If you’re someone who’s sat at a desk for around 8 hours a day, 5 times a week, you’re probably feeling the effect on your body by now. And you’re not alone! Thousands of people across the globe know just how hard a desk job can be on your overall health. Leading a more sedentary lifestyle isn’t all that good for you, despite how nice sitting down is, and you need to get moving to offset this time in the chair. But how can you motivate yourself to do just that? By making it easy! Here’s how to squeeze exercise in without much thought.
Go Ergonomic
Ergonomic means getting yourself a desk and chair that support your body, rather than actively damaging it – i.e., a desk you can adjust to different heights and a chair that has padded cushioning to engage your lumbar. This way you can stand up to work when need be and then sit back down knowing your spine is being pushed into the upright position. This will help you to maintain that straightness in your back that’s healthy for keeping the muscles strong.
Focus on Your Back and Legs
When you’re sitting at a desk all day long, you’re going to naturally slouch over time. That can crunch your back and hips, and make you feel all stiff back there. And that’s not good! So these are the two areas you need to focus on as a desk worker. For example, make some time to do a fitness routine where front plank hip extensions are included; these can stretch things out while still helping your bones and joints to feel strong. And most of all, try to stay conscious over the way you’re sat; you might even need to sit up straight right now!
Desk Exercises Can Work Well
Yes, desk exercises are a thing, and they can be used to good effect! You can easily work out your arms, shoulders, and upper body by keeping weighted items next to your workspace and intermittently using them to help keep your muscles supple. Simple weight lifting movements count for a lot here – a quick 2 to 3 minutes of arm circles or bicep curls will really help you to feel strong in these areas of your body.
If You Work From Home, Take Many Mini Breaks
If you’re someone who’s lucky enough to work from the comfort of your home, it’s up to you to decide the schedule. And that means you’ve got the chance to take mini breaks whenever you need them and fit a bit of desk-work-busting exercise in. You can spare 5 minutes here and there to get up and have a walk around and stretch, or even to do some Yoga poses – these are great for flexing your muscles and bones when the desk has you hunched over all day.
Working a desk job can wreak havoc on your body! Tips like these can help you feel better.