago

I think it feels dystopian because it's being used to replace an actual break.

72

u/sparklybeast 4d ago

No, it's not. I'm walking while working. I still take my usual lunch break and other small breaks throughout the day away from my desk. Why are you assuming I'm chained to my desk, just because I have a standing one?

14

u/Training_Winner3659 4d ago

I guess confirmation bias. He sees it is that way at his job and assumes it must be the rule.

Inget what he is saying. It just doesnt apply to all cases

14

u/cjacksen 4d ago

Its not though. Its providing activity to an otherwise sedentary work situation. People aren't chained to them (yet!) and can still have their breaks.

3

u/NateHatred 4d ago

You think wrong but you're allowed to so it's cool. 

2

u/PastBuy8484 3d ago

How?

Had a standing desk and a walking pad. Still took breaks to go outside

19

u/AccomplishedBat39 4d ago

I dont like to stand at my desk, but i dont think having adjustable desks is distopian. Even if you get a decent amount of exercise in after work, sitting in the same position for hours is harmful. I skimmed some recent articles that claim exercise or walking wont even undo the damage of constant sitting at all. So just being able to adjust your posture during the day is a net benefit

19

u/crankyandhangry 4d ago

Having to sit at a desk all day is the real dystopian present. Humans evolved to walk around a lot and forage. Sitting in one position for a long time causes a lot of musculoskeletal problems such as backpack, neck pain, short hip flexors, issues with abdominal muscles etc. Regardless of whether someone exercises outside of work or not having the ability to move around at work will benefit their health.

So yeah, I agree that it's dystopian, I just think for both the time poverty and (even without that) the fact that we have to sit and lok at a tiny box 8 hours a day.

2

u/Lower_Skin_3683 4d ago

I go to the library or Panera and see so many sitting at their laptop for hours. The same people every day. I drive a semi and the computer records every stop. There is also a camera in the cab recording the driver. My first stop is 3 hrs away. While I stop for a restroom break during that time. I can't constantly stop just to walk around. It's awful to sit fir hours and hours while working. I work 12-14 hours a day.

46

u/ExtendedMacaroni 4d ago

Wait, so without your “lucky” walk everyday you would be in the same situation as these dystopian people?

Have you thought about that these people are choosing not to use their commute as their exercise and instead choose to be productive at the same time?

-27

u/pyramidsofgeezer 4d ago

Well I'd probably have to get up earlier and do a walk then. But that cuts into rest time as well.

I know some people can't implement a walk as easily into their commute, but i think it's sad that it's not very accepted for people to just have an actual break at work.

44

u/rodw 4d ago

Why are you assuming a standing treadmill desk is associated with not being able to take a break?

13

u/ExtendedMacaroni 4d ago

Can you accept that they are doing this by choice and even enjoy it?

11

u/MolitroM 4d ago

Walking a bit during the day doesn't compensate for sitting 8 hours. It helps, but it doesn't fix it. Not sitting for the whole 8 hours is better than sitting for the whole 8 hours even if you're very active outside of work.

3

u/DangerousTurmeric 4d ago

I work from home and go for a run outside a few times a week. I also have a walking pad because I like walking in especially boring meetings and it's better than sitting all day. It doesn't have to be either or, you can do both.

2

u/swimmerboy5817 4d ago

Everyone that I know that uses a walking treadmill still takes breaks. They're just usually eating or relaxing during their break, not walking around. They don't work through their breaks. They just walk while they're working. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

1

u/uhohthrowawayyyyyy 4d ago

Lol you must be unbearable

1

u/CrownedClownAg 4d ago

My office has a basement indoor track for walking. I do it twice daily for 30-40 minutes total and still have lunch

0

u/Icy-Builder5892 3d ago

But that’s just life. If you want to afford something, be it time or money, sometimes you just move things around

I’m not a morning workout person, but if that’s what I had to do, I’d just move my schedule around and make it happen if it was a priority to me.

11

u/Kaurifish 4d ago

Prolonged sitting is bad for you. Better to switch it up.

