As a writer, I spend a fair share of each workday sitting (slouching, really) in front of a computer. I regularly fight the urge to indulge in my coworker’s candy dish-a battle I usually lose during that midafternoon lull. Then, I spend the rest of the day feeling guilty and uninspired.
More and more, desk jobs are taking a toll on Americans. It would appear the only upside to our increasingly sedentary occupations is the coining of terms like “desk potato” and “deskercise.” As silly as it sounds, the latter of the two may actually provide substantial solutions to some of our workplace woes.
Julian Kaufman, BA HES/M.ED/NSCA-CSCS and owner of Fitness Together is a huge proponent of fitness in the workplace.
He recommends getting up from your desk once an hour and taking a brisk five- minute walk. “Taking a five-minute walk, eight times a day equals 40 minutes of exercise. It adds up,” he says.
Easy exercises you can do at your deskKaufman also suggests using break time for body weight exercises: pushups, sit-ups, etc. Or, replacing your seat with a stability ball and asking your superiors about a stand-up work station. But, Kaufman adds, “A lot of it depends on the workplace and culture and what superiors are willing to allow.”