As we’ve seen in a previous post (Sitting is the New Smoking), routine exercise isn’t a guarantee of good health. Instead, incorporating regular movement throughout the day can be even more important to your health, and can help you reach your goals more effectively. However, many of us feel limited in our ability to participate in physical activity throughout the day because of our jobs and work environments.

Do you spend a lot of your day sitting? Don’t let your desk tie you down! Here are some ideas to help keep active throughout the day, and to incorporate a little more movement into your workday.

1. Park your car further away from the front door of your work. Make the walk inside just a bit longer.
2. Take a walk around the block or office during breaks and at lunch. Walking with coworkers can also be a good time to bond about non work-related topics.
3. Don’t use the closest bathroom. Instead, use a bathroom that is on a different floor, or further away from your desk.
4. Place your water bottle or coffee on a shelf above you. When you need a drink, you will have to stand up each time to take a drink.
5. Whenever you need to ask a coworker a question, walk to their desk or office to ask them instead of texting or emailing them.
6. Consider using a standing desk, instead of a traditional desk.
7. Consider using an exercise ball instead of a chair, you will end up using more muscle tone (burns around 6% more calories compared to a chair with a back and arm rests) to sit upright at your desk. It may help with back pain issues due to poor posture. If the height is not right for you, consider an adjustable stool (anything without back support and arm rests will engage more muscles).
8. Whenever you need to stand up from your desk, perform that move three times (stand up, sit back down, and repeat two more times) to perform chair squats throughout the day.
9. Set an alarm on your watch or phone that reminds you to move every 20-30 minutes. Use that time to get up and stretch, do some of the chair squats from above, or go for a brief walk.
10. Whenever you check your cell phone for texts or talk on the phone at work, make sure you are standing. Better yet, pace while you are talking on the phone.
11. Twice per day, stand up in front of your desk with your feet 2-3 feet away from the desk (or more if you can). Lean forward so that your hands are on the edge of your desk. Do five standing/leaning pushups against your desk.
12. If you need to meet with a colleague, but don’t need to take notes while you meet, consider a walking meeting. Standing meetings are also becoming popular now. It tends to keep people a little more focused and shorter, and helps everyone avoid sitting for long periods of time.
13. Whenever you need to go up or down stairs throughout your day, actually walk the stairs instead of using the elevator (I try not to use an elevator unless I am going up more than four flights).
14. Commute to work by bike or walking. Even walking to and from the bus stop can give you more exercise than if you drove. It is also a great way to save on money from not using as much gas throughout the week.
15. Some workplaces have access to gym equipment for employees to use on breaks. However, even if your work does not provide this, some employee band together to hire a Zumba or yoga instructor or a personal trainer to come to the office once per week to teach a class during lunch or right after work. It can be quite affordable when a group all contributes for the class.

If you have more ideas on how to stay active when you work a desk job, please include them in the comments below!