Last Updated on November 15, 2015 by Michael Brockbank
Many of us live extremely busy lifestyles. Between careers and the commute, it may be hard to get any real time to take care of yourself physically. However, there are things you can do at work that can help boost your fitness level. It all revolves around how you use your break time. Even smokers can get on the band wagon for using breaks efficiently. Keep in mind that this is focusing more on office workers.
What Can You Do During a Healthy Break?
When it comes to breaks and/or lunches while at work, many people are complacent with sitting at the table or otherwise relaxing. You need to change your mindset if you want to get into better shape. You can’t view it as a time to sit back and relax – technically, you’ve already been doing that.
- Go for a Walk
Taking five to ten minutes during your break to walk around the office building can be both mentally and physically beneficial. This not only gets the body moving to burn some calories and carbs, but it gets the blood and oxygen flowing to the brain as well. There is great potential for reducing your stress in addition to improving your mood by walking during every break. - Get a Glass of Water
Water is one of the many things that the average person does not get on a regular basis. Find the furthest watering hole in your building and walk to it. This will give you some movement during break while getting something your body needs to survive: water. Even if you plan on heading to the break room, go the extra distance and get a drink from another location. The key to this exercise is to add more to your routine. - Do Some Stretching
Some people will go so far as to bring a yoga mat to work with them in order to get some stretch time in. Stretching will help loosen the muscles in your body while reducing tension in your neck and back. Sitting for extended periods of time may not be conducive to you muscles and joints, and stretching helps relieve a lot of problems that could develop. This is also a good way to relax, especially if you’re in a high-stress environment. Take five to ten minutes working out all the muscles in your body. - Push Ups
You don’t have to get onto the floor to benefit from doing a few push ups during break. In fact, you can do this while standing. For example, stand a little bit away from a wall and lean against it with your palms. Although there is less resistance than if you were to get onto the floor, you can easily get quite a few reps in without getting your suit or dress dirty. Some people will do push ups by leaning against there desks. Just make sure it’s stable enough to support your weight as you can tip smaller units quite easily. - Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are an incredible calisthenic to get the blood pumping and the body moving. It’s one of those exercises that can be done virtually anywhere while working out a large number of your muscles. However, it may be difficult to do these if you’re wearing certain kinds of office attire. - Lifting Weight
While it may be impracticable to bring dumbbells and other equipment to the office, there are still plenty of things you can lift that will provide a similar effect. Personally, I would do a few reps lifting a box of paper a few times a day. Sometimes, I would actually lift my chair for five minutes or so. The office is full of items that can be put to a healthy and practical use. - Taking the Stairs
If you work in a tall office building, why not take the stairs? Climbing stairs is a great activity for promoting health. If you’re on the 20th floor, simply get out on 15 and walk the rest of the way. You don’t have to climb the entire height of the building if your not in good enough shape.
The key element you need to consider is increasing your physical activity. Regardless of how it’s done, getting more movement throughout your day can do a great deal of good. Get more out of your breaks besides getting away from work.
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