Incorporating a few minutes of activity into your workday is a great way to get an energy boost, to decompress and refocus, or to simply stretch out your joints if you begin to feel stiff. Sitting for prolonged periods of can lead to the development of several chronic diseases, so it is important to incorporate as much movement throughout your day as possible.
Listed below are 8 simple ways to move more at work. These small changes can make a big difference for your activity level and for your overall health.
- Walk over to your colleague’s desk to talk in person rather than sending an email.
- Swap a desk chair for an exercise ball at your desk to allow for more movement while sitting and relieve back pain.
- Take the stairs to and from your floor and avoid the elevator. If your floor is too high to walk to, take as many flights as you can before catching the elevator (and the same going down at the end of the day).
- Set reminders on your calendar for every 30 minutes to stop and stretch.
- Turn waiting time into moving time. Do small exercises, such as calf raises, while waiting on the copy machine or for the meeting room to open.
- Drink more water. This will not only keep you hydrated, but will also require you to walk to the bathroom more often (a good way to get you up and moving!).
- Park farther away from your building entrance.
- If you are having trouble finding the motivation to be more active at work, remind yourself why you want to be active by writing down 1 different reason each month. Put a sticky note on your computer screen that says “I move more because I want to be around for my grandchildren”.