Even if you live a relatively active life outside of work hours, the time that you’re spending hunched over at your desk or sitting endlessly in a cubicle can be very detrimental to all aspects of your health. But luckily, there are a number of things you can do to help keep yourself looking and feeling more fit and healthy even if you’re working at an office job. To show you how this can be done, here are three health and fitness tips that anyone with a desk job should start implementing.
Pick The Right Chair
When you spend a huge portion of your day sitting down, it’s vital that you have a chair that can support and sustain you. This means you’re going to have to forgo using the old office hand-me-down and find a real chair that fits your body and work habits. While ergonomic chairs are much better than the standard alternative, Chelsea Bush, a contributor to More.com, shares that you can step your game up even more by using a balance ball rather than a chair as often as you can.
When using a balance ball, your body is constantly making muscular adjustments to keep you on balance, which will help to strengthen your core and your glutes. Even this small amount of activity can help you boost your health on a daily basis. As part of keeping employees’ health and wellness in mind, many offices choose the best office chair that can provide ample comfort and support.
Find An Excuse To Get Up From Your Desk
Although you likely have to spend a big portion of your day sitting at your desk and getting your work done, your body requires that you take periodic breaks if you want to stay healthy. To do this, Lakshmy Nair, a contributor to LiveStrong.com, recommends that you try to find more excuses to get up from your desk during the day. Walk around the office while you’re taking a phone call, drop by your coworker’s desk rather than sending off an email, or simply take the stairs instead of taking the elevator when you’re moving around your building. By reducing the amount of time you’re spending sitting each day, you’ll be making yourself much healthier in the process.
Work Out The Most Important Muscles
Doing the repetitive movements that most desk jobs require can be very hard on your body over extended periods of time. So to fight back against this stress and strain, Rachel Grumman Bender, a contributor to Fast Company, advises that you learn where you have the most pain and then find out how to best work those muscles when you’re off the clocks. Some areas you might want to focus on include your eyes, lower back, wrists, your neck and shoulders, and the hips.
If you’re worried about how your desk job is affecting your health, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you learn how you can counterbalance this.
