I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…
The best way to stay healthy is to move more throughout the day! That’s not just good advice for your body, it’s also good advice for your mind. Studies show that staying active improves your mood, boosts energy levels and decreases stress levels (and who doesn’t want those three things?). But with so much of our workday centered around sitting at a desk staring at a screen, how do we actually make time to get up and move? Here are some tips from my personal experience as well as some research-backed ways you can incorporate movement into your workday without having to leave your office chair!
Improve Your mood and energy
Research shows that even small amounts of movement can help improve your mood, boost energy and may even aid in weight loss.
If you’re feeling sluggish, try taking a walk around the block or doing some light stretching at your desk. Even if you don’t want to leave the house for exercise, there are plenty of ways to get active during your daily routine:
→ Walk up stairs instead of taking the elevator or escalator
→ Take breaks from sitting by standing up every 20 minutes (even two minutes)
→ Try getting some exercise indoors by taking a few laps around the office
→ Take a break to stretch your neck and back muscles.
My favorite Hack of All
Set an alarm on your phone that reminds you to stand up and walk around every hour. This is a great way to keep active at work, and it’s really easy to do. You can set the alarm to go off every hour, or every half hour–it depends on how often you want to be reminded that it’s time for some movement! The alarm could be a reminder to stand up and stretch (which is great), or it could be something else entirely: maybe even just telling yourself “okay, I’m going outside now” and then actually going outside and getting some fresh air. It’s an easy way to add more movement in your day, and it can help you stay active.
Step Out for phone calls
Take more phone calls in the hallway, in the kitchen or anywhere else that is quiet and you can move around a bit as you talk. This will keep your mind alert and focused on the task at hand.
If possible, use a headset so that both hands are free to walk around while talking on the phone. If this isn’t possible (or if using a headset isn’t allowed in your company), then consider getting up from behind your desk and taking some steps away from it while speaking into the receiver of your handset or cell phone.
Body Weight Motions At Work
One great way to stay physically active while at work is through body weight motions. These exercises involve using only your own body weight as resistance, which means they require no equipment or gym membership–you just need some space and time on your hands (and maybe some dumbbells if you want).
Place Reminders in common areas
If you have trouble remembering to stand up or move around, place reminders that are easy to see throughout the day. A sticky note on your computer screen is an easy way to remind yourself when it’s time for a break. If you’re using an app, set it up so that it reminds you at regular intervals (30 minutes is recommended).
Using technology can also help keep track of how long you’ve been sitting down in one place and make sure that no matter where you go in life–whether it’s work or home–you’re getting enough movement into your day!
Try Standing While Working
If your desk needs to stay where it is but you want to get out of it more often, try standing while working on projects or answering emails rather than sitting all day long. Standing up can help keep blood flowing and prevent blood clots from forming in the legs which could cause serious health problems.
Standing desks are also beneficial because they increase productivity by 30% compared to sitting at a regular desk. If standing doesn’t sound like something that would work for you right now, start off slowly by taking short breaks every hour or two throughout the day where you stand up and stretch for 5 minutes each time. This will gradually build up strength in the muscles used when walking around instead of just sitting down all day long like most people do nowadays!
Movement is Key This week
Now that you know how to get active and stay active, let’s talk about how to keep it up.
It’s easy to say “move more,” but it’s not always so easy to do. The key is making movement a habit. This can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or walking around while you are on your phone instead of sitting at your desk all day long. The important thing is that you make it a routine–something that happens every day without thought–and before long, moving will become second nature for you!
Now Get Moving!
With all of the technology and gadgets available today, it’s easy to become a desk-bound human being. However, this can have negative consequences on your health and well-being. It’s important to take breaks from sitting at your desk every hour or so in order to give yourself some exercise and fresh air.
If you want more personalized advice, please reach out to me directly and I’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have!
