Experts frequently suggest adults walk at least 10,000 steps daily to maintain good health. But this is increasingly daunting for individuals who work in sedentary office jobs.

An expanding collection of studies demonstrates how crucial it is to fight idleness. Prolonged sitting reportedly increases the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and cancer. Inactivity was even ranked as the fourth greatest risk factor for adult death worldwide by the World Health Organization.

There are many ways you can be more active at work, so it’s not repetitive and keeps mobility interesting. Here are a few tips to get you started. 

1. Travel to work on foot or by bicycle

If you have the option of biking, walking, or even running to work, doing so can be a great way to add additional exercise to your day. Plus, you’ll feel rejuvenated and alert when you get there.

You can still find ways to make at least some of your work day more active, even though not everyone lives close enough for this to be a practical option. Get the train a few stations early and walk, or leave your car parked a little farther away. Explore a few options and find what works for you.

2. Offer to help with the coffee run

Instead of letting someone else buy you a coffee, tea, or smoothie, grab one yourself. Even better, instead of constantly choosing the closest alternative, you could challenge yourself to try a new spot every day for a week. A quick and simple approach to decompress, socialize, and increase your physical activity is to go for a walk with some coworkers.

3. Dress and walk comfortably

According to studies, you are more likely to be active at work if you wear comfortable clothing and shoes. It makes perfect sense because wearing stiff clothing or tall high heels makes taking the stairs look much less enticing.

If your workplace has a formal dress code, there are methods to make your attire more comfortable. Buy a good pair of flats, go for a heel that is easier to walk in, or select a suit made from a more breathable and flexible fabric.

4. Keep a step log

Being active is considerably simpler when you can monitor how much you move. Invest in fitness monitors like Fitbit. Put one on your wrist to determine how many steps you take on average daily, then make it a point to increase that total each day. Keeping track of your activity will help you stay motivated and focused on your objectives.

5. Try using a standing desk

Standing up while working can be a terrific option if it is possible in your business. Standing up and interrupting static positioning are shown to have positive effects on preventing spine issues. 

6. Travel by foot rather than by phone or email

Take every chance you can to stand up from your desk. Pretend it’s the 1990s; rather than instant messaging or emailing a colleague across the room, go to their desk and speak to them in person. As you progress, you also gain the bonus benefit of engaging in some social contact.

7. Stretch

Stretch while working at your desk (or better yet, away from it.). Mark Alexander, an Olympic sports Physical Therapist advise that you stand up every 30 minutes to stretch out your chest and expand your spine, which will help you to uncurl from the slumped position that comes with sitting. This will also help you feel more invigorated and have less back and neck pain.

8. Step out during lunch break

According to research, most employees don’t take a lunch break. Taking a break during the day is important for your physical and mental health and gives you a chance to move around. Make it a point to stand up and move around for at least some of your allowed lunchtime rather than eating at your desk or spending the entire break in the kitchen. Take a stroll outside and take pleasure in the new surroundings.

You could jog up and down the stairs to increase your heart rate or slip away for a quick workout at a neighboring gym or a circuit in the park. Involve your coworkers and make it difficult to be more engaged as a team.

9. Climb the stairs

How often do we use the stairs instead of the elevator, even though we all know to do so? Making it a habit will prevent you from regularly considering it a decision you must make. Aim to use the stairs once daily, then increase that number until it comes naturally.

10. Organize a workplace fitness contest

Engage your coworkers and set a goal for the two of you to be more active. When you’re doing it in a group and have that support network there supporting and encouraging you, it’s always simpler to make healthier choices.

There are many ways to make exercise an enjoyable and social routine. For example, by tracking your steps, you could start a friendly competition to see who can walk the most in a day. You could also plan group walks during lunchtime or establish a rule that requires everyone to stand up and perform ten squats in the hour.

11. Take movement breaks

Set a reminder in your calendar to take a break. Get up and walk around the building or climb up and down the stairs. You need to go for a little period; be sure to stop for a 5- 10-minute rest every few hours. Not only will you get moving, but it will also assist you in clearing your thoughts, so you can return to work feeling a little more rested. Invite a companion so you may mix exercise with social interaction, which can improve your wellness even more.

12. Convert idle time into action time

Waiting for the microwave, photocopier, or those annoying coworkers to leave the conference room you reserved? Take a short stroll or even perform simple exercises like calf raises, squats, or lunges—no one will find it unusual if you do these things if you’ve begun a group fitness challenge!

Our Latest Blogs