Did you know that the average person sits between 7 and 15 hours per day? That’s a lot of time spent resting on your backside.
Most office workers lead fairly sedentary lives. The bad news? All that sitting down is not good for your health or your creativity.
Today is National Fitness Day. To celebrate, we thought we would round up some easy ways that you stay fit even if you’re hunched over your laptop from 9-5.
1. Drink up
Drinking water throughout the day improves alertness, short-term memory, and productivity.
Fill up your water bottle several times a day. Set yourself a challenge to drink a certain amount of water before home time. Bonus points if you walk to the water cooler that is furthest away.
2. Set a timer
When we’re really engrossed in an important task we can spend hours at our computers without getting up or having a stretch.
An easy way to get around this is to set a reminder either on your laptop or phone that prompts you to get up and walk around every so often. Try to move at least once an hour. Go pay your colleague a visit or go get a coffee.
3. Have an active commute
Running for the bus doesn’t count. One of the easiest ways to introduce some exercise into your workday is to either walk, bike, or run to work each morning.
If that sounds a bit daunting you can start small. Get off the bus a few stops early or take a walk around the park before coming into the office. It might seem insignificant but all these little things will help set you up for the day.
4. Do workouts at your desk
And we mean subtle workouts. Please don’t start doing jumping jacks or lunges at your desk. After all, everyone else is trying to concentrate.
There are however a few simple desk exercises that you can do while sitting down. Try tightening and releasing your abs for a few moments. Squeeze and release your glutes or perform leg raises under your desk. No one will ever know.
5. Take a breather
Meditation isn’t just a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. You might not realise it but when you’re concentrating on a task you will automatically take short shallow breaths. This will tell your body that you’re stressed, even if you’re not.
Slow your breathing and heart rate down by taking 10 long deliberate breaths at your desk every morning or after lunch. It could be the difference between feeling stressed and feeling productive.
6. Bring a packed lunch
Nutrition is a huge part of staying fit and healthy. If you work in a big town or city your office is probably surrounded by fast food outlets.
Beat the temptation by making your lunch at home the night before. You’re much more likely to choose healthier options if you are prepping your food yourself. Plus you can feel smug knowing that your lunch tastes better than anything you could have bought in a shop.