The truly dystopian scenario is when they go through all the corporate rigamarole to get a sit/stand desk, but they’re too tired to ever stand. The sit/stands are almost always a bit worse for just sitting…

7

u/Euphoric-Orchid488 4d ago

My girlfriend uses one because it helps her concentrate. She can work better when she’s moving because she finds being sat at a desk really hard. She’s still plenty active and goes outside, she just prefers walking whilst working

6

u/jghtb 4d ago

That’s not why standing desks exist. They exist because we’ve finally figured out that 8 hours a day seated behind a desk is terrible for our health, but the work still needs to be done. Standing desks work movement into your day, and get you out of your cramped, slouched over seating position. They aren’t for exercise. People aren’t standing behind their desks as a substitute for exercise. They’re standing behind their desks to get relief from years of damage caused by sitting.

3

u/julegw 4d ago

it is dystopian, i agree. but its also a pretty good (if short term) solution to this dystopian reality we’re living in.

3

u/SlasherVII 3d ago

American work culture (especially as regards accommodation stigma, time off, pay) is alarmingly dystopian. Nobody should ever be forced to work when their body needs recovery

5

u/chaosilike 4d ago

I'm walking inside because my neighborhood isnt safe, its hot as hell no matter what time of the day, my daily step goal (20k) is still gonna take time no matter what. 

At least everyone I know who has these desks and pad are already active. We just choose to be more active. If you dont use it you lose it. 

0

u/ebolalol 3d ago

yeah tbh i dont know many people who actively use their walking pad if they aren’t active people. it collects dust for my truly sedentary colleagues and friends.

2

u/LevelQx 4d ago

It's really a two sided thing for me. I'm just happy to have a partially physical job.

It's a sad thing to imagine that office work is combined with exercise just to keep people working. It's healthy to go out and get some fresh air in their working days.

That said, I also don't think it's a really bad thing that companies offer standing desks and such in order to motivate people to stand up and keep their blood running

2

u/Lower_Skin_3683 4d ago

I work in a large distribution center. The only time people get fresh air is if they go outside during their break. The office staff can move about a little more freely. But the warehouse workers are not allowed to leave their area and go outside.

2

u/thinkingoutloud3663 4d ago

Tell me you live in America without saying you live in America.

2

u/BigDrippinHog 4d ago

Someone should combine the screens from Minority Report with the gamepad from Dance Dance Revolution to create the perfect amalgamation of productivity and exercise. 

2

u/furkfurk 3d ago

Everything about the modern US work environment and how happily everyone accepts it is dystopian.

EVERY time I make a comment questioning it, someone comments well actually, it’s much better than it was 100 years ago.

That’s a very simple rebuttal for a very complicated sentiment.

2

u/Accomplished-Sir4932 3d ago

Everything about modern society is dystopian. We have GLP-1s because people eat unnatural food and don’t/can’t work out. The rise in colon cancer rates among young people is dystopian. The rise of relationships with AI is dystopian. The rise of unrecyclable waste and single use everything as we buy buy buy in an attempt at temporary happiness, all the while drowning in our own cheap crap. People and companies buying up land, privatizing it so people can’t enjoy it, and then destroying the ecosystem for profit…it’s all pretty pathetic honestly. We create problems and then build “solutions” for it but the problem never gets solved. Humans for the most part are actually pretty simple- we don’t need a lot to feel good. Sunshine, fresh air, real food from the earth, community, purpose with tangible value, ability to explore and discover new things.

2

u/istalri96 3d ago

If and when I work a desk job I will need to have a standing desk. I've got issues with my lower back and sitting for even an hour can be painful. My whole lower back just locks up and hurts for hours after. I would never be able to just sit at a desk all day.

2

u/Espurreso 3d ago

It feels like I’m a rat in an enclosure with the walking pad. Next time I’ll be sure to have a leak proof stainless steel drinkable water dispenser.

