Hey Guys! A new week is here and it looks like it’s finally bringing spring temps along with it. This week also marks National Public Health Week. In honor of that I wanted to do a post on how I stay active throughout my work day while working a desk job.
After transitioning from grad school where I felt like I was constantly on the go to working a desk job, I was worried that I’d find myself slowing down. To avoid that trap I made a decision that I would prioritize getting in physical activity whenever and wherever I could during my workday. Often times, this decision comes at the expense of convenience but I think the trade off is well worth it. 
It all starts with where I choose to park. We’re familiar with those dreaded “No parking” signs when we’re downtown somewhere struggling to find a parking space. Well I created a personal “no park zone” at work. I won’t let myself park in the spaces closest to my building, but anywhere outside of this zone is fair game. I like the idea of creating a no park zone instead of saying I’m always going to park in the space farthest away from my office building. This gives me more flexibility in choosing a space while ensuring that I’m still getting in a good number of extra steps before I get to my office.
Now truth be told, this was hard for me at first. However, it wasn’t hard because of the extra steps. The hard part was having to pass on that prime parking space in front of the office building if it’s available. I don’t know about you but getting a good spot feels like winning a prize. You want to claim it. So seeing one and having to let it go unclaimed was tough. Through determination, I’ve managed.
Once I get into the office building the next step I take (literally) is toward the stairs. Truthfully, this one isn’t hard for me because elevators are evil. I work on the fourth floor of my office building so that’s three flights of stairs that I climb. The cool thing is that I’ve kind of become known for this with my coworkers and some people have decided to join me if we’re coming or going at the same time. And if I ever have to leave my office for an offsite meeting, then I’ll take the stairs as I’m coming and going.
Now you may be thinking, how are these ones physical activity-related? Well, we’ve all heard the saying, what goes in must come out. Without getting too detailed, more drinking means more bathroom trips. More bathroom trips means more getting up and moving around.
I keep a 32 oz. glass water bottle in my office along with a stash of assorted teas. I set a goal of going through at least one full bottle a day along with having at least one cup of tea which I usually have with my breakfast.
I’m fortunate enough to work in an office building with an on-site fitness center. I don’t use it for my scheduled morning workouts, but I do use it at some point during my work day for a 5-7 minute circuit. It’s a great way to engage muscles that have been resting for a bit. Since I don’t want to get sweaty I focus on strength moves with free weights or resistance moves. I’ll rotate it to focus on different groups too like biceps, triceps, quads, glutes, etc.
Yes, stairs again. This may seem redundant but I included it here because I also choose to take the stairs right before I eat. Unlike when I first get to my office building and have to take the stairs to get to my office, I don’t technically have to take the stairs again during the day unless I have to leave for a meeting. Before I have lunch I’ll go down and up the stairs once, and I’ll also do this before I have my snack. It’s a good way to get my heart beating a little faster than normal and to take a break from staring at a computer screen.
Get up! The last thing I do is intermittently stand up at my desk. I don’t let more than two hours pass by without standing up for some reason or the other – whether it’s to go get my lunch, go to the bathroom, or just standing up to do work. Even if it’s only for a few minutes at a time it makes me feel better. As a kid I wasn’t a big fan of sitting still (see all of my elementary school report cards) and as an adult nothing has changed.
I also stand up during team meetings. I’m working on a project with people spread across the US so a lot of my meetings end up being virtual. The good thing about this is that I can choose to stand up during a portion or all of them. I could do this for in person meetings as well, but it’s easier when the meetings are virtual and I’m in my own office.
Note: It’s important to wear comfortable shoes to work. If your shoes aren’t comfortable there’s a greater chance you’ll get to work and want to stay seated for the entire day. If the stylish choice isn’t always the comfortable choice, you can compromise by keeping an extra comfy pair in your the office or in your car.
So those are the 7 things I do every day to make sure I’m moving throughout my day. I enjoy leading an active lifestyle and I’ve come to realize how important the lifestyle part of it is. Even with set time for physical activity, excessive sedentary time isn’t good. Research has linked it to increased risk for diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and in some cases, this has been independent of time spent being physically active (see Brocklebank et al, 2015; Powell et al, 2018)
I know it can be quite challenging to get activity throughout the work day. When I first started my job I certainly wasn’t doing all of these things. Over time, however, I came up with a routine that works for me. Hopefully, this gives you all some ideas about how you can incorporate more movement throughout your work day.
What are some of the ways you stay active throughout your day? I’m always looking for new ideas so let me know below!
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