For those working in offices and remote heroes alike, doing exercise breaks has proven to be remarkably beneficial. Your mind and body parade in vitality. A mundane 9-5 existence turns into work well done and a day well lived.
But do you know that the benefits of exercise breaks are not limited to the, well… obvious ones? You're not mounting a one-trick pony here. No, no. You’re ought to clutch the list of unexpected perks that will make you want to prance around your work desk like a crazy bee. Ready?
#1 Losing weight while sitting (working)
No, we are not in the business of selling 6-pack abs machines. It’s easier, healthier, and much cheaper than that.
When you tackle desk exercises - a few times a day even - your week of work turns into a week of activity. A small 5-minute movement break lines up to spike your metabolism and burn a lot more calories a week than you would by just sitting.
In essence, how much food and drink you take in, combined with how active you are, determines your weight. Here is an easy way of spiking your activity levels, daily, instead of going for snacks.
#2 Turns useless to useful
Well, exercise equipment is overrated. There, we said it. And if there is one thing all of us have at our homes and on our desks, it's things that only take up space. Let's change that!
Books we never dared to open, papers we printed just to convert kilobytes into micrograms, tapes and DVDs (they still exist), ratty towels, magazines...
Anything can add weight to your exercise as long as you can hold it. And, of course, as long as it holds weight. Reach outside the box here and go super nuts. I mean, there are no limits...
- The old microwave oven as a weight for squats (don’t die on us)
- Old cables as a jump rope (unplugged ones 😂)
- Unmatched socks as your trainers
- Ratty towels instead of resistance bands
- Mugs as kettlebells (pour the liquid out)
- Unused notebook as exercise break planners
- Chipped dishes as... well, you should trash those
Oh, and while you're at it, chuck those things somewhere outside your work space. It should aid you to get rid of fatigue caused by clutter.
#3 Hard tasks become manageable
Having a hard time punching your way through the strenuous task? We get it. We've been over those "I can't do it" hurdles.
Those sons of guns are super thorny because we can’t see the end clearly. They take days to unwind and carry a lot of small moving parts.
Well, there you have it - small moving parts. You are probably well aware that chunking down your work makes it much easier. Bracketing those chunks with exercise breaks makes your next 45 minutes of working much more pleasurable - and manageable.
#4 Looking for an icebreaker activity?
Asking how is everyone to break the ice is old school. Drawing cards often impractical (try it over Zoom 😶). Sketching playful images to bond with your teammates… outstanding, but perplexing for those hopeless in a free-style drawing.
If you’re looking for something fresh to crack up those reserved faces - voila! When days have been busy, and butts tied to chairs, your team needs to bounce back to life.
You’ll be surprised at how a simple thing of moving together can get everyone back in high spirits.
A state of mind you need to invoke to have a meeting everyone is looking forward to joining the next time.
#5 Cancer risk goes down
There is strong evidence that an increase in physical activity protects against cancer - in particular, colon, bladder, breast, lung, and uterine cancer.
What you do in your leisure time, but also during work (our little secret😉), has been linked with a lower risk in heart disease and all-cause mortality as well.
So get up and move whenever you can. Yes, even during your work. It's a strong decision that could keep you away from worst harm.
#6 Activity breaks stir up a butterfly effect
A little flapping of wings can cause a hurricane. A small tweak in behavior, likewise, can call forth a sea of positive changes. Something as easy as jogging or eating healthy snacks instead of holding your phone can make a world of difference.
Start small. Start with something that’s impossible to fail at doing. Although it might appear as trivial, it will goad the winds to blast in your favor.
Just give it a try. We promise you'll live to see the power of wing-flapping!
Wakeout
Wakeout
