Office Tips: 7 Exercises for the Workplace

Ever heard of deskercising? Well, if you haven't, you should know it's a thing now. People everywhere are taking advantage of the health movement to improve their office life through exercise. Of course, exercising at work does seem a bit strange, but there are many studies showing that those who take advantage of this practice enjoy better health, better focus, better outlook, and better productivity. If you want to improve your office life, here are some office friendly exercises to get you started!

Stretches

Stretching is the athlete's way of warming up, but it is also an excellent way to get the blood pumping at work without overly humiliating oneself. Studies have shown that simple stretching can do wonders for keeping the body in shape. For those at the office with cramped muscles, neck pain, and the like, some easy stretches can greatly reduce aches, enhance focus, and improve productivity, especially if done periodically. A few slow neck rolls, some arm stretches behind the back and across the body, back stretches in an ergonomic office chair, and leg stretches done by placing one leg at the edge of the desk and stretching can all keep the body tuned up and healthy.

Knee Lifts

Knee lifts under the desk are a great way to keep blood circulating in the legs. Sitting still for a long period of time, especially over several years can really hurt those with preexisting conditions. Doing knee and leg lifts periodically while at work reduces risks and illnesses caused by poor blood circulation, such as joint pain, blood clots, swelling, arthritis, and even blotchy skin. Take a few moments during your self allotted exercise time to work in a few knee lifts at the office. Adding an office chair with a waterfall seat is also an excellent way to reduce stress on the legs at the office.

Weight Lifts

Every office has a bodybuilder, but chances are they don't just work out at the gym. In order to stay ripped, many exercise lovers don't hesitate to bring a few dumbbells to work. Well, if they can, so can you! The best part about weight lifts is that they don't have to be super tough. Dumbbells can be used while talking on the phone with a client, eating lunch, or in your free hand as you fill out paperwork. Keep a few in modern office desks with storage features like drawers or cabinets. When the phone rings, break out the dumbbells. No one has to know!

Yoga

Office yoga. Yep, it's out there, and it's taking the nation by storm. Today, there are office yoga gurus, classes both online and in person, and group workout sessions in many high end offices. There are even office chairs specifically designed for the zen practice. Just take a look at the CHAKRA-GREEN-WHITE Chakra Chair by Eurotech, specifically designed to support the body's chakras, or energy centers. As strange as it seems though, office yoga does wonders for the body. It reduces stress, improves outlook, focus, and energy in the office. Taking the time to look up a few zen-inducing moves is well worth the effort for those that love yoga, and even for newbies.

Chair Dips

Time to break out the moves! And this is one you can do right in your office chair. Chair dips are an office exerciser's favorite. Make sure your office has durable ergonomic desk chairs for office use like the 2621-1 Global Ride Office Chair before attempting though. When you're ready, grip the arms of your task chair, keep your lower body firm, including your abs, and keep your legs at a ninety-degree angle as best you can. Lift your self up so that your body is suspended in the air, hold for a moment, lower yourself and repeat up to eight times. This neat little exercise trick firms up the abs, buttocks, legs and arms.

Desk Pushups

Desk pushups are another effective muscle toner you can do at the office. Like chair dips, desk pushups work the arms, abs, and legs. Before starting, make sure you have a strong desk. Usually, larger wood desks for executives are the best because they can often support a person's weight (but lean against the desk a bit just to be sure). Next, place your hands on the edge of your desk with your arms and legs locked straight. Walk back until you are leaning at an angle to the desk, then, with only the balls of your feet touching the ground, do some pushups. It's an amazing way to tone the body between breaks.

Smart Decisions 

Half of staying in shape is just the mindset, and doing what it takes. People who are constantly thinking about ways to lose weight and stay in shape as they go through their day, will find tons of ways to do it. Simply taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking or riding a bike to work if you can, or taking the long way to your office, and exercising during breaks on a daily basis can drastically improve health. Many people are taking advantage of height adjustable desks like the HE4824MSC adjustable workstation to adapt to a standing work style. People that work standing say it takes time to get used to, but it radically improves focus, energy, and overall health, when interspersed with brief sitting periods. Keeping the mindset and being willing to go the extra mile really show when it comes to work workouts!

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5 Easy Ways to Stay Healthy at Work

We all know that the office life can be a hard one. Sitting behind a chair all day can easily take a toll on your health, even if you love your job. Some health issues commonly associated with the office life can include back problems, depression, eye problems, and more, but you don't have to fall prey to these terrible conditions anymore. Just follow these simple office-health tricks and you'll find yourself feeling healthier in a snap!

