New Year means a fresh start and opportunity to create some new goals for yourself. For many, this means a recommitment to improving your health in one way or another. If you’re working behind a desk all day for most of the week, it’s often times pretty hard to find ways to incorporate some physical activity in your day.
Not only can working at your desk all day become a little boring and tiresome, for some it can actually become quite painful. Coupled with the fact that most of us may not have the best posture to begin with, sitting too long can strain your neck, back and just doesn’t do anything great for your body.
Here are our 3 tips to start the New Year off on the right foot (pun intended!). Incorporate these tips into your office life and we promise you’ll begin to feel better at work while getting that extra boost of activity you need to jump start your health.
"You might have a lot of work to do, but even just getting up and walking around the office for a few minutes will get your blood flowing again."
1. Take breaks. Often.
This may seem like to most obvious tip, but we cannot stress this enough - taking breaks at work is so important for your health and energy levels. You might have a lot of work to do, but even just getting up and walking around the office for a few minutes will get your blood flowing again.
It’s important to not overlook these small seemingly obvious options, because they really do help. If you can’t walk around the office, at least turn your chair away from your desk for a few minutes, stand up and do a few squats or jumping jacks, then resume your work.
"Rocelco Desk Risers are some of the best [desk lifts] out there due to their design, adjustability, and spaciousness."
2. Get an ergonomic desk.
What is an ergonomic desk? It’s essentially a desk lift. A desk lift allows you to raise the contents of your desk higher so you can work comfortably standing up. Yup, working standing up – this might sound like a foreign concept for office workers but these adjustable desks are becoming more popular everyday.
Rocelco Desk Risers are some of the best out there due to their design, adjustability, and the spaciousness they offer. The standard desk lift fits two monitors and has 4 height options, the 37”inch wide lift has a much larger surface and includes one more additional height level, and our last lift is a package which includes with an anti-fatigue mat to protect your knees and lower back while you’re standing!
Ergonomic desks provide numerous health benefits, including:
- decreasing your back pain
- using your different muscles
- increasing your productivity
- burning calories
Now not all of us are too keen on standing, so we wanted to put it to the test by having one someone on the ITFactory team try one of these out for the day. Thomas, our resident sloucher here, was surprised by how much he enjoyed it (we were too). By the end of the day he told us that funnily enough, standing at his desk kept him more alert throughout the day which allowed him to stay productive and energized. That explains why he was so fast at answering all your chats that day!
"It’s impossible to become bored on an Indo Board, you’ll be standing while working but also getting an actual work out in at the same time."
3. Couple your desk lift with an Indo Board
...And you’ve got yourself the healthiest working strategy of all time! You might be wondering what an Indo Board is. Don’t worry, it doesn’t involve surfing of any kind…but, it’s close enough! It’s a balance board meant for fun and physical training, but these boards can also double as an intense workout if that’s what you’re looking for when you’re not at the office.
Standing on one of these throughout the day will improve your balance, core strength, coordination and most of all keep you on your feet! It’s impossible to become bored on an Indo Board, you’ll be standing while working but also getting an actual work out in at the same time. We can’t think of an easier way to get healthier at the office than using this. Plus at the end of the week, you can take your Indo Board home and use it as a mini gym in the comfort of your own living room, talk about a package deal!
Want more tips about staying healthy at work? Check out these awesome articles!
1. How to Survive Sitting All Day
2. 21 Ways to Stay Healthy When You Sit at a Desk All Day
3. 17 Desk Stretches That'll (Almost) Replace Going to the Gym
4. How You Can Stay Healthy Even Though You Sit at a Desk All Day