3 Ways to Stay Active At Your Desk Job

 In Business Advice, Employee Motivation
Man in gray blazer sitting on chair

Ways to Stay Active At Your Desk Job

Medical experts report that sedentary lifestyles, which include the majority of employees across the country who work a typical 9-5 office job, can have extremely negative effects on your health. While many fitness enthusiasts might feel that eating healthy and working out a few days a week has the potential to balance out hours of inactivity in the workplace, doctors advise that this is not enough. If you work in an office and currently maintain what would be considered a sedentary lifestyle, you might find yourself wondering how it’s possible to stay active throughout the day while staying on top of your tasks in the office. For many employees, staying active at work is possible, but it might take a little bit of getting used to. Here are a few tips for staying active throughout a long workday.

1. Use a Standing Desk
While it might not fit the standard definition of “active,” standing burns calories, and doing so for longer periods of time can be better for your muscles and posture than sitting at your desk. Standing desks are available in a variety of styles and can be customized to fit your height. These desks can be incorporated easily into any workspace, and are a game changer for anyone looking to stay active during a long workday.

For additional exercise, you could even get a mini treadmill to walk on while using your standing desk, an idea that has become increasingly popular thanks to the rising number of employees sharing their experience with this practice on social media sites like TikTok.

2. Take Frequent Breaks
Taking a break every few hours to head to the restroom or water cooler isn’t enough. In order to fully stretch your muscles and get your blood flowing with movement, you should aim to take a break every 1-2 hours, during which time you should aim to move as much as possible. Take a couple of laps around the office, walk to your car, or head to the coffee shop across the street as often as you are able to make sure you’re moving as much as possible during the workday.

3. Walk During Lunch
When you have a longer break such as during lunch, it can be beneficial to take a walk. Whether you walk to a cafe to buy food on your break or bring a meal with you on a stroll, using this prolonged break to get moving can be a game changer for your health. Just make sure you wear proper, well-fitting walking shoes to work, or you might find yourself looking into different types of bunion surgery.


What is a Bunion

A bunion is a bony bump that forms on the joint at the base of your big toe. It occurs when some of the bones in the front part of your foot move out of place. This causes the tip of your big toe to get pulled toward the smaller toes and forces the joint at the base of your big toe to stick out.
Unfortunately, bunions won’t go away without treatment. If left untreated, bunions get worse. Treatment is geared to slow the progression of the bunion and reduce the pain. Yet, there are some cases where a doctor suggests a bunionectomy.

The signs and symptoms of a bunion include:

  • A bulging bump on the outside of the base of your big toe
  • Swelling, redness or soreness around your big toe joint
  • Corns or calluses — these often develop where the first and second toes rub against each other
  • Ongoing pain or pain that comes and goes
  • Limited movement of your big toe

When to see a Doctor

Although bunions often require no medical treatment, see your doctor or a doctor who specializes in treating foot disorders (podiatrist or orthopedic foot specialist) if you have:

  • Ongoing big toe or foot pain
  • A visible bump on your big toe joint
  • Decreased movement of your big toe or foot
  • Difficulty finding shoes that fit properly because of a bunion
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