Even if you can't work from a standing desk all day there's always easy ways to create a non-sedentary life and stay active at work. Here are six simple ways you can stay active during your work day.
1. Play Popcorn - If you have trouble sitting still and finishing projects at one time change up where you work throughout the day. Simply schedule each item on your to-do list in a specific place and then stick to that location until it's crossed off your list...and then get up and go somewhere else. Not only does workstation popcorn keep your muscles moving it helps your brain focus on the task at hand from a new location each time.
2. Take Regular Breaks - This is one of our standing desk resolutions this year at UpDesk and we think it should be one of yours as well. Even if you don't have a height adjustable desk you can take little breaks throughout your day to stand when you need to. Set a timer to go off every 20-30 minutes and when it does stand up - just for 5 minutes. Take a walk to the water cooler. Deliver that memo in person. Or even step outside for a breath of fresh air. You'll be surprised how much of a difference just those few minutes will make. And stop thinking about your lunch break as just a suggestion to be ignored in favor of eating at your desk and continuing to work. Use those 30 minutes for something good like a walk to get your creative juices flowing.
3. Get a Better Chair - Okay not everyone can stand all day at their desk. (And if you want to transition well into the standing desk life you shouldn't.) But even if you are choosing to spend some of your day sitting there are still lots of ways to stay active in that desk chair. Try one of the awesome office chairs UpDesk endorses or consider buying a wobble stool or fitness ball that will keep your core muscles engaged and your posture straight. Who says sitting can't be active?
4. Try the Spooner Board - Ready to take your standing to the next level? Try the new Spooner Board Pro. This amazing wobble board is a revolutionary way to engage everything from your core muscles to your balance to your coordination - just by standing on it at your height adjustable desk. It's the best way to keep your body and your mind active while you work.
5. Take the Stairs - Sure we've all heard this suggestion before but have you actually done it? Using the stairs instead of the elevator (especially in the morning when you arrive at work) is a simple and effective way to get your blood pumping your mind clear and your body limbered up for a day of productive and successful work. You could even consider taking those 5-minute breaks we mentioned in point number two to walk up and down the stairs...it's a great way to stretch your legs if you don't want to go outside into the freezing winter weather.
6. Get a Standing Desk - You had to know this one was coming right? Without a doubt using a stand up desk is the best way to keep yourself active while at work. And it's not just about the fact that working from a height adjustable desk keeps your body limber and your muscles engaged. When you stand you also are much more likely to do other active motions than if you were stuck slumped over in an office chair. When you stand it's easier to do some quick stretches stop for a few minutes to walk a lap around your office or even kick off a little dance party to keep things moving and grooving.
Are you ready to let a standing desk from UpDesk kickstart your active lifestyle in 2015? Call us today at (615) 350-7085 and order your manual or electric standing desk. With a large variety of sizes (like the custom SquaredUp desk) and desktop options (like the UpWrite the first ever whiteboard standing desk) we've got everything you need to make your life the best it can be.
