Balancing exercise and work
Apr 15, 2020
To encourage blood flow to your lower body, perform simple stretches every hour or two in your chair. You can stretch your legs by extending them under your desk.
LOCKDOWN | COVID-19
The first step is to set yourself up for success by wearing a comfortable pair of shoes or keeping one handy. You are less likely to walk or stand if your feet feel uncomfortable. Flat, comfortable fitting, closed shoes are the obvious choice, not too tight or loose.
The first step is to set yourself up for success by wearing a comfortable pair of shoes or keeping one handy. You are less likely to walk or stand if your feet feel uncomfortable. Flat, comfortable fitting, closed shoes are the obvious choice, not too tight or loose.
Determine to walk more during the working day. Walking encourages blood flow to the lower limbs, gets one's muscles working and burns calories. Take a 10-minute walk during your lunch break or longer if you can.
Find ways of standing more throughout your day. Standing is healthier than sitting. It burns more calories and engages the core muscles and muscles of the legs, ankles and feet.
This helps strengthen muscles and improves your posture and balance. Stand up and walk around a bit while you chat on the phone. Stand up to check your email or to read documents.
To encourage blood flow to your lower body, perform simple stretches every hour or two in your chair. You can stretch your legs by extending them under your desk.
Another useful stretch is curling your hamstrings by flexing or folding your legs under your chair. You could also stretch your calf muscles by stepping on the front part of your feet, with your knees flexed and stretch or pull your knees upwards. Take time to stretch your back as well. While in a seated position, raise one arm over your head and place your other hand on your thigh for support. Slowly bend to the opposite side until you feel a comfortable stretch along the side of your trunk then repeat three to five times on each side.
Each stretch should be held for 15-20 seconds. In short, walking, standing and stretching are still great ways to keep you active during the day and negate the effects of sitting.
After the lockdown, when we resume regular operations, you can begin your day by parking further from the office or dropping off the boda or taxi a couple of streets away and walking the rest of the way.
Use the stairs and not the elevator to increase your step count. Instead of calling your colleague on the office intercom, walk to their work station to get your blood flowing and release pressure on your glutes. Use a bathroom on a different floor in your building to encourage you to walk more.
Stand-up meetings are also fast becoming a trend — instead of sitting during meetings everyone can stand. This not only presents health benefits, but has the added advantage of keeping meetings short and straight to the point.