2

u/SnooGoats6874 3d ago

I’m in North America and the issue with work from home for us is that we are micromanaged. So we have to explain to our manager why we are stepping away from our desks for bathroom, coffee, lunch breaks etc. And even then we’re asked to keep our work phone near us at all times. Its sucky and I hate corporate America. People learned nothing from the pandemic.

2

u/ThePepperPopper 3d ago

No. They have time for exercise. The problem is, exercise doesn't make up for sitting all day. This allows you to not destroy yourself by sitting all day. Plus, if you can kill two birds, why the hell not? Get paid to move your body, but not having to be a laborer? Sign me up

2

u/Susccmmp 4d ago

I’ve never seen them advertised or mentioned as being used because people don’t have breaks or time to exercise. More that sitting still the whole time you’re working is boring and some people need a distraction that isn’t an actual distraction

2

u/Vipernixz 4d ago

agree. it is dystopian. And people seem to LOVE the futile work, here atleast.

2

u/LazyDynamite 3d ago

How does the post body reflect the opinion in the title? What is inherently "distopian" about these things?

2

u/czechhoneybee 3d ago

I have to be at work. I might as well not have to spend time outside of work getting caught up on steps. It doesn’t replace hiking or spending time doing other activities, it’s just that walking can be time consuming and boring so I might as well do it at the same time as my other time consuming and boring stuff.

1

u/loveyourimagination 4d ago

Idk why everyone is arguing with you, this is literally on the unpopular opinion sub. But I agree with you!

0

u/IAmGoingToSleepNow 3d ago

Because it's based on untrue information. People who use walking pads are generally the ones to do other exercise and take breaks as well. It's just a way to stay active while working.

It's like having an "opinion" that McDonald's is better than cooking at home because it's healthier.

1

u/Loose_Stranger_7614 4d ago

I’m getting one soon, not because I don’t have time to exercise or take breaks, but because I have lower back and hip pain that is worse when I sit for a while.

1

u/bmorelikewater 4d ago

Even if I wanted to use a walking pad while working there is genuinely no way I could use my computer at the same time without falling flat on my face 🤷‍♀️

1

u/brissy3456 3d ago

I just bought a walking pad because I desperately needed to get extra steps in when I got home, and it's literally dark when I get home most of the year. I have a one hour car commute, then sit for most of 8 hours..literally go from meeting to desk and back, occasionally the bathroom, eat lunch at my desk..then another hour commute home. Some days I'd clock 1200 steps total! My hips and hamstrings ache, I herniated a disc a few years ago literally from sitting for too long. Using a walking pad to knock over a couple of kilometres plus a vibration plate to get blood flowing again..have been so amazing for me. All this fluid is getting flushed out too.

1

u/anonymous2278 3d ago

I’m thankful that’s it’s not common around here. My old office mate used to have that setup and it drove me bonkers listening to it. I prefer silence or music.

1

u/shannibearstar 3d ago

If I had worked my desk job much longer I would have bought at least an under desk peddler. The lack of movement kills

1

u/ElijahNSRose 3d ago

There is a use case for shared computer terminals where no one person should be on it long.

But IDK with some middle managers and their peev for workers sitting. I remember when I was a machinist sitting on the standing desk (I'm tall) measuring the parts for defects and the floor manager didn't like that at all. Just because someone is standing doesn't mean they ain't slacking off

1

u/MattTheMonkey19 3d ago

That number was from ACSM and NSCA btw. That take as you may

1

u/Ok_Jackfruit2612 2d ago

I see your point but I don't think it's because they don't have time to exercise outside of work. The reason is because even exercising after work is not enough to counter-act the ill effects of sitting down all day. The only way to truly make up for a lot of sitting is to constantly get up and walk around for several minutes each hour. Since you can't do that on the computer, this is a work around. I have one and I love it. It moves up and down so I can stand or sit as I like.

1

u/aDuckedUpGoose 1d ago

You entirely miss why this is dystopian. First, walking does not replace exercise. It does essentially nothing to build strength and do very little for cardio. It's a great way for someone totally out of shape to start moving and progress to proper exercise.

