The world is moving fast and the competition is increasing. One has to really outdo in order to become a part of this race. This race for betterment and for reaching the goals has got people working day and night, sacrificing and compromising on their health while focusing on professional life. While working hard to achieve one's goals is something everybody should be proud of, health shouldn’t be compromised in the process in any way. We often forget to give time to our bodies, to the nourishment of our soul. The truth is that there is time for everything, one just has to make it. Priorities let you divide your time decide what’s important to you.
Being a health conscious person, I have always walked in the evenings at parks and enjoyed physical activities. It's not just because I've been health conscious but it’s also because I generally like staying active. With such interest towards outdoor and active life, it was naturally very difficult for me to adjust to job life. No matter how energetic you wake up, sitting at your desk for hours makes you feel lazy and even de-motivated to workout. Concerned about my health, I started going to the gym regularly after my office which was tiring in the beginning but eventually I started looking forward to it every day. It would feel like a fresh start of the day and it made me feel amazing. It further motivated me to stay active throughout the day which is why I started looking for exercises that are easy to follow at the office!
Interestingly, I came across a lot of fitness enthusiast who has shared their quick exercise routines with their followers. I discovered that a lot of people find it hard to sit all day and some even start getting necks pain and back pain so some exercises followed at the office also encounters such pains. I have compiled some of the easiest and doable exercises that you can follow from your desk. Try to follow them and start inspiring your colleagues too!
Marching
You can start by simply standing up at your place and start marching slowly. It will make your actions and get rid of that laziness hanging around your legs and shoulders. To get your shoulders working, you can start lifting your hands up, as if pushing the ceiling up. Take your hands all the way up and then down to your shoulders such that your thumbs touch your shoulders. do this while marching and once you get used to of it, try this with water bottles at a later stage. Follows this in 20reps set.
Triceps Kick
This is also done while marching. Just bend your body forward while marching and start bending your elbows forward and then stretch them all the way behind your body. Follow this in sets of 20 reps.
Hamstring Curl
This is a simple one. You just have to lift up one leg towards the backside while bending your elbow with your opposite side folded to the front side. In simpler words, you are walking but while standing at your place and you are not really moving forward. Lift a leg backwards with opposite side arm forward. Just try not to kick those things sitting behind you. Make sure there's enough space around you to follow this exercise.
Knee lift
As the name suggests, just bend and lift your knee up while letting your arms down. So as you lift your knee, both the arms will go down, centering your knee. Repeat this twenty times a day and it will make your hip flexors much more flexible!
Punching
This is a great stretching exercise and can be followed very easily at your place! Stand up on your feet and start by punching imaginary walls on both sides of your body. Use your right arm to kick the left wall and your left arm to kick the right wall. Do this while slightly rocking your feet. This one will not only wake you up physically but also help you release some of your tension.
Desk Pushups
Ok, we are moving towards the harder ones now. While you’ve got a desk right in front of you, you might as well take advantage of it! Simply place your arms on your desk, wide apart. Take your legs back and you will find yourself in a slant position. Start pushing your shoulders down while keeping your legs straight. It is not very easy, but it is also not impossible to do. Start with 5 reps and slowly move to at least 10 reps a day.
Jump Squat
This one may attract attention around you but really helps in burning those extra calories. Bend your body in a squat position but no need to go too low. While you bend, take your arms behind you and then jump with your arms up, as if reaching out to the ceiling. This may make you sweat so make sure that you follow this one only after you’ve had your important meetings of the day.
Walk!
Last but not the least; if you are facing difficulty following any of these exercises then simply get up from your desk and start walking around your office. Take short breaks in which you can go around the office and breathe some fresh air.
It might get awkward for you to start with these exercises first but trust me, you'll start enjoying your work much more than you do (or don’t) right now!