Seven ways to work out while on the job
You know the drill. You slave away at the desk all day, only getting out of the chair to use the restroom and pick up your lunch that is delivered to the receptionist. With phones and computers at your disposal, you likely call or e-mail colleagues who are just down the hall. After work, you attend business dinners and your children's plays and sporting events. Exercise? You can't even remember the last time that you even broke a sweat.
No matter how hectic your lifestyle maybe, you should and can incorporate exercise into your day. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, colon cancer and other diseases. It also improves your physical and mental well-being, helping you manage stress, reduce anxiety and sleep better.
You can reap the rewards of exercise even if you are short on time. These easy tips will help you sneak fitness into your workday in some simple and easy ways.
1. Use half your lunch break to go for a walk. Or, instead of getting your lunch delivered, pick it up.
2. Stand when you are talking on the telephone. Use a headset, cordless phone or cell phone if needed.
3. Get up every 20 minutes to an hour and walk around. (Set an alarm if you need to remind yourself.) If you really can't get up, change your position in your chair or take a deep breath.
4. Speak to people in your office in person instead of calling them on the phone, and hand-deliver documents instead of e-mailing them.
5. If you commute to your office using mass transit, get off the bus or subway a few stops early and walk the rest of the way to your office or home. If you drive, park farther away from the office entrance.
6. Take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible. Or exit the elevator a few floors before yours and climb the stairs the rest of the way. Another idea is to take the stairs to a restroom on a different floor.
7. Hold your business meeting on-the-go. Brainstorm ideas with a coworker while taking a walk.
