Reading Time: 4 minutesLast updated on May 7th, 2024 at 02:43 pm
All of us that work in an office know how hard it can be to keep fit and exercise as often as we should. This article aims at giving a few tips that will make it easier to get that little bit of exercise and keep fitter while you are at work. None of the tips will involve massive changes to your work routine (we are not suggesting that you go to the gym at lunchtime for example).
- Walk up and down the stairs rather than take the lift.
If you work in an office with a lift then you might want to consider walking up the stairs to your office (of course if you work on the 30th floor then this might not seem like a good idea so why not get out a couple of floors early and use the stairs for those last couple of floors).
- Eat healthily at work.
As we point out on our page about eating well at work there are many ways that you can improve your diet while at work – resist that temptation to eat a bar of chocolate and try some fruit, nuts or even a granola bar for example. - Walk to the next bus stop, station or park further away.
If you catch the bus home from work why not walk to the next stop, or if you use the underground in London or other places why not walk to the next station. If you drive to work then try parking further away in the car park or further down the road. It may not be much of a distance but if you can add a 20-30 minute brisk walk into your daily routine it will help. The author used to do this when working in London, he would walk to a bus stop further down the route in the morning and the evening and this meant that he was getting some much needed exercise. - Get enough sleep
Although this is not something you can do in an office try to get a good nights’ sleep, save the late night movies or computer games for the week-ends. Many people report that an 8 hours sleep refreshes them and keep them going through the day. While on the subject of sleep, try to wind down at the end of the day, if you go to bed with your mind buzzing it will take you some time to settle down, try some listening to some relaxing music, read a good book or just end the day with a gentle wind down, maybe even going for a gentle walk round the block. - Take regular breaks
If you, like me, find that you have been sitting at your computer for hours try to break this habit – set an alarm on your system so that once an hour (or once every 90 minutes) you are reminded to get up and walk – stretch your legs by getting a drink, going to the loo or even getting up and walking to the window to take a look outside. This helps the muscles by making them move and also helps you eyes as you are not focusing on the same thing all the time. Your breaks do not have to be for a long time, just a minute or two is all it needs. - Reduce the caffeine intake
Having just suggested that you take a break and get drink the author would like to suggest that you reduce your caffeine intake, so if you are getting a drink try drinking water or even herbal tea. Caffeine in tea and coffee stimulates the nervous system and makes you feel alert, however this stops the body from relaxing and is addictive (which is why you get headaches at week-ends and holidays if you drink a lot of coffee during the week and not at week-ends). - Check your chair
Offices in the UK have a duty of care to make sure that the chairs and equipment is not adversely affecting their clients health. If you are getting back-aches after sitting in your chair for some time try to adjust it to see if it makes any difference. If not, and it is at the right height, then talk to your employer about the possibility of a backrest, a cushion or even a new chair. - Exercise at your desk
While sitting at your desk there are several exercises that you can do – for example rotate your foot, stretch your arms, roll your shoulders and move your head. You can even exercise your eyes by covering one eye with a hand and looking up, down, left and right. None of these exercises will take more than a few seconds but they are all using muscles that then not to be used while sitting at a desk.
As you can see, none of the tips above will take a lot of effort, but taken together they will help keep you fitter and healthier in your office, meaning that you will be able to do more when you get home.