How to Add More Movement to Your Day

Desk jobs require us to stay in front of our computers for 8 hours a day, which can easily make us stiff, reduce the movement our bodies would have done otherwise, and even make us feel sluggish sometimes. Working from home may make matters even more stagnant since we don’t have to drive and walk to the office and move around the office. While sitting is definitely not a “new smoking”, reduction in physical activity can contribute to heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some kinds of cancer, and obesity. According to CDC, low levels of physical activity are associated with an estimated $117 billion annually in health care costs. Staying physically active helps reduce not only medical conditions such as above, but it also improves mental state and mood, reducing depression, emotional upset and anxiety. How do we add more movement to our day when the requirements of desk jobs seem to prevent us from any movement at all?

1. Use an exercise ball for a desk chair.

   You don’t have to sit on a ball all day, however switching between the ball and the chair will help with engaging your core just to keep yourself sitting up straight. You’ll end up fidgeting to keep balance – which adds to overall movement, and it really is just fun, especially to bounce up and down 😊

1. Invest in a raised desk extension.

   When I first started working from home, spending money on a temporary tool didn’t make much sense, until a couple months into it I realized it was taking way longer than anyone expected. I was first using a large plastic container on top of my desk. Then I decided to purchase the real deal. It raises easily and goes back down with a touch of a button. I leave it up at the end of my work day, just so in the morning I am naturally prompted to stand at my desk.

3. Take short breaks to walk around or do a few squats/lunges/leg raises.

   As you get up to move, your muscles get engaged, blood circulation increases, insulin sensitivity improves, and your brain gets a well-deserved break as well. I tend to forget to do it, so I set my alarm for every 25 min to take a couple minutes to walk around the house, or get a glass of water/cup of tea, or do a few stretches.

4. If you are a gym goer or have a home-exercise routine

   use your lunch break to get your session in. Mornings are usually tight to fit in a fitness break with all the breakfasts’ prepping and kids’ lunches packing, and evenings often fill up with home-making and other family engagements, leaving us no time to exercise. But if you plan your session during lunch break, nothing gets on your way and you give your body and mind an active break.

5. Take your dog out for walks… even if you don’t have one

   😉 Going on a 20 min or longer walk in the morning and at night is an easy way to clock in more movement in you day. I take my dog out, but if you don’t have one – nothing should stop you from going alone. Take this time to breath and listen to the birds outside, clear out your mind, or listed to your favorite podcast or music.

Some of the sitting is of course inevitable, that is the only way sometimes to concentrate and get stuff done. But without breaks, and more so – active breaks, we may miss out on the refreshing bursts of new energy and creativity so important to keep going and making sure we put in quality work and stay healthy along the way.

Stay Nourished My Friends!