Chances are you sit at your desk buried in e-mails and conference calls for extended lengths of time without a break. Your health is adversely affected by excessive sitting especially if your posture is poor and you slouch. These tasks never stop in your daily office grind. An important part of wellness is eliminating the effects of this sedentary lifestyle. One hour of pre or post work exercise is beneficial but is not the solution and will not negate the downward spiral caused by sitting too much says research by the American Heart Association. While being productive in your given profession is vitally important, working and living smarter can be accomplished at the same time. Learn some simple exercises to do at your desk and in your office, that will improve your performance mentally and physically.
Set reminders to stand up and move around every hour and trigger a reminder 5 minutes prior to appointments to incorporate one of these 5 easy exercise ideas for a healthier more productive workday:
- Get the Blood Flowing – The circulation of oxygen is the foundation for health. – Start from the bottom, move each joint and flex each muscle: wiggle your toes, role your ankles, extend your knees, squeeze your bottom, flex and extend your spine, sit up straight to twist right and left, roll your shoulders elbows and wrists, squeeze a fist and spread your fingers, roll your neck, even stretch your eyes and mouth, finish with a deep breath.
- Pump up with Body WeightStrengthening Exercises – Performing chair or wall squats, desk push-ups, triceps dips, and full body extensions (like a reverse plank) activates large muscle groups and engages the core.
- Energize and Rejuvenate with Yoga – Balance your cortisol levels with cat/cow, eagle, warrior, up dog and down dog on your desk to help reduce stress and regain focus.
- Relieve Tension on Your Joints with Stretches – Gravity’s constant force pulls us forward and adds exponential tension on supporting structures as we fatigue. Counteract the effects of gravity by stretching in the opposite direction, think backwards: pull your fingers back to stretch your wrists, pull your shoulders back to open your chest and lungs, look up and pull your head back to stretch your neck, extend your spine with a supported backbend, stretch your quads to counteract too much sitting.
- Be a Wanderer – Walking around the office is very underrated. Wear a headset and pace when on conference calls and when listening to an online web broadcast. Instead of dialing an extension, make a personal appearance at your co-worker’s desk or cubicle.