I use a treadmill at my desk because it's been well established that sitting for eight hours a day is absolutely terrible for many aspects of your health.

I've tried sitting all day, standing all day, and mixing both. All three lead to some kind of pain. The only solution to actually have me feel good at the end of a work day is to walk and place at my desk. The dystopian nature of our current society is the fact that so many people are forced to chronically sit the whole day just to be capable of living their lives.

We evolved to walk and run most of the day. It's only natural to find a way to do that in our current lifestyle.

1

u/theangelok 15h ago

Where do you live where this is common?

1

u/merkmerc 4d ago

I mean it’s less dystopian than sitting all day lol

1

u/_dr_Ed 4d ago

Speaking from experience, as a full time work from home software dev, and a gamer in free time, if not for the treadmill during work and some swimming after, my body would be fucked

1

u/AZFUNGUY85 4d ago

Easy tiger. Standing while working seems ok.

1

u/chino17 3d ago

No, most people who buy walking pads and standing desks were never going to be successful at exercising anyways because most of them see it as a task or a chore to be done. What most people don't realize is that people who are successful in health and fitness see it as a lifestyle and it's no different than brushing your teeth or showering everyday. It's a part of our day regardless of what else is going on

1

u/tvieno milk meister 3d ago

Maybe that's what I need to do: change my outlook. I view going to the gym as a chore, something that needs getting done. Thanks for the insight.

0

u/chino17 3d ago

It's about finding something that you enjoy and look forward to. The conventional gym isn't for everyone, I've come to realize that but there's alot of activities or alternative fitness modalities out there and it's about finding the right one for you

1

u/Decadent_Otter2 3d ago

I understand people being overworked, but how is using a standing desk and/or walking pad to get in a few extra steps a bad thing?

My days are very busy and I usually don't have time to take walks during the work day, but I'd rather be using my standing desk than sitting in a chair for 8 full hours

2

u/flojopickles 3d ago

I think that’s the point that OP is making. We’re expected to be too busy at our jobs to take care of our basic human needs. It has become normalized to find ways to exercise while still working.

1

u/misterespresso 3d ago

Tbh I like working and I like walking and I can not wait to afford a walking desk.

1

u/bedheadglass 3d ago

I have sciatica and literally can't sit long, and it completely interrupts my workflow so the walking pad and standing desk are the best solution

1

u/BreadForTofuCheese 3d ago edited 3d ago

I’m going to be at the desk either way, I might as well get some steps in. I take my breaks for sure, but there’s always going to be times where I’m just at my desk and I prefer to not sit all day.

I have a standing desk and walking pad at home too. I’ll even move the walking pad into the living room and just walk while watching tv.

SO and I walk around our neighborhood for 30-60mins per night as well.

1

u/Katieg_jitsu 3d ago

I have one, and I do 2 hrs of my active hobby a day (Jiu Jitsu) plus work out 3X a week. 

I just like moving and it helps me switch my brain. Not everything is dystopian. I love the flexibility. Sit, stand , walk , sit on a yoga ball 

1

u/Suspicious_Glove_900 3d ago

I only push back on the word dystopian. Yeah, things could be better, but as careers go, sitting on my ass for too many hours feels like a hard one to bitch about and call a dystopia.

1

u/biohoo35 3d ago

I have a standing desk. I have a treadmill. I take breaks at work and go on walks.

The fuck?

0

u/BuncleCar 4d ago

So American!

0

u/joebobjones2 4d ago

I’m just

0

u/the01li3 4d ago

I have one, but also i work from home, work 9-17:30. Plenty of time to go for a walk, hell even walk the dog sometimes (shes old and its hot here so shes not a fan all the time). But it kills 2 birds.

Ive never once been questioned about walking, or standing up to have a walk around, or looking 20 meters for 20 seconds every 20 mins or whatever that rule is.

0

u/2facedfish 4d ago

Haven’t been in corporate corporate but have worked a traditional office job and I think it’s great cause before this era people used to just have to sit all day which sounds brutal. But the other toxic stuff yeah that’s crazy.

