Easy Ways to Stay Active If You Sit All Day for Work

There are a lot of us who sit at our desks and stare at computers all day. This is how work is these days, no matter if you work in an office or from home. So here’s the thing: sitting for a long time can be very bad for your mind and body. It can cause back pain, stiff muscles, bad posture, weight gain, and even heart disease or diabetes in the long run.

The good news is that you don’t have to join a gym or do hours of cardio every day to stay active. As long as you stick to small habits, they can help you keep your body moving, your mind sharp, and your energy high. If your job requires you to sit all day, don’t worry, here are some easy ways to stay active.

Why it’s bad to sit for too long

Before getting into answers, it’s helpful to know why sitting for long periods is bad for you:

Weak Muscles: Sitting can make your glutes and hip flexors shorter, which can make it harder to move and keep your balance.
Bad posture: If you slouch at work, it can hurt your back, shoulders, and neck.
Problems with Circulation: Sitting slows down blood flow, which can make your body stiff, swell, and even raise your risk of blood clots.
Mental Fatigue: Not doing anything can make you feel sleepy and less alert.

Knowing about these risks is the first thing that you need to do to make movement a top concern.

Get up and move around often.

One easy way to fight sitting is to get up and move around a lot. At least every 30 to 60 minutes, experts say you should stand up or move around.

Set a Timer: To remind yourself to get up, use an alarm on your phone or an app.
Walk While You Call: Answer the phone while you walk around your office or home.
Meetings You Hold While Standing: If you can, hold meetings while standing or walking.

Even small bursts of movement during the day can help your body’s circulation and make you less stiff.

What You Can Do at Your Desk

You don’t have to go to the gym to stay fit; you can do a lot of workouts at your desk. It’s easy to do the following:

1. Leg lifts while seated

Stand on one leg and hold it straight for a few seconds. Then slowly lower the leg back down. Do it again with the other leg. This makes your leg and core muscles stronger.

2. Shrugs and rolls of the shoulders

Hold your shoulders up to your ears, then let go. To ease tightness in your upper back and neck, roll your shoulders forward and backward.

3. Torso Twists While Sitting

Place your hands on the desk and sit up straight. Then, slowly twist your body to one side and then the other. This stretches your back and makes it easier for your spine to move.

4. Raised calf

On your toes, stand behind your chair and lift your feet off the ground. Slowly lower and do it again. This makes your legs’ blood flow better.

Stand at your desk or use an active workspace.

A standing desk can make a big difference if you can afford one and have room for it. Back pain can be eased by sitting and standing for short periods every day.

Here are some other ideas:

Mat or balance board: If you’re standing, use a mat or balance board with foam pads to work your core.
Desk Treadmill or Mini Stepper: These machines let you move around a little while you work, if you want to take it to the next level.

Active breaks are good.

It’s not only good for your mind to take breaks; they also give you a chance to move around. Take a look at these choices:

Stretching: A few minutes of stretching is good for your neck, shoulders, back, and legs.
Take short walks. A 5- to 10-minute walk around the office or building can give you more energy and improve your blood flow.
Stairs Instead of Elevators: To get more exercise during the day, take the stairs whenever you can.

Taking stops often is better than working out for a long time at the end of the day.

Include short workouts.

Micro workouts are short, high-intensity workouts that you can do in 5 to 10 minutes. They work great for busy workdays. Some examples are

Squats: Do 10 to 15 squats while standing up.
Desk Push-Ups: For a different kind of push-up, use your desk or the wall.
Lunges: Do lunges as you walk around the office.
Do jumping jacks or high knees to get your heart rate up quickly if you have room.

Moving around for even a short time can help the blood flow and lessen the effects of sitting.

Move around to clear your mind.

Movement isn’t just your body; it’s also your mind. It can help you concentrate, be more creative, and feel better to take short breaks to walk, stretch, or do exercises at your work. Try this:

Walking meetings: Instead of sitting down, talk about ideas while walking.
Mindful Stretching: To lower your stress, do some deep breathing while you stretch.
Short Dance Breaks: Play your favorite song and dance for a few minutes. It’s fun and gets you moving.

Make habits every day.

Keep things the same. To move more during the day:

Make a Plan: Mark your calendar with short times for activities.
Movement should go with everyday tasks. For example, stand up while you read emails or are in a virtual meeting.
Keep track of your steps: To stay inspired, use a fitness tracker or an app on your phone.
Set Small Goals: Set daily or weekly moving goals that you can reach.

Do things outside of work.

Even if you move around at work, you should still be active when you’re not at your desk:

Bike or walk to work: If you can, get to work in a healthy way.
Short workouts like yoga, bodyweight movements, or stretching routines are good for you before or after work.
Weekend activities like swimming, hiking, or sports keep exercise fun and interesting.

Getting some exercise every day will keep you from being completely inactive, even if your job requires you to sit all day.

Why it’s good for you to stay busy while you sit

If you move around during the day after sitting all day at work, you can expect:

Muscles that hurt less and are less stiff
Better health and balance for your spine
Less chance of getting blood clots and better blood flow
More energy and smarter ideas
Diabetes, heart disease, and being overweight are less likely to last a long time.

Over time, changes of any size add up.

Last Thoughts

Sitting all day doesn’t have to be bad for your health. You can stay active, energized, and effective by making small changes to your routines, like standing up more often, doing exercises at your desk, taking active breaks, and adding short workouts. Keep things consistent and add new things.

Moving around doesn’t have to be hard or take a lot of time. By making a few small changes, you can turn your job into a chance to keep your body and mind healthy and your energy high. Today, start with small steps. Over time, you’ll feel better in every way, including your mind and body.