Regardless of whether you work full-time or from home, you might feel stiff and sluggish after a day spent hunched over a computer. In spite of spending most of your day sitting, by 5pm you may feel fatigued and unmotivated to exercise or move your body as your body demands.
The good news is that there are several things you can do when you feel strained, stressed or just plain lethargic. You can do these simple suggestions any time of the day, based on your schedule, starting with gentle desk yoga. After you have a clear understanding of your limits and physical goals, you can formulate a plan for consistently exercising throughout the day. Find something you enjoy to keep motivated, whether it’s marathon mountain-biking sessions or ballet blasts.
Getting started is as easy as following these five suggestions.
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1. Do desk yoga if you have 5 minutes
Take a few minutes throughout the day to practice desk yoga for a simple and short exercise. You just need to follow these steps. A desk yoga session focuses primarily on stretching away stubborn aches and pains in the neck, shoulders and upper back. If you tend to pop a paracetamol and hope that goes away, or if you are busy at your desk, these exercises may be beneficial. While focusing on timed breathing exercises while you move, desk yoga consists of gentle stretches and rotations to improve mobility.
Here is a poster you can save to your Pinterest account that illustrates numerous stretches you can do in approximately five minutes. You can also follow along with an instructor on YouTube by searching for Desk Yoga. Unless you want to be that person at the office, these exercises are not recommended during Zoom sessions!
2. Disco dance workout in 15 minutes
When you have some extra time and want to get your heart rate up, try a dance workout. You can find a great collection of online dances on YouTube, all around 15 minutes long. These cheesy pop routines are utterly addictive, yet they are cheesy pop. When you work out dance, you can sweat, smile, and feel pretty damn smug about how productive your time was.
A quick Google search will likely find you many beginner classes in your area, whether gym-based or more diverse dance workouts. Do you get more motivation from exercising with a group of friends? Try to get your HR department to set up a dance class after work – they’ll be happy to oblige if you supply them with a list of willing colleagues.
3. Get your hands dirty in the garden for 30 minutes
The occasional half-hour spent gardening is a fantastic way to rejuvenate. It has been proven that gardening (and spending time in green spaces generally) reduces stress levels, decreases feelings of depression, and burns up to 300 calories per hour.
There’s something extremely therapeutic about nurturing something beautiful every day, whether it’s aromatic flowers, shrubbery plants or colourful vegetables. Now that summer is fast approaching, channel your inner Alan Titchmarsh and start gardening. Why not sign up for an allotment if you don’t have a garden or an accessible patch of greenery?
4. Jog with a furry friend for 45 minutes
I’m getting dog-specific here, but sometimes you just need the push to get out of the house, breathe fresh air, and exercise (especially when working from home). When the word “walkies” is uttered, nothing will drag you outside faster than your dog. Try new places to keep things fresh for you and your dog. This is obviously the norm for dog owners.
Is there anyone who loves dogs but has no dogs? There is a good chance that you know someone who has one and would appreciate your help caring for it. If you prefer, you can adopt a dog for a day or two with Borrow My Doggy, and then enjoy exercising with it after you’re vetted.
5. Just keep swimming for 60 minutes
Swimming is one of the best ways to have fun, relax and stretch your muscles. From splashing in local lidos to swimming laps in an indoor pool, swimming is a fantastic way to have fun, truly relax and have fun. Aside from breaststroke and front crawl, most good swimming pools also offer water-based workouts like Aqua Zumba and water aerobics.
In addition, if your local pool has a sauna or steam room, take advantage of it to soothe your tired muscles. Remember what we mentioned earlier about simple desk yoga exercises? To maximize the effects of a water workout, try them in a sauna or steam room afterward. Between sauna sessions, experts recommend ice-cold showers for a sensational but soothing relief – you deserve it!
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