15 AYAAT. 15 PRODUCTIVITY POINTERS.
“Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Lord! Thou hast not created this in vain! Glory be to Thee; save us then from the chastisement of the fire” [3:191].
Rise & Shine!
We want to be more productive and we are willing to do what it takes, right? Yet we spend the biggest part of our life doing something that makes us less productive. The problem is that this thing is so common that a lot of us see it as normal. Guess what it is?
…It’s called sitting.
We all need to sit sometimes, but doing it most of your day can crush your productivity (not to mention your health). The digital era we are in doesn’t really help: we sit more than ever. So what can be a solution to this sleek productivity killer?
Well, there’s standing. It’s amazing how the concept of standing is manifested in our Deen. Think about the Day of Resurrection, when we will be standing. And did you ever notice that the Qur’an you recite in your prayer is always recited when you are in the standing position? We do not recite any Qur’an in the sitting position, nor during our Ruku (bowing), nor during our prostration. Why?
The standing position is man’s most dignified, honourable and respectful position possible. So think about the prayer, a great part of it is standing (eg Qiyam ul Layl, which means Standing of the Night) as well as the Taraweeh prayer. While standing we seem to be in a higher state of alertness.
Let’s find out how standing can actually make you more productive:
- A little bit of pain; leaving your comfort zone makes you concentrate.
- We associate sitting with relaxation which makes it less productive for work when compared to standing. Try watching tv, playing video games and chatting online standing. You will see how ‘lazy’ these activities are! Research has shown that those who sit for three or more hours a day watching TV are 64% more likely to die from heart diseases. So, standing is healthier. You can have the greatest desire to get things done, but nothing is possible if you’re not healthy enough to do it.
- Also, think of obesity: the more obese you become, the less you feel like working. Research has shown that obese people sit for two and a half more hours a day compared to their thin counterparts.
- What’s more? Research has also shown that exercise is nearly ineffective for those who spend a large portion of their day sitting, even if they exercise for an hour a day (were you even exercising an hour a day?)
I know it’s Ramadan and we get tired, and actually take every chance to sit. Now, there is a huge difference between being productive and abusing your body.
Take breaks. Don’t just work for prolonged hours on your feet: a 10 – 20 minute break per hour can go a long way to enhance your productivity.
Alternate sitting with standing; if you know you will probably be working for a very long time, make sure you sit for a few minutes as a way to rest your brain.
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