Sitting Hurts! Here are my tips on how to feel your best throughout your work day.
You’ve been working working working day and night and now all of a sudden everything hurts. The last thing you feel like you should do is exercise, you think it will make everything worse. But actually, exercise is exactly what you need to feel better fast.
Typically, when we think about enduring an injury, we imagine we have to do something — and usually do it wrong — to bring on the pain.
But sometimes discomfort is due to doing nothing whatsoever. Case in point: sitting at a sedentary desk job.
Spending too much time sitting has been linked to a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, metabolic syndrome and earlier death, and unfortunately even the most dedicated exercise regimens won’t undo all the damage. Not to mention the rising increase of desk job related injuries like: carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, frozen shoulders, wrist strain, neck and shoulder pain, sciatica, hip pain, and lower back pain.
I believe we are built to move. It’s stress and NOT moving that is the hardest thing on our bodies and health long term.
Have you ever had an achy back from a long day of sitting? Or a serious headache from too much time staring at a computer screen? You are not alone. 99% of my corporate clients struggle with pain from too much time at a desk and dealing with work related stress. Lucky for you the solution is simple and doesn’t require a ton of time. I am here because I want to help you FEEL better. And I promise you: simply taking the time to move will dramatically improve how your body feels.
If you work at a desk and/or spend a lot of time on tech, I’ve got some life hacks you can use to get rid of nagging pain in your life. Here are my secrets to success, are you ready to feel better yet?
Sitting Hurts. How To Get Fit and Get Fixed Fast. Guide for a Feel-Good Work Day.
- Move every hour. Aim to get up and out of your seat at least every hour. Since most desk-related jobs demand your constant attention, it’s important to remind yourself to move around. Try setting a small timer to remind you when your break is due. A kitchen timer, watch, or smart phone is simple and easy to use. Eventually you’ll look forward to this break and find it only helps your concentration, energy, and mood.
- Move at your desk. Improve your concentration and work out the kinks with simple seated desk exercises. There are SO many ways to move more without even standing up. The video gives you simple stretches you can do while sitting at your desk.
- Boost circulation with large movements every hour. Get up and walk, take the stairs, march in place… whatever works. It doesn’t need to take more than 2 minutes. Researchers find that adding two minutes of light exercise to each hour of your day lowers your risk of dying prematurely by 33 percent. Get your blood flowing, heart pumping, give your energy a boost, and rev your metabolism every hour with 2 minutes of large movements.
- Use the yoga tune up therapy balls as often as possible to soothe tight muscles and improve mobility. You can use them right at your desk or against your office wall. The video below demonstrates how you can use the yoga tune up therapy balls against a desk to self massage tight forearms and tricep muscles from typing and overuse. You can find more Yoga Tune Up video ideas and resources on my YouTube channel.
- Use An Activity Tracker. Working with a step counter or more sophisticated activity tracker can tell you exactly how active you are during the work hours. This may provide you good insight as to the importance of fitness during your hectic workday. I’m addicted to my fitbit.
- Have walking meetings. Is your day jam packed with back to back meetings or calls? Walk as you talk. Invite colleagues to join you on a walking meeting or take your calls on a headset and walk around. Researchers at Stanford University found that the creative output of people increases by an average of 60 percent when they are walking. Indoor walks were found to be just as effective for boosting creativity as outdoor walks. Get “sweatworking” and find a way to incorporate movement into your meetings.
- Never go 2 hours without moving. You can do it!
- Set aside specific times to unplug from your tech, connect to yourself, and enjoy your life. It’s happening outside of the screen
Your body was not meant to sit at a desk attached to tech. A muscle in tension stays in tension until you change its position. Want to get rid of aches and pains? Unplug for a second and move around.
If you don’t make your body a priority it will get cranky and create pain in your life. But I believe that if you follow my suggestions above, you will feel better. When you feel better you work better. It is that simple.
My youtube channel is a great resource to inspire movement wherever you are. Subscribe and stay motivated to move and feel your best. You deserve to feel good and live without pain.
How do you stay active and pain free throughout your work day? Let me know in the comments below.
Till next time, keep moving my friends.
Caroline
Companies who live well together work smarter together. I offer corporate wellness consulting and custom corporate wellness programs to support your employees in beating stress, finding health, and maximizing their productivity. I work with both large and small companies as a wellness speaker, consultant, teacher and coach. My programs are geared towards changing company culture for healthy employees. I drive wellness programs in and out of corporate settings to enhance the health of the community. Clients include: Genentech, Google, Fitbit, Sephora, Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Reed Smith LLP, RMC Water & Environment, DDB California, Credit Karma, TaskRabbit, Litekey Technology, and Hines.
If you are interested in scheduling a consultation to discuss ways we can work with together and improve the heath of your company, contact me at: [email protected]
Want to build a balanced body? Check out my book, Balanced Body Breakthrough and get your mind, body, and spirit in great shape so you can love your life.
Originally published at www.carolinejordanfitness.com on April 10, 2016.
Originally published at medium.com