Top Tips for Getting Maximum Movement During Desk-Seated Hours

Whether you’re a blogger, a freelancer, or work in an office, it’s likely that you spend a large portion of your time sitting down. In fact the average person spends more than six hours a day sitting at a desk, and will then often relax in front of the TV on the couch at night.

Did you know that we need to get a whole hour of exercise every day just to stave off the effects of sitting down all day? If your boss hasn’t yet upgraded your office desk to a treadmill desk, here are some top tips for getting maximum movement during desk-seated hours:

Walk while you talk

If you have a meeting, why not suggest you take a couple of loops of the office while talking? Walking gets your creativity flowing, introducing more oxygen to your brain, and most importantly, gets you active and away from your desk chair. Another great option is to go for a walk on your lunch break, or combine a walk around the block with a meeting with your team and let everyone enjoy the fresh air.

Drink More

Sure, coffee is great, and it sure gets me through the day, but you really need to drink more water. Not only is it good for you, but it’ll mean more trips to the bathroom so you need to get up from your desk. Use the restroom that’s furtherest from your desk for extra points, and you may even want to do some light stretching while in the bathroom.

Office Yoga

Yoga has been popular for 5,000 years, and I don’t see it going anywhere. There’s a reason why so many people love yoga, and it’s a great way to build muscles, improve your posture, and stretch. Furniture At Work recently released an excellent infographic after collaborating with a yoga instructor, and you’ll find five different stretches you can try, including the Cat Cow Stretch, Chair Eagle Pose and more.

Stand More

When you’re standing you’ll naturally want to move more, so consider taking calls while standing, requesting a standing desk, or doing-it-yourself with your laptop screen and keyboard placed on an extra table or some books so you can stand at work.

Remind Yourself

It’s easy to forget to get enough movement when you’re trying to meet a deadline- after all things need to get done. Set reminders on your phone or personal calendar every hour, which will remind you to get up, grab a drink of water, take a quick walk or go to the bathroom.

Change your commute

If you drive to work, could you park a little further away and enjoy a walk to and from your car? Or even switch to the train or bus, incorporating a walk to your public transport of choice? You may even want to consider buying a bike so you can bike to and from work- great for you, and great for the environment.

Share your #OfficeYoga tips on Twitter @Furniture_Work (via Furniture at Work).