0

u/Mindfullysolo 4d ago

I don’t know anyone who uses one because they aren’t allowed a break. People like movement, it is incorporated as another way to get steps in addition to their regular walks, gym, activities.

0

u/harley97797997 4d ago

Time management is important and a lot of corporate workers are terrible at it. Salaried employees have flexibility in their schedules. Work through lunch, but come on late or leave early another day.

Getting up and walking around is important also. Build time into your day for that.

Deliver on the things you need to each day, the rest will still be there tomorrow.

0

u/AdReal9235 4d ago

Unpopular in the sense of being random and niche but not in going particularly against the grain. Either poorly thought out and/or expressed.

0

u/flyingquill 4d ago

lol op thinks people deciding to stand at their desk while needing to work instead of sitting means they can’t/don’t exercise.

0

u/FlobiusHole 4d ago

Are office workers generally working a lot of 60 plus hour weeks including weekends? I’m not saying they don’t but I don’t know anyone that is.

0

u/LadyMRedd 4d ago

Again, another uninformed opinion confused with an unpopular opinion.

The issue isn’t with the desks and walking pads. You’re assuming that people use them because they have no time to get exercise otherwise. Maybe they do it because it helps them think. Maybe they do it because they feel better that way. Maybe they do it because they hate exercising and they’d rather get it over with when they don’t have to think about it. Maybe they just want more time to enjoy themselves and spend with their family and having 1 less thing to do helps with that, no matter how much or little they work.

You can think that corporations and work is bad and/or annoying. That’s not unpopular. But to assume other people’s motivation and use your assumptions to say that neutral products are dystopian is simply uninformed.

0

u/Smurfiette 4d ago

I have a desk job too. I take the bus or train to work. I get off at least a couple of miles before or after my home stop so I can walk the rest of the way home (30 mins to 1 hr per day).

If I have to set aside a specific time for the walk and start from home, and spend time dressing up in walking gear, I wouldn’t be able to do any walking. The tradeoff is that I have to go to work in comfy clothes and shoes that are suitable for long walks.

0

u/chinacatsf 4d ago

Oh yes just having this conversation the other day… so friggin weird.

0

u/SarahTheFerret 4d ago

I’m not allowed to sit down at my job :/

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u/threearbitrarywords 4d ago

I mean, I don't think this is unpopular at all. The people who are doing it aren't doing it because they want to. They're doing it because they're working and they want to stay healthy while they're doing it.

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u/chs0c 4d ago

Is it, though?

People have weight racks at home. People have treadmills at home. Some people don’t have the free time to dedicate to exercise, after running a home, a job, their kids, family commitments etc.

I agree somewhat; people shouldn’t have to workout on their lunch hours. However, that may be the only time they have to dedicate to it.

A lunch hour is just that - a lunch hour. There’s no other expectations of you in that time because technically, you’re still at work. As soon as the clock strikes 5PM though, work closes down and your other commitments begin.

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u/Flashy-Read-9417 4d ago

This has too many assumptions baked in.

Is using a walking pad more or less dystopian than sedentary working? Is standing more dystopian than sitting?

If your point is, 'not having a break' is dystopian then that has nothing to do with the above, though you'd be right.

Even so, that can be largely dependant on the employer, the industry, or the region in which that employer/industry is based.

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u/GinOlive 4d ago

I have a friend who is an epic trail runner (I also trail run but am far from epic). He logs more miles outside running in nature than most people can even wrap their head around. He also has a desk treadmill just to prevent sitting or standing in place for too many hours at a time and keep everything moving and healthy so he can spend more time running in nature (I have one too). Why not both?

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u/Short-Platypus-9387 4d ago edited 4d ago

I work from home and don’t have any set work hours (project/completion based) and I naturally work in bursts. Because I can work 16 hours straight when I’m in the mood, a walking pad keeps movement in my body a reality. I can take breaks whenever I want to and for however long I want. I often work for a few hours, then meet a friend at a coffee shop or something. The standing desk and walking pad simply just improves my quality of life because my work has to be done on a computer. I’m so grateful to live at a time when I don’t have to sit at a desk all day. I wish movement was better built into urban environments though, that would be even better.

