We can all get caught up in just sending one more email, making one more call, or drafting one more letter. By the time we look up, its lunch and we haven’t even left our desk. When we take a closer look at our day all we have really done is…sit. We sit in the car, at our desk, the dinner table, and in front of the television. In fact, the average person sits more than eight hours per day - that is bad news. Research shows that constant sitting significantly increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. The good news is you can stand up to obesity. Simply by, you guessed it, standing up! Here are a few creative ways to work out while working:
Deep desk stretch: There are countless online videos that will show you how to get a good stretch from the comforts of your office chair. Take a 5-minute afternoon break to stretch it out! Have an office buddy around? Ask them to join and set a meeting time every day!
Meet on the go: Who said meetings have to take place in a room. Try a walking meeting to boost creativity, productivity, and morale.
Walking lunch: Your lunch break is the perfect time to take a walk. Worried about not having time to eat? You could see health benefits from even a 10-minute walk.
Stand up: An easy way to sit less is to stand during phone calls. Stand or even walk in place for the duration of the call.
Talk to your co-workers: Have a question for accounting? Need some advice from legal? Take a walk down the hall. It can be more productive than emailing back and forth.
Use the printer furthest away: If you do a lot of printing, choose the printer farthest from your work area. This may only add a few steps to your trip, but every step counts!