10 Tips to Help You Maintain An Active And Healthy Desk Job

10 Tips to Help You Maintain An Active And Healthy Desk Job

When you enter your workplace and start your workday, you spend hours immersed in your tasks. You answer phones, check emails, and do lots of work but suddenly you feel pain in your shoulders and back.

You realize that you have been sitting in your office cubicle for long hours without moving and you feel tired and lack energy.

Considering that many jobs today require long periods of sitting, you should know that the risk of sitting diseases like heart disease and diabetes, as well as chronic bone and muscle pain, threatens you.

But the good news is that by following 10 simple strategies, you can ensure your physical and mental health and enjoy your work. In fact, you could still lose weight and reach health goals all while keeping your desk job.

How to Have an Active and Healthy Desk Job? Stay active and healthy at a desk job by incorporating regular movements, such as stretching or short walks. Use ergonomic furniture to maintain good posture, and consider a standing desk. Stay hydrated, eat balanced meals, and practice desk exercises to improve circulation. Prioritize mental health with regular breaks and mindfulness practices.

1. Investing in an Ergonomic Chair

Choosing an ergonomic chair is one of the most important steps you can take to maintain your physical health. Ergonomic chairs meet the needs of those who sit at a desk for long hours.

These chairs support physical health and maintain proper posture. Ergonomic chairs have features that prevent back pain, and neck pain, and reduce pressure on various parts of the body, such as the spine.

You can adjust the height of the back and armrests of the ergonomic chair according to your body’s characteristics and needs.

These adjustments help keep your feet on the floor and put less pressure on your shoulders and neck. So you can work without feeling uncomfortable throughout the day and not worry about your health.

2. Use a Standing or Adjustable Desk

Standing desks have become very popular in modern offices. To solve the problem of sitting for long hours without doing anything at a desk, using a standing desk is an effective solution.

These desks allow employees to switch between sitting and standing positions throughout the day.

By standing, you can prevent muscle pain because standing improves blood circulation in the body and activates your muscles. Also, by standing, pressure is removed from the spine and the feeling of fatigue is reduced.

Standing for part of the day also reduces stress and strain caused by long periods of sitting. Therefore, using a standing desk will help you maintain an active and healthy desk job and will increase your productivity.

3. Doing Cubicle Exercises at Your Desk

To relieve fatigue and maintain an active and healthy desk job, do exercises designed specifically for the workplace daily and regularly.

To prevent physical problems and maintain energy throughout the day, you can include light neck exercises and stretching movements in your work routine.

By doing these activities, you improve blood circulation in the body and reduce tension in different parts of the body. Try to dedicate at least 10 to 15 minutes of your workday to doing exercises.

Below, we will introduce you to how to do some exercises suitable for the workplace.

•         Raise your legs off the floor while sitting and hold for a few seconds, then lower them to activate your thigh and calf muscles.
•         Walk while sitting to activate your lower body muscles and prevent numbness and pain in your legs.
•         Raise your shoulders and hold for a few seconds to relieve tension in your neck and shoulders.
•         Do some simple stretches. Extend your arm fully and turn your palm toward your face with the opposite hand. This exercise is great for your fingers and wrists.

 

You Might Also Enjoy: 15 Cubicle Exercises You Can Do at Your Desk

 

4. Use a Movable Footrest

Another thing you can do is use a movable footrest. For simple ergonomics, it’s a great idea to prop your feet up on a footrest.

Using one helps maintain good posture and takes pressure off your back and legs. A movable footrest, which can tilt, swivel, or slide, allows you to adjust your sitting posture throughout the day with smooth, continuous movements.

This movement activates your lower body muscles and improves circulation throughout your body without having to change your posture. A movable footrest keeps your metabolism up without losing your breath or concentration.

5. Drink Enough Water and Stay Hydrated

One of the factors that causes fatigue and lack of concentration while working is a lack of water in the body.

