When it comes to hazardous work, jobs that involve sitting at a desk all day are pretty low on the list. Still, office jobs may result in some undesired effects. Weight gain, lack of movement, and compromised posture are just a few. Plus, as you’ve certainly heard, sitting all day is hard on your health, increasing your risk of cardiovascular problems and obesity among other things.
The good news is that no matter how demanding or time consuming your desk job may be, there are steps you can take to stay healthy. Here are a few:
1. Make an hourly date with movement – It’s easy to lose track of time, especially if your work is very demanding. To make sure you’re taking a few minutes to do something for yourself, set an alarm on your smartphone to go off every hour or so. When it goes off, stop whatever you’re doing, stand up, and walk away from your desk. Go for a short stroll, even if it’s just to the restroom. Make sure you walk for at least 5 minutes, and before you sit back down, take another minute to do a stretch or two.
2. Take your show on the road – If you have a non-video call with a colleague, take it on the move. Invest in a pair of Bluetooth headphones and take your call while you’re out for a walk. Just make sure you’re somewhere that’s not too noisy and distracting.
3. Take the stairs – If you work in a building with elevators and escalators, stop using them! Find the stairwell and get in some heart-pumping exercise. It may be hard at first, but you’ll be amazed at how quickly you feel your leg muscles toning up and your breath coming more easily.
4. Turn lunch into a walk break – Some days it’s nice to recharge and spend your lunch break sitting and eating while reading a magazine. But most days, you should aim to eat for only half of your lunch break and use the other half to walk around the block a few times. You’ll feel refreshed and rejuvenated when you get back to your desk and your cells will be humming from the activity.
5. Change your commute in a big way – Normally drive to work or take the train? Try walking or biking. If it’s too far, then park in a spot as far away from your office building as safely possible and walk the rest of the way.
Working from home? Build “commute” time into your daily routine and take a brisk walk in the morning before you even sit down at your desk. You can even take another walk after your workday is done to reset and ease the transition between your professional life and your home life.
There are definitely plenty of ways to sneak more exercise into your workday, but the key is, you have to be intentional about doing it. A healthy lifestyle takes consistent effort, and if you need support or would like additional healthy-lifestyle tips, recipes, workouts, and resources, I invite you to check out Fit Rise 365, risk-free. Just click the link to see if it’s the right fit for you.
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