Working an office or desk job can truly make or break your wellness goals. It’s usually one extreme or another – so glued to your screen that lunchtime has passed you by to snacking on the most convenient snack available to heading out for lunch with a coworker to get out of the office altogether. One thing is for sure – it’s tough to stay active, yet completely possible.

Check out these tips:

PREPARE

Does your office have gym accessibility or a workout station? If not, how about a set of stairs or perhaps a path to take a walk outdoors? If there is a will, there is a way. And it is best to show up prepared. To really get up and moving on a regular basis, accountability is key. Pack your sneakers for a quick power workout, as well as some healthy snacks to house at your desk to prevent the urge to visit the vending machine. If planning to exercise after work hours, keep your prepped gym bag in the car. Going straight from work to the gym works wonders, rather than heading home afterwards and risking not wanting to trek back out.

person in black pants wearing white and red nike sneakers
Photo by Magda Ehlers

Some offices have implemented treadmill or standing desk workstations as a means of getting employees excited about fitness, while also continuing to work without remaining idle throughout the day. Talk about multi-tasking!

TIME IT

If you do not own a fancy device, such as the Fitbit, you will find that our smartphone apps can give us everything we need. It can be so easy to get caught up in a day’s work that we don’t eat as well or take as many bathroom breaks as we should. This is where the timer comes into play – set it for desired intervals and get up and moving (i.e., walk 2-3 flights of stairs). It may not feel like much at first, but with time and consistency, the results and great habits will follow.

MAKE IT FUN

Are your colleagues up for a challenge?

  1. Log number of steps per week.
  2. Log stairwell flights.
  3. Take a mini hike.
  4. Bike to work.

SWITCH IT UP

Take advantage of the available technology. Consider downloading apps (many are FREE) for a quick workout, meditation, fitness tracker and a timer. You will be surprised that many workouts can be done without bulky equipment, and right at your desk!

Here are a few:

  1. Squats
  2. Lunges
  3. Desk push-ups
  4. Plank
  5. Crunches and sit-ups
  6. Wall sits
  7. Jumping jacks
  8. Burpees
  9. Tricep dips
  10. Stretches

Lastly, stay hydrated, try to reduce stress and get lots of rest!