Sitting for an extended period is one of the worst habits of our modern western culture. It is not news that sitting is linked to very harmful diseases, and it is unhealthy for people who sit all day long without any physical activity.
If you are one of those people with a sitting job, make it a point to stand for a while, stretch, walk around at least ten minutes every hour. We understand that this might not be possible for everyone; however, if your job allows a small break every hour, you should take advantage of it.
. If you are the manager in a meeting, make sure that you stand or, better yet, organize a standing meeting. Walking outdoors is also a good idea. Even if you are not a manager, you can still suggest this to benefit everyone.
Standing meetings are essentially the same as normal meetings, except everybody will be standing instead of sitting.
While it may sound a bit odd initially, it has become quite popular over the past few years, and it's becoming the standard across all over the world.
This type of meeting practice is currently known to be useful for discussing individual tasks for the day and how the daily task contributes to the efficiency of the company’s productivity. In any part of the world, a stand-up meeting is an excellent way to start your day, and it has several benefits.
It Is a Unique and Different Type of Meeting
The best part of organizing a standing meeting is the fact that you can hold it anywhere: in the pantry of your office, in the courtyard, and even in the hallway. You don't need to reserve a conference room or a small room to gather and organize everyone.
The meeting aims to distribute relevant information from the attendees and discuss quick actions or resolutions. It is also ideal for daily briefings and team catch-ups because it allows everyone to be seen or heard. To sum it up, it must only have a limited number of employees attending the meeting, as having a big audience won't be as effective.
It Speeds up The Meetings
Traditional meetings tend to drag on too long. This is not because it is off-topic, but it encourages a laid-back approach. It keeps the team members inattentive and preoccupied because while sitting, they can do whatever they want, like accessing and working on their laptops.
Many employees believe that stand-up meetings are more productive and waste less time. As the participants start to feel uncomfortable, it allows them to be more active. They are more participative, concise, and able to speak clearly. In other words, it makes the meeting productive rather than passive.
Attendees Are More Dynamic
A standing position encourages an active attitude, and it can boost the participants’ attention and allow them to retain more information. A sit-down meeting is more comfortable as people sit all the time, and as a result, they tend to lose focus. Standing in a meeting allows you to be more energetic, which makes you more responsive to feedback.
It is essential to kickstart your meeting as this will allow you to balance between standing and seating. To create a healthy environment within your workspace, team members must cooperate with everyone to foster unity within the group. Furthermore, it will allow you to be more active and healthy. The standing meeting is designed to be short and concise.
Cultivate Productivity
It increases group productivity since standing meetings only require a limited number of people. The entire workforce of the company is also not disturbed; only specific people are called in..
Participants tend to be more alert and make quicker decisions. It allows them to act rapidly and provide solutions because ideas are immediately turned into action.
Working collectively in a group without chairs provides more room for connectivity between team members. This is because, in a social situation, it allows you to have a collective sense, which in turn makes a motivating collective action.
When people are standing, it creates an aura of togetherness around a shared workspace, and they usually share ideas on how they can contribute. Unlike seating, that makes an individual think that they've created their own space, which creates a very individual mindset.
Standing Is Good for Your Health
Standing in a meeting is good for everyone's health while sitting all day creates a lot of health issues, including heart disease (coronary heart disease), strokes, diabetes, and even colon cancer.
Of course, there should always be a healthy balance between standing and sitting; none of them should be taken to the extreme (sitting all day or standing all day) will do you any good. Which is why alternating between the two is best for your physical health.
Consider looking into sit-stand desks and standing desk converters that are very popular nowadays due to their health benefits.
For example, studies have proven that standing in a meeting, according to researcher Hidde van der Ploeg, increases life expectancy by 10%.
A sit-stand desk allows you to stand while working and it’s good for your health. Standing in a meeting will also allow you to stretch your legs and recharge your well-being.
In summary, just like standing, a sit-stand desk is excellent for your health because it allows you to be more active every day. It is also suitable for your posture as you won't be slouching in your chair while in a sit-down meeting.
Whether you choose a sit-stand desk or standing desk converter, these two AnthroDesk products will help alleviate your back pain and prevent the risk of heart diseases.
It Boosts Team Solidarity
Since standing up meetings are limited to a certain number of participants, it allows the team to be more open when it comes to their creative mind and solution.
Standing meetings, as mentioned, are useful for catching up and offer an immediate answer. This makes the team solidarity as it allows them to brainstorm and find a solution to a problem. To summarize, it encourages the team to work together, create interaction between departments, and facilitate mutual support.
Besides the team's solidarity, a stand-up meeting also allows you to be involved in the conference since the participants are allowed to share information and updates. It also decreases the dominating behaviour and makes team members feel included.
Conclusion
Standing meetings could be considered a modern-day type of meeting where anyone can point out their concerns and express themselves. This is also an excellent venue for them to discuss all the things that are necessary to be resolved. In short, this meeting encourages a sense of purpose within the team.
