You’ve probably heard that sitting isn’t great for your health and if you work in an office, you probably spend the majority of your workday in a chair. Sure, you could get a standing desk or even a treadmill desk to get you on your feet and exercising, but there are some much easier fixes.
This is what personal trainers suggest to sneak more movement into your office job:
- Stand every 30 minutes - Simply standing every half hour can improve circulation, ease muscle tension in the neck and back, as well as increase focus and productivity. Set an alarm on your phone so you don’t forget.
- Walking meetings - If you can swing it, switch the conference room meeting to one that takes you outside for a stroll. This can also increase cognitive function, as well as give you a dose of vitamin D and a boost of positivity thanks to a surge of serotonin.
- Break the sitting cycle at lunch - Many of us spend our lunch break at our desks eating, but your time could be better spent taking a short walk. When you return, that work challenge will be easier to figure out as the walk can increase memory and elevate cognitive function.
- Get creative with exercise opportunities - Things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, parking further away in the lot and even getting up to walk to a colleague’s office to talk instead of emailing them can all help you move more at work.
- Include a coworker - Get someone you work with to join you on your movement quest. It’ll probably make it more fun and research shows that people are 1.5-times more likely to succeed when they have a friend or coworker join them.
Source: Nine.com
Photo: Getty Images