Exercises You Can Do at Work

If you're like me, then you may be unfortunate enough to find yourself confined to an office for eight hours a day, five days a week. Aside from the mental anguish that can often result from performing seemingly endless tasks associated with office drudgery, your body may be suffering physically as well. If the majority of your work day finds you sitting in front of a computer, then you may have something more serious to be concerned about. Sitting in one position for an extended period of time can lead to the development of blood clots, neck/back problems, and may even encourage the development of hemorrhoids, to name a few. Carpal tunnel is an increasing problem as well. There is a way to combat the effects of the office of your body, and that is to seize any opportunity to exercise on the job. Let's look at a few ideas for severing the chain that binds you to your desk.

One of the easiest and most effective ways to exercise at your desk is also one of the simplest: stretching. You may receive a few puzzled looks from your co-workers, but don't give it too much thought; the benefits of stretching outweigh any of the perceived awkwardness. If you tend to sit at your desk for the majority of the day, then I would recommend standing up and stretching at least every hour. You don't need to do anything fancy, just try to relieve the tension in key muscle areas: reach towards the sky in order to stretch your arms, turn from side to side in order to ease the strain on your neck muscles, and allow your legs to get some relief after sitting in that confounded office chair. Stretching improves flexibility and increases circulation; what do you have to lose?

Does your office have a decent parking lot, or perhaps a sidewalk that runs the length of the building? If so, you could also start a walking routine during your breaks and lunchtime. This can be made even more fun by including some of your friends in the activity. At my office, several of us will often take a walk during one of our breaks; it's a good chance to shoot the breeze, gripe about strange incidents that we've dealt with throughout the day, and stretch our legs while enjoying some fresh air. Obviously, you might not want to walk outdoors if the weather isn't that great in your area. In this case, you could consider a walk through your building, or just focus on alternative exercises until the weather improves. It's up to you, in the end; just remember that the point of exercising at the office is to improve your health and overall mood, not torment yourself in poor weather conditions. There will be plenty of time for tormenting yourself once you're back on the clock- trust me.

Many portable exercise devices are currently available on the market; it's possible that one or more of them may be suited to your goals for keeping fit at the office. A co-worker of mine actually keeps a small cycling device under her desk; as she performs her basic job functions, she pedals away. Few people even realize that she's exercising while she works. I've used similar machines at home and I must say, it's a great feeling to know that you're burning calories while going about your usual routine. It's like killing two birds with one stone! A personal favorite would be wrist and ankle weights. Mine are easily concealed under my clothing and allow me the opportunity to oh-so-slyly accomplish some strength training throughout the day. If you're curious about the products on the market, then try window shopping online to see what's out there. There's something for everyone!

Even if you love your job, the office environment is not always conducive to physical fitness and good health. Being a desk jockey can wreak havoc on your body. While it's sometimes necessary to sacrifice things in favor of your career, your health should not be one of them. If you lack the time to exercise outside of work, then try to utilize any free time at the office and focus on your physical health. Even if you just set aside some time to stretch every day, you're bound to notice a difference in the way that you feel- physically and emotionally. Keep your body and mind in shape and your career will follow.