Feeling sluggish at work? Feeling the crippling pain and discomfort at your desk? Are you starting to resemble Quasimodo (from The Hunchback of Notre Dame)?
Now that many of us are back in the office, either full time or just for a few days, we need to find new ways in which to not only help keep us motivated to achieve our fitness goals, but also to stay healthy and active.
Check out these ache-saving tips and tricks that don't involve running laps around the office, high-fiving bewildered co-workers.
Invest in an ADJUSTABLE Stand Up Desk
Slumping over a desk for eight hours is not doing your body any favours. Instead, work at your desk while standing and feel the improvement in your posture and circulation which will alleviate the effects of sitting. Beware that standing all day isn't great for you either. This is why an adjustable stand up desk is imperative so you can alternate between sitting and standing.
Set A Timer
When you hear the irritating ding come out of your phone, you will be reminded to get active throughout your day. When the timer goes off, go for a walk around the office, stretch those muscles or drop and give me 20… Burpees!
Walk Or Ride At Least Part Of The Journey To Work
If you can be active on your way to work, this can be an excellent way to fit more activity into your day. What better way to start the day? You’ll arrive feeling energised and ready to conquer your day!
Of course, not everyone lives close enough for this to be a realistic option, but you can make at least part of your trip more active. Get the train part of the way or park your car a kilometre or two away.
Walking or Standing Meetings
Forget meetings in stuffy boardrooms that stretch on for an hour. They’re history now! Whether it’s taking a call whilst walking around the block, having a gym session while talking numbers or simply, just standing around the table, it all helps keep your body moving. Not to mention you’ll clock those daily steps in no time!
Workout At Lunch At Your Nearest Gym
If you want more out of your lunchtimes, head to your nearest gym and smash out a quick gym session to re-energise you for the afternoon and get your blood pumping. Even if you can only fit in 30 minutes, you will feel the difference in your productivity.
Start A Fitness Challenge And Get Your Colleagues Involved
Get your co-workers involved and make it a challenge to be more active together instead of slouching over the desk. It’s always easier to make healthy choices when you have a support network motivating you.
There are plenty of ways you can make exercise fun and social – you can track your steps and go for a group walk at lunchtime or make a rule that every hour you all stand up and do twenty squats and 10 pushups!
Sit On An Exercise Ball
Welcome to a thing we like to call ‘active sitting’! Using an exercise ball as your chair engages your core, back and leg muscles which also assists in maintaining good posture.
Stretch When There's Downtime
Between the end of that 10am meeting and 12pm deadline, no one will blink an eye at you doing some casual stretches a few times a day at your desk. It will do wonders for your muscles and help with improving your posture throughout the day.
Take The Stairs
The real question is how often do you take the lift? We know you’re guilty of it. We are too. The trick is making a habit out of taking the stairs, so you stop thinking about it as a choice you have to make every time they lift is staring you down. Start by aiming to take the stairs once a day, then increase the amount of times you take them until it’s automatic.
Track Your Steps
It’s a lot easier to be active when you can keep track of how much you’re really moving. Whilst it can be confronting, there’s a reason why everyone is wearing activity trackers like the infamous Apple Watch. Simply, because it works! Put one on your wrist and find out how many steps you do in a normal day, then set yourself a goal to improve on that number weekly. Tracking your activity can be an excellent way to motivate yourself and if you’re looking for that little bit of extra motivation, connect with your friends and track each other!
Disclaimer: The above article is merely a guide and is in no way a recommendation or a treatment protocol for any health conditions or diseases. You should always consult with a qualified health care provider before changing your supplement, training or nutritional strategy. Supplementation should not be attempted by pregnant or breastfeeding women, anyone on prescription medication or children under the age of 15 unless advised by your qualified health care provider. The above article has been written by https://beforeyouspeakcoffee.com/
