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Writers Beware! 5 Dangerous Effects of Sitting Too Long

Writers Beware! 5 Dangerous Effects of Sitting Too Long


Writers Beware! 5 Dangerous Effects of Sitting Too Long

It’s 11:49 AM and you’re on a roll. Typing, what feels like, a million words a minute, no one can stop you. Then it happens. It’s 11:50 AM and your Apple watch is telling you to stand. How many hours has it been since you’ve used your feet or since you’ve even taken your eyes off the screen? You can’t remember. Have you even had breakfast?

Not saying you’ve ever done this, but in case you have, there are some things you might want to know about the effects of sitting too long before you decide to let 5 hours pass without moving.

1. Weight Gain

One of the most common effects of sitting too long is gaining weight. While you might be an exercise junkie, even if you work out an hour a day, for 7 days a week, if you sit for 7 hours at a time it will make all that gym time counterproductive. Even if it’s a lap around the room during a Netflix marathon, make sure to keep moving!

While being seated might help you be productive in your writing, prepare yourself with the best ways to break up long periods of inactivity and reduce the effects of sitting too long. Read this useful article to get more ideas about how to treat body inflammation, which is a common effect of sedentary lifestyles and diets.

2. Poor Posture

It should come as no surprise that sitting at a desk all day staring at a computer screen will destroy your perfect posture. You’ll start to hunch your back which leads to decreased mobility of your spine and plays a part in other pains you may experience through your neck and shoulders. 

Although there are many great options that help improve your work environment in the form of chairs and standing desks, these can’t completely remove the negative effects of sitting for long periods of time. Do your part by being conscious of your posture when you sit to type and get up often to give your body a break from the writers’ slouch.

3. Anxiety and Depression

As Elle Woods said in Legally Blonde, “Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy” and this is true! When you spend all your time sitting, you miss out on the health and mood-boosting benefits that come with moving your body.

This can show up in the form of increased anxiety from too much screen time. You also might notice that you feel lonely which is a result of a Vitamin D deficiency. So if you’re looking for an excuse to go on a beach vacation, here it is!

4. A Decrease in Mental Health

Even though you might think you’re engaging your brain while writing, getting up and moving is the way to get your blood and oxygen pumping throughout your body and, most importantly, the brain. When you sit for long periods of time, you deprive your brain of important nutrients that it needs to function properly. 

Long term effects can look like permanent brain damage due to lowered brain activity and function. Even though your brain might be getting a workout during the day, don’t forget to give your body one too!

5. Higher Risk of Cancer

Why your risk of cancer increases with the amount of time you sit is not known, but there is a theory that it advances the production of insulin in your body, which encourages cell growth leading to the creation of tumors. When you participate in regular exercise, creates an antioxidant effect within your body that can help prevent certain diseases, cancer being one of these.

How to Prevent All These Effects of Sitting Too Long

I know what you’re saying. Writing is your job and you have to sit to write, but there are steps you can take to stay ahead of these effects. 

Set a reminder on your phone every 30 minutes to get up and take a lap around your house or workspace. This will get the blood flowing and help reenergize you. You can also change up workspaces or utilize a counter where you can stand instead of being seated all day. 

Experiencing tension and stiffness from sitting all day? Know how to take care of your body by learning more about different tactics that help relieve the pain you’re feeling.

Technology

Hackers Beware! 15 Easy Ways to Prevent Hacking

Hackers Beware! 15 Easy Ways to Prevent Hacking


Hackers Beware! 15 Easy Ways to Prevent Hacking

Last year, President Trump pleaded with the Justice Department to investigate a hack. According to the president, China likely hacked into Hillary Clinton’s emails. Many of the emails, he alleged, had classified information.

The FBI never found any evidence to support the claims, but it begs the question: can we prevent hacking?

If high-profile individuals like Clinton can get hacked, then how can we protect our data?

Keep reading to learn the 15 most vital tips to protect yourself from cybercriminals.

1. Use Two-Step Verification for Email

The number one thing you need to do to protect yourself online is secure your email address. Hackers who have access to your email can change other accounts.

If possible, you need to set up two-step verification for your email.

You’ll have to use your password and another verification method before getting access. This is an effective step that will prevent hacks.

2. Create a Unique Password

Another step in stopping hackers is making a good password. The majority of internet users make very bad passwords. In 2014, for example, the top five most popular passwords were:

  1. 123456
  2. password
  3. 12345
  4. 12345678
  5. qwerty

Cybercriminals who crack passwords upload the information to databases online. That means anytime you use passwords on the database, it’s already exposed to hackers.

3. Update Your Computer or Device

Another tip on how to prevent hackers is to keep up-to-date with software updates. These important updates often have patches that fix vulnerabilities.

Failing to update may leave you open to an attack. It’s best to set your phone or computer to auto-download updates as they become available.

4. Password Protect Your Internet Connection

Too many internet users fail to password protect their own internet connection.

Without a password, all the data that you send and receive is completely exposed. That means anyone in range of your router can get this data.

Criminals can also use an open network to spread infections or steal your bandwidth. At worst, they could use your connection to conduct illegal DDoS attacks.

5. Reconsider Connecting to Open WiFi Networks

Understand you face the same risks of exposure when you connect to an open public WiFi network.

