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Staying Active When Deskbound
Fitness | May 18, 2019
“Sitting is the new smoking.”
Hear about this lately? News media outlets and fitness experts were proclaiming this statement left and right a while back, causing all of us to worry if our nightly TV binges were out to get us. I myself have even warned about the consequences of too much sitting (read my old posts hereand here). However, while this comparison has quickly been debunked (smoking will always be, well, the new smoking), it doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks that come from prolonged sitting. [1] Diabetes, blood pressure, obesity, depression, and heart disease are all on the table when it comes to prolonged sitting. And that’s not just from entertainment. It’s also from the workplace. The American Heart Associationreports that the rise of sedentary jobs has increased by a whopping 83% since 1950, with active jobs making less than 20% of the workforce, which is down from nearly half of jobs since the 60s, according to Johns Hopkins.[2]
While we can point the blame at society and complain all we want, at the end of the day, we still have bills to pay. And some of us don’t have the luxury of working at home. Although I happen to be a part of the lucky few, I do respect those that sacrifice so much in order to make a living. Which is why I’ve written today’s post just for you, my deskbound warriors. Just because you have to work a 9 to 5 does not mean you can’t stay fit. In fact, far from it. You can be in great shape and ward off the effects of excessive sitting with these doable tips and tricks. The question is, are you ready? Then gets started!
Change Your Workspace
Right off the bat, one of the easiest things you can do is making a few alterations to your workspace. Let’s start with your desk. If possible, get rid of your chair by opting for a standing station. You can invest in one with adjustable height or put your computer on a stand. (These can be purchased online or bad simply using a few textbooks or plastic boxes.) Can’t change your desk? No problem! How about we give your chair a new makeover? Replace it with a medicine ball (or medicine ball chair), or go for an Active Balance or Wobble Chair. Both of these options force you to activate your core in order to remain stabilized, which is a mini workout in and of itself (not to mention the fact that it helps maintain good posture!).
One more add on is portable exercise equipment. And don’t worry, these aren’t going to be majorly distracting. Simply pack a few exercise bands and a pair of sliders and keep them in a nearby bag or drawer in your desk. These will come in handy for one of my later tips! But I think you know where this is going.
Take a Stand
Seriously, what’s the harm in standing up? Research has shown to employees opting to stand rather than sit have increased productivity, mental clarity, and focus, and are more collaborative than their fellow employees who choose to sit. [3] So, if increased productivity is a far greater incentive than, I don’t know-better circulation, mobility, posture, lymph flow, lowering disease risk, then what do you have to lose? Actually, some (healthy) weight. Research from by the University of Iowashows that employees that utilized standing desks burned an estimated 87 more calories than their sedentary counterparts. [4] Sure, that doesn’t seem like much at first but multiply that by 5 (for an average workweek) and that’s 435 extra calories burned with practically no effort. (Side note- you know that I’m not one to talk about obsessing over calories and such, but they do play a role in weight management. Even if you’re not looking to lose weight, this can be just another method of naturally maintaining a healthy weight!) Clearly, standing up is beneficial for a number of reasons, including health, productivity in the workplace, and weight management. A good tactic for beginners is alternating between sitting and standing every 30 minutes. (So, 30 minutes standing, 30 minutes sitting; go back and forth.)
Create Exercise Breaks
Your timer is going to come in handy again. I suggest you incorporate mini exercise breaks throughout the day. And by mini, I mean 2-5 minutes at most. These little breaks will have you performing one or a combination of exercises before getting back to work. Remember those bands and sliders I mentioned? Bring those in. You can do a variety of exercises with them, from reverse lunges with the sliders to hip abductions with the bands. If you’d rather not use those, no worries. Try doing bodyweight exercises like pushups, squats, and planks. Plan these breaks for every hour on the hour. The total amount of time spent on them will soon add up by the end of the day, so don’t dismiss them! If you’re working a typical 9 to 5, that could tally anywhere between 24 to 40 minutes. Not bad, huh?
Another tip is simply getting up and moving around the office. Go and refill your water, talk with a coworker, use the bathroom on a different floor (if possible), take the stairs, park further away from the building, stand up and pace around during phone calls… I hope you know what I’m getting at! Just continue to move and find excuses to move. Some people even plan walking meetings with their coworkers, which is great for squeezing in some exercise while also breaking up the monotony of being stuck in the same space.
For a good estimation in terms of time, research from the British Journal of Sports Medicinerecommends aiming for at least two hours of standing or walking every day, with four hours being ideal. And don’t think you have to do this all in one go- remember, activity can be spread throughout the day, which we know can quickly add up! [5]
There you have it! My top recommendations for staying active when deskbound. I know that when it comes to work squeezing in any sort of activity is easier said than done. But with enough discipline, I’m certain that you can accomplish this goal! Which is why I’d like to hear from you. How do you maintain your fitness despite having a typical office job? If you could share your experience (as well as any tips you’ve picked up), then please, don ‘t be shy, and share it with us all!
Sources:
[1] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/11/181105105419.htm
[2] https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolefisher/2019/03/06/americans-sit-more-than-anytime-in-history-and-its-literally-killing-us/
[3] https://www.asid.org/news/new-study-use-of-standing-desks-in-workplace-linked-to-increased-productivity-improved-health
[4] https://now.uiowa.edu/2015/10/stand-solution
[5] https://www.abqjournal.com/619285/experts-suggest-spending-four-hours-a-day-on-your-feet.html?amp=1
Private Member |
switzerland/, france
I am deskbound and do the following: less than every hour I move my body in all directions (especially upper body) and try to be conscious of positioning during desk times and do counter poses several times in the day. I often go make herbal,green,black tea and walk to the kettle corner, there I do stretching and mobility exercises.