Healthy Office Lunch

Making sure to eat a healthy lunch is one of the best known ways to keep yourself healthy at work, but it can be hard to choose the right thing when you're staring at a vending machine loaded with goodies or a menu full of yummy carbs. Here's the trick though: Don't give yourself the option! Brown-bagging a lunch from home is a wonderful way to keep yourself in much healthier shape if you toss in the right foods. Try to pack after you've already eaten in the morning and before you head to work. Packing a lunch when you're not hungry will help you make healthier choices so that by the time the lunch hour rolls around, you won't have the option of munching on chips or cookies because they're not in your lunchbox. Instead of chips, opt for foods like seeds and nuts, which are rich in Vitamin E. For a drink, say yes to water and tea rather than soda. Veggies with dip are awesome options too for most Americans, since we don't typically get enough of them in our diet. For sandwiches and hearty salads, turkey is a great lean meat that will keep you full and even helps to prevent cancer! Yogurts, fruits, and dark chocolate are healthier ways to satisfy your sweet tooth. Remember to eat small snacks throughout the day (about every 2-3 hours) to keep your metabolism running. Just make sure you don't eat at your desk!

Great Healthy Work Lunch Recipes:

1. Slow Cooker Chicken Caesar Sandwiches

2. Lighter Chinese Chicken Salad

3. Chickpea Salad Wraps

4. Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

5. List of 53 Healthy Work Snacks


Clean, Clean, Clean!

Even if you're eating healthy at your desk, you can still be spreading germs. Eating at office desks makes them a breeding ground for bacteria. Over time, fallen crumbs built up in the nooks and crannies of ergonomic keyboard trays and uncleaned desk surfaces can attract pests that carry diseases. Even if you don't make a habit of eating at the office desk, you should still make sure to keep your workstation as sanitary as possible. Pick a day to come in a bit early with a can of compressed air to flush the gunk out of your computer's keyboard, then wipe the surface with disinfecting wipes to kill bacteria. After that, keep a dispenser of hand sanitizer to use both before and after touching your keyboard or desk and don't ever eat over the top of it. Make sure to wipe down your office desk regularly with wipes so the germs don't have a chance to rise up and exact their revenge upon you and your co-workers. Don't be the victim! Fight the flu and leave a lemony-fresh scent of destruction in your wake! Those germs won't ever know what hit them...

Bring the Outdoors Inside

Getting the office blues are almost as bad as getting a cold, but did you know that the blues may not have anything at all to do with your job or even yourself? That's right! Its incredibly easy to get a small case of depression even if you fully enjoy being around your co-workers and doing your job, especially if your workplace has poor office lighting or no windows. Believe it or not, having a view of the outside world with natural lighting does wonders for work ethic and self esteem. If you find yourself feeling down or sleepy at your office and you don't know why, its probably due to the fact that the place has no windows. The best way to remedy this is to make your own! Dress up the cubicles with pictures of nature, your kids, your pets, or whatever else boosts your morale. Take walks outside during your break (maybe while you munch on some healthy work snacks)! Adding some plants to the corners of your desk is a great way to bring the outdoors inside so things feel a little livelier. Succulents, bonsais, and cacti are great, easy to care for plants that would do beautifully in an office environment. One relatively new trend is the keeping of small fish at office desks. Betta, or Siamese Fighting Fish, are extremely low-maintenance bowl fish that are fairly cheap and available at most pet stores. Why not see if your workplace will let you keep one and hit the pet stores to start finding yourself a Nemo?

Desk-ercise!

Desk-ercizing is a trend that is sweeping the nation even faster than desk-fishies. We all know how hard it is to exercise while at work (unless you're a physical trainer), but there are plenty of ways to keep that workout going long after you leave the gym. First things first, make sure to watch your posture to keep yourself healthy as bad posture is the leading cause of back pain. Doing a few 20 to 30 second leg lifts next to the CPU holders under your desk are amazing ways to keep your legs in shape at the while on the job. Stashing a few dumbbells or stretch-bands in your office storage cabinets are great ways to keep arm those muscles from tensing up between the long hours of typing. Don't forget to throw a few squats or push ups in there too to round out your mini-workout. All the extra exercise is not only wonderful for your health, but it also helps keep you focused and uplifts your mood!

Here's a list of body-toning exercises you can do while on the job: 33 Ways to Exercize at Work!

Chair Yoga?

Yeah, its a thing. But don't knock it just yet! Actually, office chair yoga is a fabulous way to stay healthy at work, so why not do it? Making use of those comfortable office chairs to get your work done is what's expected, but that doesn't mean you can't use them to do something new and incredibly healthy. If your office already has affordable ergonomic office chairs in stock, then you're already on the fast track to a toned figure and spiritual enlightenment! In fact, there is already an ergonomic office chair out there practically designed to help keep its occupants in perpetual zen mode! The Chakra Chair by Eurotech Seating makes the best yoga mat for the office, designed to support the chakra points of the body and leave all other areas free of tension. Its lightweight, comfortable structure makes it the king of all desk chairs if you're looking for the best way to stay healthy at work. If you want to stay in perfect zen, just try a few of these cool yoga chair moves to find your inner peace while at work: 8 Seated Yoga Poses You Can Do From A Chair!

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