Looking for practical tips and tricks to make working a desk job all day a little more bearable? Look no further!
If you are stuck at a desk for the majority of the day — whether at work or durign school/studying, I FEEL YOUR PAIN. Despite visiting patients throughout the day, I still spend most of my time at the computer charting. Not only can it feel redundant, but it often leaves my body aching and stiff from so much sitting.
We’ve all heard about the negative effects of too much sitting and living a sedentary lifestyle, so I don’t think I need to mention that ‘sitting is the new smoking’. I remember hearing adults groan about sitting at a desk all day, and I remember having that reality sink in REALLY FAST during the first week of my job at the hospital. Since then, I’ve done my best to be intentional about my work space wellness efforts, if you want to call it that. I’ve compiled a short and practical list of the top tips and tricks I have found make working and sitting at a desk all day a little more bearable.
-
Get up and MOVE every hour!
- Even a walk to the water fountain counts!
-
Create a mini “vision board” or collection of pictures/cards that inspire or make you smile.
-
Park farther away and take the stairs.
-
Take a 5-15 minute walk around the building.
- Outside, if weather/job permitting!
-
Invest in a work blanket/oversized scarf!
- Especially if your office is as cold as mine. I have one like this one!
-
STRETCH.
- Forward fold, reverse prayer, shoulder stretches, eagle arms, torso twists and backward bend are all simple stretches I actually do at work to offset sitting in the same position. (Thankfully my coworker doesn’t laugh like, TOO much….)
-
Ergonomically optimize your desk or work space.
- If it’s not possible to make a standing desk the reality, make sure your keyboard, screen and writing area are all in line with comfortable posture. Feet flat on floor, knees in line with hips; avoid overreaching, work close to your desk and keep the keyboard directly in front of your body, center the monitor directly in front of your line of vision, use a document clip to hand documents on the side of your monitor to prevent constantly looking down. My chair doesn’t go down all the way and my feet dangle (#shortgirlproblems), so I have a small box under my feet. No shame.
-
Keep a drawer/stash of healthy snacks and tea bags so you aren’t tempted by the vending machine.
-
Try to disconnect from work responsibilities during meal time.
- If you can’t break away from your desk at lunch, make an effort to only focus on the meal.
-
Invest in a water bottle that makes you want to drink more water!
-
Turn up the music.
- …okay, maybe not TOO loud. But, if your job permits, having a little (work appropriate) background music is a surefire way to make the day a little more enjoyable.
-
Serve those around you.
- Whether it be a coworker, patient, or someone you come in contact with at lunch or around the office — make it a point to ask them, “what can I do to serve you?”.
-
Practice gratitude.
- You have a job! Regardless of the circumstances, I think we can always find a silver lining. Paycheck, having the ability to give back to others, health benefits, being able to provide for your family…make an intentional effort to focus on the GOOD.
If you’ve got any tricks up your sleeve to survive working a desk job, let me know in the comments below!