I do a lot of these also in the bathroom (wall sits, and other stuff I can do on my own) . I never counted, but I may be around 10x a day doing those little 2-5 min things (in addition to always taking stairs and walking from parking lot).
Like they say (Egoscue), there is nothing wrong with the desk or chair…it is all about what you do with your body. (so also standing has to be done right…slouching while standing doesn’t help much)
I also added a few weeks back, a few postural exercises while commuting (driving), that is another 2hr a day worth of good habits to take. I have seen great improvement in my upper spine/shoulder mobility since then.
Private Member |
this is a good one! I already have thought of getting a Medicine Ball for my des, while sitting on the Computer. and the tips with the 30 minutes Standing etc. are also a good idea! Keep up your great work!
Private Member |
uk
Standing up from 9 to 5? How would your feet hurt after whole day? Especially if you wearing heels. If you ask anyone who works as a shop assistants or in a factory that is one thing they all complain about – being on your feet all day and getting varicose veins in the process. Nothing wrong with sitting down- just take regular breaks,making tea, coffee, walking cross the office to talk to people in person, going for lunch….that’s how we all do it. I think the standard office chair is perfectly made to support human body in a healthy way. As for sitting on a medicine ball -that would look very unprofessional in a standard office not mention health and safety rules would not allow that.
Private Member |
There are MANY anti-fatigue mats made for standing all day – squishy ones, ones that have different shapes to change your standing position throughout the day, etc. I was introduced to these when working at a global organization that was SUPER safety/health conscious. They, and MANY offices I’ve worked in – all global – that allow medicine balls as sitting options. These companies encouraged not sitting all day, and to use stand-up desks and other options, due to the increase in health.
If a person opted to use a chair, someone would come by teach people how to sit correctly, not only for posture (#1), but also for wrist placement, monitor placement, height of the chair placement, etc. And then you’d get reminded by someone if you were spotted falling back into bad habits (we were all responsible for keeping a lookout on this to help others develop healthy habits). The likelihood of not sitting correctly in a chair is higher than if you’re standing or using a medicine ball, since the bad habits have been in place longer. That doesn’t mean you don’t have to mind your posture as much, but you’re far less likely to notice in a standard office chair.
In the offices I’ve worked in who’ve had all the options, most eventually end up standing all day with various anti-fatigue mats. I’ve done it for years – no varicose veins or tired feet here!
Private Member |
uk
Fair enough but I’m keeping my chair : D
Private Member |
hailey, id
I have that Wobble stool at my desk and I sit on it like riding a horse… lol..
it’s FAR more comfortable on the tailbone.
Also, if I want to sit on one side of it with a leg extended, I can do that.. it’s desk friendly.
I’m hoping my boss will get me the standup desk I’m hoping for, but we’ll see…
Private Member |
I just started a new job, at a *remote only* company (hallelujah, it’s 2019 and companies are finally getting the remote work thing!), and the company gives a stipend to purchase your home office equipment. They have a page of suggested links, and the desks that are listed are ALL stand-up desks. Many varieties, so you select the one you like best.
Until I got my stand-up desk from IKEA, I put moving boxes on the desk I had, to elevate it, so I could stand. I almost got this $25 cardboard stand-up option, but then the IKEA desk went on sale: https://amzn.to/2QfEvLl
Standing mats:
On my current company’s list of suggested purchases is this standing mat, that is popular – a not flat one, so you can easily change positions: https://amzn.to/2JO2i3X
I’m thinking I’ll get that one, or this butterfly one for my next mat (there are sooo many optoins like these, it’s hard to choose): https://amzn.to/2QbFzjn
Here’s the one my husband uses at his job, which is a balance board type, which he loves (and gets a lot of people wanting to try it when they see it): https://amzn.to/2JZK53B
Here’s the one I got from my last job in 2015 – it’s ugly and archaic-looking, but I still have it because it does the job. Us girls would take off our shoes and stand on it at work barefoot: https://amzn.to/2EiQByu
A prettier option for the boring rectangle ones: https://amzn.to/2LTIBdB
Breaks:
Today, we’re starting a step challenge at work, to ensure that people get away from their desks and take walk breaks OUTSIDE. Those who complete the challenge will be put in a lottery for $$ (gift cards). All that’s required is that you complete 7k steps a day (my personal goal is 10k), and that you post a pic showing you went on a walk (doesn’t have to be of you). A fun challenge that encourages us to move.
At my last job, I was on the 13th floor and would would walk the stairs every 2 hours (~10mins). At a couple other jobs, we had software installed to make sure we took MANY micro breaks and longer breaks to get out of our offices. For the longer breaks, someone would appear doing stretches that you could follow along (or just leave the office to walk around). It was called RSI Guard, and as you can see in their intro, their selling point was that having this software meant a dramatic decrease in workplace-related injuries: https://rsiguard.com/index.php/
Some free apps like this are found here (but there are many more, I’m sure): https://www.maketecheasier.com/stretch-reminder-apps-windows/
Anyway, just thought I’d share some things I’ve used or come across, to add to what Z’s saying about standing and health.