Ever heard of deskercising? No? Well then, let us fill you in! Deskercising is especially for those amongst you who have an office job and/or spend the majority of your time sitting in front of a computer.
When we are sitting for long periods of time, our shoulders get stiff which can result in serious long-term neck and back pain. In order words, sitting causes muscle tension.
Now, what’s the solution? Do I need to quit my job? No, calm down. You can keep your job - just try to deskercise! Deskercises are easy exercises that can be done at your office which will help you to get rid of those muscle tensions and add some fun to your workday!
Obviously, you are not going to break a sweat by following these deskercises, however, your shoulders and neck should feel less tense and your overall posture should improve.
Stretch. This is probably the most obvious thing you can do to temporarily release any pressure in your shoulders and neck. Do a big and slow shoulder roll and repeat in reversed direction. Now close your eyes and slowly roll your neck in one big circular motion. Repeat in reversed direction. Do these motions as many times as you like. Already feeling better? Well, this is just the start!
Practice your posture. The most common reason for stiff shoulders in the first place is bad posture. You might not always realize that you are sitting incorrectly but try to sit up straight, chest forward with your shoulders hanging relaxed to the sides.
Now, let’s work on the rest of your body. Try to stand up and move around as much as possible. Obviously, this isn’t always possible and appropriate (depending on your type of work), but whenever you do stand up - make it count! Be conscious of your movements, shake loose, and sneak in a squat here and there. If this is too embarrassing for you, you can do simple leg raises in your chair. Simply sit up straight (as discussed in #2) and raise one leg, halt at the top, and switch sides. You can also easily turn this into an ab exercise by flexing your abdominal muscles! What a sneaky way to add some exercise and fun into your day, don’t you think?
If your office allows, replace your office chair with an aerobic ball. This will greatly improve your posture, and balance, and takes any pressure off your lower back muscle. The added bonus? Sitting on an aerobic ball instead of a chair actually tones your abs!
What are your thoughts about these deskercises? Will you give them a try tomorrow at work?