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Getting your blood flowing while you work has many benefits. It can increase your ability to focus , as well as your overall health. Unfortunately, if you're working a standard nine-to-five job in an office, you may find it difficult to get your heart rate up and feel the benefits of staying active. Desk jobs can be particularly detrimental to your health if they require you to sit without moving for long periods.
Here are just a few ways that you can stay active at work, keep your blood moving and your body healthy despite the pressures and requirements of working full time behind a desk.
Walk or Bike to Work
One quick way to see health benefits quickly is to change up your commute. Instead of sitting in traffic, which is bad for your body and your stress levels as well as your wallet, see if you can find a way to walk or bike to work . Starting your morning with some light exercise every morning can have benefits that last for your whole life. One of the biggest problems with any exercise regimen is making it a routine that you can't break. Integrating exercise with your daily commute makes it a habit and a routine that will be harder to break or forget.
Exercise at your Desk
There are lots of ways to get exercise in while you're at your desk. You can do seated core exercises or desk based stretches. Stretching is very important for helping to prevent carpal tunnel and other repetitive stress injuries. Building core strength, meanwhile, isn't just going to help you fit into those skinny jeans you love; they're also going to help with back pain and your overall health.
Additionally, you will likely find that regular small breaks to exercise at your desk and get your blood flowing will help you focus on your work better. You can set a timer to remind you to take regular stretching breaks and do a little workout at your desk to help keep your blood moving.
Take a Walk
Whenever you can, make a point to get up and move around. Whether it's walking to a coffee shop instead of having a meeting in the office, or walking down to the bathroom that's a little further away, stretching your legs can make a huge difference to your health. It will also help to clear your head and help you focus on your work. It's also a good way to meet people in your office that you might not otherwise meet, and make connections that might be helpful to you later. An office full of people that get up, move around and talk to each other is an office that is happier and healthier.
Change your Office Design
There are also a lot of small adjustments that you can make to your office space to help keep your blood moving. There are simple things, like moving the coffee machine further away, so you have to get up and stretch your legs in order to refill your cup. You can make a point to buy keyboards that are better for your wrists and help prevent carpal tunnel and other RSIs. You can swap out your desk chair for an exercise ball or even turn your desk into a standing desk to keep you on your feet and moving throughout the day.
Getting your blood flowing throughout the work day can have a tremendous positive impact on your health and the overall quality of your work life. Making lots of small changes and taking incremental steps towards health and wellness increases the likelihood that you find success. If any one step doesn't work for you or isn't sustainable long term for your lifestyle, you haven't put all your health eggs in one basket. Find a combination of habits that work for you and is sustainable long term to reap long term benefits.
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