Always have a bottle of water next to your desk and drink water regularly. Doing this not only helps maintain hydration, but it can also have a positive effect on your concentration and alertness.

In addition to making you feel tired and lacking energy, dehydration can cause problems such as headaches, reduced mental performance, and even digestive problems.

Caffeinated and sugary drinks only boost your energy for a short time, but drinking water helps the body maintain its optimal performance.

Drinking water in itself is also one of the ways to reduce physical and mental stress and tension.

6. Set a Timer

As we said, the long you sit can lead to heart disease and metabolic diseases, and can gradually compromise your overall health. So set a timer.

A timer will remind you when it’s time to take a break, so get up and do something.

This will help you get up regularly and do at least one small activity, like getting a glass of water.

You can use health apps to set specific times for physical activity. For example, set a timer for every 30 minutes and do something.

Using a timer or wearable device to remind you to move will not only reduce the risks of prolonged sitting, but it will also make you feel better throughout the day and be more productive.

7. Deep Breath and Meditation

Another way to maintain an active and healthy office job is to reduce stress and maintain mental health.

Deep breathing techniques and meditation are among the most effective ways to deal with daily stress and maintain focus at work.

These methods not only help you relax mentally but also have positive effects on your physical health.

•         Deep breathing: A simple technique that quickly reduces stress and anxiety. Because during the day when you are working on a computer or phone, your body is in a state of stress.

 

Stress may lead to headaches, shortness of breath or muscle tension.

Therefore, by taking deep and conscious breaths, you can minimize these negative effects.

 

Deep breathing lowers the heart rate and increases oxygen supply to the body’s cells by increasing blood flow.

 

•         Meditation: If you do just a few minutes of meditation or mental concentration during the day, it will help you to get rid of daily tensions and pressures.

By doing this, you will distance yourself from scattered thoughts and busy minds.

 

Meditation will reduce the stress caused by work pressures and allow you to continue your work with focus again.

You can breathe consciously for just 5 minutes to increase your energy. Meditation improves mental health and reduces people’s feelings of anxiety and fatigue.

8. Eat a Healthy Diet

A healthy diet will help you maintain an active and healthy desk job.

Eating fatty foods like fast foods takes a long time to digest and may make you gain weight and feel tired. It is better to eat light and nutritious foods like salads and vegetables while working.

The fiber in vegetables, fruits, and grains improves digestive function and increases your body’s energy.

Also, eating seeds like walnuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds helps reduce stress and boost brain function.

It is better to eat 4 to 5 small, balanced meals throughout the day instead of heavy meals. This method helps your body consume energy evenly and prevents sudden energy drops.

9. Take the Stairs

You can improve your metabolism by climbing the stairs and strengthening your cardiovascular system with this aerobic activity.

This strengthens the muscles in your legs and increases your heart rate.

You can use the stairs instead of the elevator at your workplace. If you are one of those people who do not have the opportunity to exercise, climbing the stairs a few times during the day will help.

If you make this activity a part of your workday over time, you will not only help strengthen your muscles and heart, but you will also reduce stress and mental fatigue.

10. Eye Care

If you stare at a computer monitor for long hours, your eyes will be put under a lot of strain. This strain on your eyes can cause tension headaches and disrupt your workday.

Therefore, it is better to look away from the computer screen every 20 minutes and rest your eyes for 20 seconds.

Also, paying attention to the ambient light and adjusting it affects the health of your eyes. Try to use natural light or soft, indirect light. Using anti-radiation filters or special glasses designed to protect your eyes from blue light can also be useful.

The distance between your eyes and the screen should also be 50 to 75 centimeters, and the top of the screen should be directly at eye level or slightly lower.

Conclusion

By following these simple techniques, you can easily protect your health and stay active at work.

Making small changes to your quality of life can have a big impact on your productivity at work.

Taking care of your posture, eating healthy, stretching, and drinking enough water can all help you experience less stress and fatigue and improve your health.