Sitting in a chair all day is not good for your health. Neither is sitting in a car. When you sit all day you can get blood clots, muscle damage and multiple other issues. How can you combat this when you have to go to work every day? Well, here are some easy ways you can stay fit and active even working in an office:
- Take the stairs – If you work in a multi-level office building then stairs are a great way for you to stay fit. Even if you work on the bottom floor you can still walk the stairs during your breaks. Take the mail, visit a co-worker, check in with the boss upstairs. Whatever it takes to do it just get moving. If you have your laptop bag or briefcase then all the better. You can get quite a work out just going up and down stairs. If you are not fit enough to make it all the way to your floor then just take it one floor at a time. You can always exit to the elevators if you need to. Then every day try to go a little further until you can walk up and down those stairs with ease.
- Alternative commute – Instead of sitting in traffic all morning why not take an alternate commute. Many people live within walking or biking distance to their work place. Take your bike and you might even get to work earlier because you are not stuck in a traffic jam. If that is not doable for your location there are many ways you can add walking or biking to your commuter. Walk to the bus stop or bike there. Many buses now have bike racks on the front so that bikers can become a part of their route as well. Plus you will save money on gas.
- Walking breaks –Throughout your day you get breaks, or you should. Take this opportunity to walk around and get moving. If you have to talk to a coworker go take the long route to their office instead of sending an email. If you need a drink of water why not take the long way back to your desk. You can even walk to get your lunch. By staying active you will feel better and work better too.
- Fitness routine – Stand up at your desk and stretch. Changing your position helps to avoid back strain and other issues. If you have an office with a door you can shut the door, lie down on the floor and do sit-ups, push-ups, leg lifts and stretches. Having a simple fitness routine breaks up the day and helps keep your muscles in shape. Try to increase the amount you do every day. It only takes five minutes but it can make a huge improvement.
- Healthy snacks –Last but not least is your eating habits. Instead of sitting at your desk with a Coke and a bag of Cheetos why not munch on an apple and roam the halls. Bring your own healthy and easy to eat snacks with you and keep moving while you eat. Then you are killing two birds with one stone.
These are just a few of the ways you can stay healthy and fit at work without breaking a sweat. It is not hard to be more active you just have to make the effort to get started!
Rachel is an ex-babysitting pro as well as a professional writer and blogger. She is a graduate from Iowa State University and currently writes for www.babysitting.net. She welcomes questions/comments which can be sent to rachelthomas.author @ gmail.com.