Many people have become interested in moving more during their workday since research has linked long periods of sitting to adverse health effects. Sounds easy but our busy lifestyles often get in the way of walking enough each day. We sit while commuting, we sit at our desk, and we continue to sit when we get home.
Avoid too much sitting using these easy tricks:
Set alarms for yourself
This can help draw your attention to your activity level and help you focus on getting in enough movement or steps during the day.
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- Email reminders are a great way to grab your attention to get up and move.
- Schedule walk breaks into your day. It is important to get up every 30 to 60 minutes.
Drink more water
Drinking more water is a great idea to improve your overall health plus its a good way to get you up and moving more than you normally do in a typical workday.
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- The more water you drink, the more steps you will take to fill up your water bottle and the more steps you will take to the restroom.
- Aim for at least eight glasses of clear, hydrating fluids everyday.
Add more steps to your day
Many studies have recently linked an increase in steps (or meeting that new “10,000 steps per day” goal) with a variety of health benefits.
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- Aim to take at least a ten minute walk on your lunch break. Walk outside, walk laps around the building, or take the stairs a few times.
- Instead of sending the usual email to a co-worker, get up and deliver the message in person to increase your step count.
Stand while you talk on the phone
Some jobs have you on the phone all day making it difficult to get away from your desk. Try the following:
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- When you are on the phone, aim to stand as much as you can. Try standing every other phone call or stand for ten minutes and then sit for ten minutes; repeat.
- When standing, make sure to distribute your weight equally on both feet so you do not end up with a sore hip or leg. Also, keep shoulders down and back to maintain good posture.
Get your whole company involved. Your workplace can be healthier with an initiative to walk and stand more during the workday.
