When you have a full work schedule, it is hard to balance staying active with an already tight schedule. You may be thinking to yourself, how am I supposed to fit in a workout routine with all my other responsibilities at work and home?
Well, the reality is that may not be a realistic goal; you may find that adding small workouts or activities during your workday may be more feasible. Did you know that just taking 5-10 minutes to do some exercises at your desk can greatly increase your blood flow and help push you through that mid-day slump?
It is not necessary to try to find time to hit the gym and pack in time on the treadmill or lift weights to achieve a good workout. In fact, there are many exercises you can do at this moment with little or no equipment needed, and we’ve listed them for you here:
- Desk Push-Ups:
- Face your desk and lean against it, hands slightly wider than your shoulders, and keep your arms straight
- Lower your body to where your chest almost reaches the desk and push back to return to your original position, just like a traditional push-up but standing.
- Repeat this 10 times
- Squats:
- Stand up straight with your chair behind you and keep your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Stretch your arm out in front of you
- Lower your butt down till it almost reaches the chair while keeping your knees in line with your toes
- Stand back up
- Repeat this 10 times
- Lunges:
- Stand up straight and tall with your hands on your hips
- Take a big step out in front of you
- Bend your front knee while keeping it in line with your toes
- Step back to original position
- Switch sides and repeat 15-20 times per side
- Oblique Twists:
- In a swiveling chair, sit with your hands holding the edge of the desk
- Spin as far as you can to one side using your hands to hold on
- Switch to the other side and repeat 10 times on each side.
- Seated Leg Extensions:
- Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor
- Lift one leg until it is straight out in front of you and parallel with the floor, squeezing the quad muscle in your upper thigh.
- Hold this position for 10 seconds, then lower your leg back to the starting position.
- Switch sides and repeat 10 times on each side
By adding some kind of physical activity to your workday, you can drastically reduce your BMI as well as your appetite; it can also greatly improve your mood. If it is not possible to work at your desk because of the setup of your office or close proximity to co-workers, there are other ways to fit in a small amount of exercise throughout your workday.
Try walking on your breaks, trading in your office chair for an exercise ball, using the stairs more often, or walking while on the phone. Investing a few minutes of exercise time at the office is an investment in your overall physical and mental well-being.