6 Ways To Stay Active When You Have To Sit Down All Day

02/07/2018
Ella Brandt

Ella gives you a few quick tips on how to stay active when you get paid to sit down! Also for some reason there are loads of cats…

Working at desk is something that most of us do every day, for a lot of hours. Then by the time we finish school/college/work there’s a good chance that you don’t want to go for a run or do some squats when you get home. So, to help you out (and give you more time to watch something on Netflix) I’ve made a quick list of things to do throughout your working day to stay active and motivated.

Drink Water

Yeah, I know, you know this one already, but being hydrated is super important for brain function and just straight-up general well-being. Not only will you have to fill up your glass/bottle, so you have to take a walk now and again, but drinking water will ALSO stop you from snacking on the office’s endless supply of cake, cookies and chocolate… hopefully. If you don’t like the taste of water you can always add cucumber, mint, lemon, or frozen fruit like raspberries and cherries. It’ll make it far more enjoyable!

Making a few extra steps

After drinking all that water you’ll most certainly need to go to the loo (sorry – it’s what happens.) To get some extra steps in, why you don’t take a stroll to the toilets a little further away from your desk? It’ll give you the chance to get some extra calories burnt and it’s a change of scenery – even if it is just a toilet.

Set a timer

Set a timer to remind you to get up and do something every 45 minutes. Sitting down for hours on end really doesn’t help your energy levels or your motivation, so forcing yourself to get up do and something else will help you work better and more efficiently. You could even use this time to have a five-minute dance break and see how many people you can rope into joining you. If dancing isn’t something your workplace is down for, firstly – I’m sorry, secondly, why don’t you try an…

…exercise jar

Write down a few exercises and a duration (star-jumps 30 seconds, wall-sit one minute for example) on folded-up Post-it notes and put them in a pot. Whenever you and your work crew are in a funk, take one out and workout together! You could even make a competition out of it – keep a leaderboard or make a ‘dare’ jar to start a game of workout or dare (not as catchy as truth or dare, but you get the point).

Don’t eat lunch at your desk

Although it might seem tempting to sit where you work to get more done, ultimately, you’re not giving yourself a mental break from work and you’re going to go bonkers. Get out of the office and eat your lunch away from your computer. If you’re in a meeting or need to eat lunch at your desk make the time later on to go for a walk. Walking after you eat has been proven to improve your digestion as well – your brain and legs will thank you.

Stretch

Sitting down in the same position makes you stiff. If you feel yourself feeling tense and achy do a few stretches to loosen yourself up. Stretching helps blood flow into muscles that have become inactive, so stretching when you feel tired at work can really help with making you feel more awake. Try these to begin with: