Ten Ways to Be Active at Your Desk
Humans are not biologically designed to be sedentary. We are made to hunt a wooly mammoth and hike in the woods gathering berries. Instead, we sit at desks and crunch numbers and write words. And the more we sit during the day, the greater the health risk. And it’s serious stuff — heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. But there is good news. Moving just 30 minutes throughout the day can significantly lower those risks. Here are 10 ways to move during the day while you’re crunching those numbers and writing those words:
1. Move your wastebasket so you have to stand up and walk to it when you want to toss away the trash.
2. Instead of emailing or calling a colleague with a question, walk to that person’s desk — and take the long way around.
3. When you need to use the restroom, use one on another floor of the building. Do take the stairs to get there! Climbing the stairs is an excellent way to build in quick bursts of exercise over the course of the day.
4. Don’t work through lunch. Take a walking break. Bonus: You’ll return to work more energized and productive.
5. Do “deskercise” with resistance bands by doing foot curls or arm stretches.
6. When you’re waiting in line, don’t just stand there. Stretch your neck and shoulders and bend your knees.
7. Lead a mid-meeting stretch for any meeting that lasts longer than an hour and a half. The five minutes everyone spends stretching will invigorate the group.
8. Park your car as far away as possible whether at work or shopping. This is an easy way to get in more walking.
9. Wear a pedometer to count the steps you take during the day. This can be a great motivator, since it offers immediate feedback on how much you’re moving.
10. Download an app for your phone or software for your computer that will remind you to move throughout the day.