Busy days are sometimes the hardest on our bodies because you’re either running errands back and forth all day or you have so much work to do you’re stuck at your desk as your muscles start to tense up. Staying active at work is not only important for your health, but it is also important for your sanity. Sometimes you just need a little exercise for your body to help refresh your mind and help you feel ready to get back to work. A little movement can go a long way.
Why is staying active at work important?
Exercise, even a little bit of movement, can have a huge impact on your health. Some benefits of staying active include weight control, combating health conditions and diseases, improving your mood, increasing your energy, and promoting better sleep. One study showed that 30 minutes of exercise at least 5 days a week could prevent 1 to 12 deaths globally, which doesn’t seem like that many unless you are one of those 12 people. Being physically active can also help reduce stress, often caused by work. So taking a break at work can have an extra benefit. Instead of just giving your mind a rest from your job, you are also exercising your body and fueling your mind when you use your break to exercise.
Here are a few tips to get moving throughout your work day:
Store your Chirp Wheel under your desk. Having a desk job or sedentary work causes muscle tension and back pain. Bring the Chirp Wheel with you to work as an excuse to take a break and get moving. Movement like using the wheel to get your blood flowing again can help keep you awake and increase your productivity.
Mix up your commute. If it is available to you, cycle or walk to work. Even if you have to commute most of your way. Park a few blocks away and walk the last little stretch. Of course, you’ll have to get up extra early to do that.
Get up every so often. Get moving whenever you can. Opt to stand during a meeting or see if your company will invest in a sit-stand desk so you can stand whenever you need to. Because as we have heard so many times, standing burns more calories than sitting does.
Try an exercise desk. Trying new products like a foot rest that you can press your feet against with resistance or an exercise ball as a chair can help you burn a few extra calories. If you have room, try keeping a stationary bike in your office so you can research while pedaling.
Sweat on your lunch break. Taking a walk or using your lunch to hit the gym can leave you feeling great and ready to jump back into work. Suggest to your boss lunchtime yoga or another activity to help get you moving.
Keep a yoga mat in your office. Having a yoga mat at the ready can inspire you to strike a pose when you’re feeling lazy or run down. It can also rejuvenate your mind and help you jump right back into work.
Download a fitness app or invest in a fitness watch to help you set goals. Apps can be very helpful to send you a little ding when it’s time to get up and move again. Doing a short 7-minute workout during a break or taking a walk around your office building will help you get moving.
References
Mayo Clinic. (2021). Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
Nichols, H. (2018, March 29). 5 ways to stay active in the workplace. Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/321375
