Office work has become all the more prevalent in today’s world. Since so many tasks are now completed on a computer instead of in person, there is little, if any, reason to get up from one’s seat during the course of a day. As a result, more people are finding it difficult to fit activity into their everyday lives. However, if this sedentary life continues, it can lead to problems such as weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and more.

The Problems of Being Sedentary

The human body is actually not designed to sit at a desk all day. Your legs are designed to stand, bend, and move as a part of your everyday activities. But as we’re not out hunting and gathering much anymore, it seems we’re out of practice. As a result, there are numerous troubles office workers have that other professions may not:

• Weight gain
• Osteoporosis
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Less effective immune systems
• Metabolic disorders


This list could be much longer, but you can see what is happening. A body at rest does not function at its highest capacity. A body at rest can not maintain muscle tone nor can it fight off the progress of germs which can cause disease. Think of it this way: when your body is not functioning as well as it could be, your body isn’t going to have the energy to deal with problems which might arise – cancerous growths, for example. Instead, your body is only going to have enough energy to maintain basic functions. Sounds scary, doesn’t it?

Adding Movement to Your Life

The good news is that just because you work at a desk doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a life of poor health. By taking just a few extra steps each day (pun intended), you can easily regain your figure as well as your health.

You will want to begin by finding times when you can move away from your desk. There are always times when you can stand up for a while – i.e. when you’re on the phone. If you need to send an email to someone a few rows of desks over, walk over to this person’s desk to deliver the message instead. Not only will you get an immediate answer, but also more exercise.

On a break, try to get up and move away from your desk. Instead of eating at your computer, try walking for 15 to 30 minutes each day, then sit down to eat before returning to work. Not only will you have fit in exercise, but you will also come back to work more refreshed and ready to tackle your projects.

If possible, getting to work by foot or by bike is always a good idea. This way, you have to exercise and you don’t have any excuse not to. Of course, bad weather might be a fair excuse to find a drier and warmer way to your place of employment.

Having a set of free weights or an exercise rubber band by your desk will help you fit in a few repetitions of weight work in between tasks at your job. As a result, you will be able to exercise without taking more time from your schedule – and you’ll be getting paid (assuming your boss doesn’t mind).

Remember, just fitting in 10 minutes three times per day will add up to 30 minutes of activity a day, which adds up to 182 hours of extra movement a year.

An Exercise Commitment

The best way to ensure you are staying in shape while working an office job is to make exercise a part of your daily life. Make sure you schedule in time to exercise both at and away from work. This way, just like any other project you have to complete, you have the time already delegated – and nothing will get in the way.

Exercising might seem to be impossible when all you do is work at your desk, but this does not have to be the case. You can easily fit in activity and begin to make your health a priority once more.

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