Desk-Friendly Exercises You Can Do at the Office

Sitting for 8 hours a day may not look like a bad thing, but you are destroying your body. The impact may not manifest itself immediately, but with time, you will start feeling the effects. Leading a sedentary lifestyle can do irreparable damage to your body if you don’t do something about it. Fortunately for many people who spend the better part of their day in the office, there are ways you can keep yourself active, even exercising, while handling your office work.

We are going to explore all the desk-friendly exercises that you can engage in around your workstation without intruding in other people’s spaces. If you have been trying to find ways of keeping your body fit but can’t find the time to break away from a demanding job, then this is where you should be.

Working While Standing

Sometimes, all you need is a simple switch in positioning, from sitting to standing while handling your daily tasks. The difference your body will experience will be vast as you will be able to stretch a little without pausing your work. But how exactly do you pull this off? By taking advantage of standing desk benefits. There are many standing desks options in the market that you can consider, but the best so far would be the Vici Duplex Standing Desk that comes packed with amazing features that include the following:

• Adjustable height that allows you to extend the desk to accommodate you while standing.
• A programmable control panel that allows you to calibrate the desk to your height quickly.
• A two-tier desktop that redefines multitasking, allowing two people to share the desktop space at the same time.

Having an automatic standing desk of this nature in your workstation gives you flexibility and a chance to keep fit without going overboard. Getting work done is important, but that should never, don’t come at the expense of your health and wellness. 

Stair Climbing

You can utilize the 30-minute breaks you regularly get to keep your body fit by going up and down staircases. You may end up sweating a little, which can be uncomfortable, but it is one of the best exercises you can give your legs. Begin by setting a timer, between 5-10 minutes, and slowly climb a flight of stairs. 

You don’t have to be in a rush or anything; simply maintain a constant pace, breathing in and out properly to reduce fatigue. You can also switch up to taking two stairs at a timer or increasing the pace if you don’t mind sweating a little. Take breaks after every 5 minutes before resuming. Doing this for 30 minutes will do more for your leg muscles compared to sitting down the whole day. 

Squats

One of the perks of working from home is the privacy that allows you to try anything you want. Squats are one of the most convenient quick exercise methods that you can quickly squeeze in as you work. They can come in very handy in a workstation that has an adjustable standing desk or a standing desk converter that allows you to work while standing. 

You won’t even need to create extra space for this, simply hit five squats every 10 minutes as you work, and you will start feeling the difference after some days. Another advantage of working from home is the freedom to wear your trainers while at it; you don’t have to worry about sweating, which allows you to go all out. However, do the squats in moderation to avoid injuring yourself.

Jumping Rope

Jumping rope is both fun and a good way to squeeze in a solid exercise to break the monotony of sitting down behind your desk the whole day. Unfortunately, it can be a little distracting if you share office space with other people. Jumping rope would work best in a break room if you are alone or if you are fortunate enough to work from home, then you can have all the freedom you need. 

Once again, the aim here is to keep your body active as you take a short break from sitting down. Keep things moderate, just enough to keep the blood flowing to your legs properly. A 5 to 10-minute jumping session spread evenly throughout your working hours is all you need. If you keep this up for weeks, you will start seeing the difference in your body.

Fitness Chair

You will be surprised by the levels of innovation people go to ensure wellness and fitness at the workspace. Thanks to pioneers like Flexispot, you can now get your hands on desk bikes. A standing desk bike has special workspace chairs that come with pedals that you can ride like a normal bike as you work to keep fit. It is the most convenient and effective way of combining work with exercise. The best part? It is silent as a grave, your colleagues could be sitting next to you and they wouldn’t hear a single sound coming off the pedaling no matter how hard you push yourself. 

Some standout features that Flexispot standing desk bike bring include the following;

• Easy mobility, thanks to wheels that allow you to push it around to any available office without breaking your back.
• Height-adjustable seat for easy alignment with your working desk.
• Comfortable padding on the seat to reduce the pressure your body feels as you apply your weight on the chair.
• Adjustable pedal difficulty levels for a bit of some challenge.

Leg Lifts

Leg lifts bring the convenience of working out undercover while sitting on your desk, and nobody will even notice. You don’t even need to have actual weights strapped on your legs. You simply need to raise one foot into the air and hold it for 20 seconds, repeating the same with the other leg, then both legs,  and so on. 

Legs suffer the most when you spend too much time sitting down without any significant movement; resorting to leg lifts may help change that for you, and you don’t even have to stop your work to do it. You only need about 10 minutes of leg lifting, adding your modifications like drawing circles, to make it more effective. If you have the means, buy some lightweight lifts, strap them on your legs to add some extra weight for better results.

A Walk

There’s nothing a good short walk cannot mend. The fatigue that results in sitting for hours hunched over a desk doesn’t just affect the body; it also affects the mind and giving yourself a little break could do wonders. The ideal thing to do here would be to take a nap, but that’s not how workspaces operate. 

Therefore, the next best option would be a short walk. If you work from home, taking your dog out for between 30 minutes to an hour of your lunch break will give your legs the exercise they need, and at the same time, your mind gets to think about something else apart from work. Taking in the fresh air and listening to the sounds of nature could boost your motivation and increase productivity instead of sitting in one place the whole day. Make short walks a part of your working routine, and you will attain the wellness you need to keep going.

Stretching

The parts of the body that suffer the most when you sit down for too long are the neck and the back. One way of countering these side effects would be to use an ergonomic office chair that hugs your back well and supports your neck, but these may not be enough. It doesn’t matter how comfortable the chair may be, you will start feeling some discomfort when you sit for too long, and stretching could be the other option worth trying. 

Gently twist your body from side to side to stretch the back muscles and realign your spine a little. The same can be done for the neck; stretch it from side to side gently to free up the muscles a bit. You can do this once every two hours if you are too busy or once every hour if your work is light. Investing in a motorized standing desk will also stop you from having to hunch over when you work.

Word of Caution

Switching from a sedentary position straight into a workout is not a good idea; you need to prepare your body and mind before beginning any form of exercise, no matter how small it may be. When you sit for too long, muscles tend to tense up, and when you jump straight into a job, the sudden release can lead to injuries, something you may not be ready to deal with. Therefore, warm up a little before embarking on any form of desk-friendly exercise. It would help you attain better results if you work out regularly in your free time. Ease your body into the exercise routine, don’t surprise it with sudden movements.

Conclusion

Fitness at the workplace is as important as the work itself. Productivity suffers when you are not operating at optimum levels. The human body needs exercise and rest; denying these two important things after sitting behind a desk for 8 hours will only lead to costly health issues. If you wish to learn more about office furniture and accessories that you can use to improve fitness in your workspace, visit our website at your earliest convenience and go through our extensive catalog. You may stumble on something you never knew you needed. This article is written by Eugene Sabayi.