Step Up: 8 Tips to Walk More, Move More at Work
Are you a corporate warrior glued to your laptop all day? Several studies have shown that sitting for long periods of time poses health risks such as weak muscles, poor blood circulation, higher cholesterol levels, and higher blood pressure.
The good news is, you can tweak your daily work routine so that you’ll have more time to walk and move more. Here are 8 tips to help you get to a healthier lifestyle no matter how busy you are:
1. Skip the Emails and Instant Messaging
Instead of calling, emailing or chatting with a colleague, walk to his or her work station and discuss projects face to face.
2. Take the Stairs
If you have to go a few floors up or down your office building, skip the elevator and use the stairs instead.
3. Pace whenever Possible
Get up from your chair and pace along a hallway when you’re talking to a client on your mobile phone, or when you have to come up with new ideas. Bright ideas pop up when you’re on the move. Pace around the reception area while waiting for your client to call you in. Pace while you’re in the conference room waiting for a meeting to start.
4. Park a few blocks away from your office
Park your car a few blocks away from your office and walk the rest of the way. Similarly, if you ride public transportation, get down a few streets away from your building and take a walk.
5. Do the 30-5 Rule
Make it a point to work for 30 minutes, then stand up and walk for 5 minutes. Set your mobile phone’s alarm clock to remind you to get up and move. You’ll feel more relaxed and focused after that quick break.
6. Use a bathroom farther from your work station
Unless you really, really have to use the bathroom, go to one that’s at the other end of your area, or on another floor.
7. Get out for Lunch
If you and your teammates are going out for lunch, choose a place that’s within walking distance so you don’t have to bring a car. If you bring your own lunch, don’t eat in your workstation – walk to the cafeteria, a nearby park, or any open area a few blocks from your office building and enjoy your meal there. You can also use your lunch break to get out of your building and walk around the vicinity.
8. Consider Walking Meetings/Team Huddles
Instead of going to a conference room or a café, you and your teammates can go out for a walk. When you have walking meetings, no one can secretly check their phones or doodle in their notebooks. Everyone’s alert and engaged in the discussion.
Accumulating 10,000 steps a day can reap good benefits for your help. Get yourself a fitness tracker or a simple pedometer and start counting your steps whether you’re at work or at home. Modern mobile devices also have a built in accelerometer that can track your steps. You’ll be surprised how much your health will improve in just a matter of time.