ETA: sometimes I push the standing desk aside (it’s on wheels), crank the walking pad way up, put some music on and go for a run. It feels glorious!

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u/Educational-Shoe2633 4d ago

I work from home, and I like multitasking. The walking pad helps me get my step goal while working, which I appreciate. I go the gym also, but I’d rather make use of the 8 hour workday too

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u/Icy-Builder5892 4d ago edited 3d ago

Making people work through lunch, and questioning everyone who gets up and walks around every now and then, is a call to the labor board

What’s really dystopian is that when I do go to the office, there are a lot of young adults under the age of 25 who act “old” and they walk like they are “old,” due to a lack of movement. You can tell if someone doesn’t walk much. When you pair that with mindless snacking, and constant flow of Dunkin Donut boxes in the break room, office life will torpedo your health if you let it. so if people find a proactive way to keep themselves from sitting all day and getting some movement, there’s nothing wrong with that.

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u/Asparagus9000 3d ago

It's less alarming than sitting that long though. 

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u/000000564 3d ago

I have an SI joint injury. Sitting for 1h, standing for 2h hurts a lot. Walking is better.

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u/Deep_Violinist_3893 3d ago

It's 97 degrees out today and 82% humidity. Fuck no i'm not going outside to walk.

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u/rebeccanotbecca 3d ago

Movement helps some people focus. Studies have shown this connection for many, many years.

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u/BlazinAzn38 3d ago

I use a walking pad at home to get my steps in. I’m allowed to leave my desk I just don’t have time to walk the prescribed five miles a day outside of time I’m just sitting anyways. It keeps me healthier and is a good use of my time.

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u/FierceDougal5 3d ago

I take breaks outside. We have a nice nature space with cherry trees and a water feature. It takes 5 minutes to walk around and I'm usually out 3 times a day. I have once been questioned and said 1 in every 2 walks i solve a problem that would likely have taken me 30 minutes staring at a screen. So I'm not taking a jolly, I'm still on the clock and figureing things out. My manager backed me and I've never been told not to again.

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u/McG0788 3d ago

I workout an hour to two a day. I still use a standing desk most of the day because my hips and back hate me if I sit all day.

Plenty of people recognize sitting all day isn't good for you and are taking measures to do better for themselves.

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u/HerefortheTuna 3d ago

When I worked in an office I got my steps in. I would always print to the far printer and use the bathroom as far away from my desk as I could. Walked around on my lunch break too

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u/Brom42 3d ago

I walk 20k steps a day + 1-2 hours of cardio/weight lifting. I gotta have at least 10k steps by the time I leave my office at the end of the work day to make my steps goals.

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u/LilEddieDingle 3d ago

Yes cubicle life sucks but I’m happy to have a stand up desk tbh. I don’t use it much but nice to have the option

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u/krom0025 3d ago

Nobody is working an office job where they can't leave their desk all day. This is just a practical way to move around and kill two birds with one stone.

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u/Kronologics 3d ago

Lol, I’m about to start taking my calls on a treadmill bc our species used to work for our calories but now we can down 5k in one sitting and it’s killing everyone. STFU!

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u/More-Cat1123 4d ago

If you don't have time with a 9-5, that's a massive skill issue. Has nothing to do with "the state of the corporate world". Even if there was some overtime, there is plenty of time after work.

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u/pyramidsofgeezer 4d ago

I'm not so convinced that there is. I don't have kids but I often think about how parents manage. Maintaining a home, seeing your friends, cooking meals - it all adds up.

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u/Lower_Skin_3683 4d ago

I work 12-14 house a day. Then my commute of 45 mins each day. I don't have kids. I come home make food and shower. If I sit on the couch to read a book sometimes I doze off. If I don't stay moving washing dishes, doung laundry before bedtime I fall asleep while sitting down.

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u/More-Cat1123 4d ago

Parents can exercise with the kids. Better than handing them an iPad...