Here are some tips on how to protect yourself from hackers on a public network:

  • Always turn off the ‘auto-connect to WiFi networks’ setting
  • Only enter in login information when the site has “https” rather than “http.” The “s” indicates a secure connection to the website.
  • Avoid logging into accounts through apps. Instead, use the internet browser
  • Always log out of your accounts after using them on a public network

As a general rule, only connect to a public network when you have no other choice.

6. Prevent Hacking With Faraday EMP Bags

When pondering how to stop hackers, few consider the possibility of a major grid attack.

Electromagnetic pulses (EMPs) have the ability to destroy electrical devices. EMPs may occur as a result of a deployed weapon or natural phenomenon.

There’s very little you can do to protect your electronics from an EMP blast. It’s recommended you look for an EMP tech bag like the one found at https://techprotectbag.com/.

These bags can stop your devices from getting destroyed by an EMP. In a large scale attack, this bag could be life-saving.

7. Don’t Trust Email Links

A major tip on how to prevent hacking is to vet all links in emails.

Never click on a link from an email unless you trust the source. Even trusted sources sometimes send malicious emails on accident when they’ve gotten hacked.

It’s becoming more common for cybercriminals to mimic legitimate websites. They’ll ask you to log in on this duplicate website that actually steals your data.

When in doubt, type the known website’s address into your web browser rather than clicking a link.

8. Limit Your Social Media Friends List

I know. It seems silly to suggest you not talk to strangers on the internet in 2019. Still, consider how much personal data you leave exposed on social media every day.

Modern-day hackers use a technique called social engineering. They attempt to manipulate targets by befriending them. This often leads to them letting private information slip on accident.

Social engineering can also impact you when a hacker adds someone on your friend’s list. They can gain access to your private profile by being friends of a friend.

The best way to avoid being a target of social engineering is to deny friend requests from people you don’t know.

9. Consider a VPN Service

These tips suggest maintaining privacy on the internet is very difficult. It isn’t impossible, but it’s very close.

Even the most infamous hacking group, Anonymous, found this out the hard way. Hundreds have gotten arrested after learning their actions weren’t so anonymous after all.

If you want to maximize your privacy, consider using a VPN service. VPN is short for virtual private network. This type of service shields your computer’s IP address when you go online by using a middleman.

This middleman does all the communicating with different websites. It protects your location, computer address, data, and browsing history.

Usually, this service only costs around $5-10 per month. There are free options as well, but use your best judgment when choosing a service.

Keep in mind that VPN services are not infallible. Law enforcement agencies can still force them to give up your info, so don’t try to use one for illegal purposes.

10. Be Cautious About Your Own Blog

In February of 2018, over 5000 websites got hacked. When cybercriminals hack websites, they steal data like email addresses and passwords.

If you use the same password on your email account, you’re in danger! Always switch up your passwords when creating accounts on websites or blogs.

Your customer’s information may also get exposed during a hack.

It’s necessary to research cybersecurity for blogs if you have your own. These steps will protect you and your readers.

11. Watch for Malicious Apps

Understand not every app found on Google or Apple’s store is safe. Many apps are malicious.

Some apps are covert in their methods. Pay attention when an app asks permission for:

  • Access to your contacts
  • Recording conversations
  • Sending messages
  • Administrative permissions
  • Access to your location

Many apps use this information in valid ways. If the app doesn’t need the data to function, it may be collecting it for nefarious purposes.

12. Avoid Sneaky Social Media Surveys

If you’ve been on social media any length of time, then you’ve run across fun surveys. You answer lighthearted questions, share, and wait for your friends to answer too.

Most surveys are for entertainment, but some may be prying for specific information. Some survey answers could also be verification methods for your accounts. Be careful of posting:

  • Your birthday
  • The road you grew up on
  • Your mother’s maiden name
  • Your first pet
  • The first company you worked for
  • The city you got engaged
  • Where you were born
  • Where you attended college or high school
  • Your favorite food

These answers could allow hackers to gain access to your account. They could answer your security questions based on your survey answers.

They may even be able to change your password!

13. Consider a Password Manager

Password manager programs help you create unique, hard-to-crack passwords for each account. Usually, the manager lets you create a master password to access all your accounts.

This step makes it very difficult for a hacker to access your accounts by password cracking. If one of your accounts does get hacked, your manager will alert you right away.

The method isn’t perfect because a master password can also get hacked, but it’s much less likely.

14. Delete Data on Old Devices

Almost 44 percent of Americans will upgrade their phones as soon as possible. This means a lot of working tech gets resold on the market.

Whether you’re upgrading a computer or smartphone, never get rid of it without wiping it. Otherwise, the new owner may have access to all the data you left on the device.

The best advice is to restore your phone or computer back to factory settings.

15. Be Wary of Giving Information to Businesses

Companies try to avoid massive cyber attacks, but major breaches still occur.

If you aren’t required to give personal information to a company, then don’t. Never volunteer your phone number, address, or other information unless necessary.

It’s better to take your business elsewhere than to have your data exposed in a hack.

Don’t Fall Victim to Hackers

Over the past two decades, internet hacking has exploded. Hacking actions have forced the hands of politicians, businesses, and online users.

Yet, collectively, we continue to remain oblivious to the real dangers of the internet.

We must take steps as individuals to prevent hacking and protect our personal data. Otherwise, we are spiraling toward a privacy-free world.

Take heed of these 15 important tips, and try to incorporate them into your internet routine. Don’t be the next victim of a hack.

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