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How to keep active in an office job

The importance of keeping active

At work and at home, many of us are sitting far too much and we are simply not meant to be inactive.

Sitting too long, not only impacts on our muscles, bones and joints, it also impacts on our bodily systems like our heart, lungs and digestion too. Mentally keeping active is also so important, as has been recently evidenced by GPs recommending patients exercise for their mental wellbeing.

Adapting poor postures, whilst sitting can also place stress on our backs, necks and shoulders, so movement is even more vital in helping this.

Work-loads and work stress levels are also on the rise, which can lead to a vicious cycle of inactivity, stress and sometimes pain too.

With the rise of health issues such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, which are both hugely impacted by weight and inactivity, it is So important to move more and sit less.

Tips on how to stay active in an office job

These top tips may help you in the workplace and home to get things into a little more balance!

  1. Aim to get at least 1 session of cardiovascular exercise a week. Ideally at least 20 minutes a day, but aim to do a little more each week!
  2. Park the car further away or get off the bus a stop before your destination to incorporate more exercise into your week.
  3. Take regular breaks whilst at work, change position, get up and move, walk round your desk at least or pop to the loo. Do something that doesn’t involve sitting!
  4. Get your workspace looked at. Is it correctly set up and is it working well for you? Ask your HR department for help with this or check out the government sites on desk set up. They are pretty straight forward.
  5. Remember doing some exercise and movement is better than none. Don’t focus too much on the perfect posture, just focus on the next posture. Get up and move more.
  6. Grab an exercise buddy to sign up to something fun like a dance class or what-ever takes your fancy. It is much easier to stick to something, if you have a movement buddy enlisted too!
  7. Apps- where would we be today without these. There are lots of them that you can use to set timers to encourage you to get up and move. Go to the App Store and simply try a few out.
  8. Follow our You Tube videos for exercise inspiration. Remember that all of these are not suitable for everyone though. It is always best to speak to your therapist before you start any programme. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaJ73uA91d0

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