Working in an office for around 40 hours a week – or more when things get busy – can take its toll on your body. Between zooming between the office and home and doing household tasks – in addition to working 9 – 5 – there’s very little time to fit a workout in.
You could, of course, wake up at crack of dawn and fit a workout in before the day begins. But that’s more than likely going to cut into your sleeping schedule, and we all know how important sleep is.
You’re Not Alone
Exercise not only boosts your fitness levels but also relieves stress and releases endorphins. While we all want to make the time for it, it’s hard to. According to research which was done recently, only one in three adults gets the recommended 150 minutes of exercise a week. A study by fitness.gov also found that, in the United States, 28% of the population older than 60 years old are inactive.
Desk Exercises, Are They Even Beneficial?
Sitting behind your computer for hours upon hours at a time can take its toll on your health. In addition to this, it can impact your work performance. A research study conducted by the American College of Sports Medicine and the Journal of Workplace Health Management reported that 60% of office-bound employees felt an improvement in their problem-solving skills, time management and ability to meet deadlines following an exercise session.
In addition to this, on exercise days 27% were able to better cope with stress while 47% felt more motivated about working.
By including exercise in your workday, it allows you to take regular breaks to improve your productivity. In addition, you could take it a step further and ask your boss to dedicate a 15-minute slot during the day for exercise. This way you’re working in a healthier environment alongside people with similar goals.
Let’s take it upon ourselves to find ways to remain active wherever we may be – no excuses. To get started, let’s take a look at nine exercises that you can do at your desk.
9 Desk-Friendly Exercises
Neck stretches: Sitting at your desk, slowly lower your chin and roll your head and shoulders. Slowly straighten your arms out straight in front of you, hold for a few seconds and then release. Repeat if necessary.
Wrist stretches: Extend your arms out in front of you with your palms facing upwards. Slowly turn your palms towards one another and press them together.
Leg raises: Sitting at your desk. Maintain your right foot in a flat on the floor and bring your left leg up so that it moves parallel to the ground. Lower and repeat on the other side.
Chair dips: Sitting on the edge of your seat, put your legs out in front of you. Place your arms alongside your hips and grab the edges of the seat. Slowly lift your body off of the chair and then slowly lower it back down. Repeat a few times.
Calf raises: Standing with arms by your side, slowly lift the balls of your feet and hold for a few seconds before releasing. Repeat a few times.
Shadowboxing: This one is not so discreet but will do a great job at getting rid of frustrations. It is pretty self-explanatory. Just punch the air in front of you – be sure to have a safe distance between you and your computer!
Dumbbell curls: Using water bottles of the same weight, or any office supplies of the same weight, you can perform dumbbell curls and lateral raises – to name but a few. It’s as simple as that.
Planking: Wherever you may be standing around, the potential for performing a leaning plank is there. Take a step back from the table or counter and then lean against it. Hold for as long as you can.
Chest opener: Perch on the edge of your seat. Put both hands on the base of your neck and slowly round your shoulders and roll them in a circle. Repeat a few times.
Finding time to exercise is important in more ways than one. Our tips for exercising at your desk can be used anywhere with a chair or table, which means that it’s not limited to the office. You can also supplement your office exercise with a quick walk around the building to get in your daily dose of cardio. There’s really no excuse to lead an inactive lifestyle!
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
Would you like to discover additional information about exercise? If you do, then the Personal Training Diploma that we offer may interest you. For more information, please follow this link.