Trust me, I know exactly what it is like to sit at a desk for hours on end having done so for over 20yrs. In the early part of my corporate career I was terrible at taking screen breaks and moving my body regularly throughout the day.
Despite being fairly active outside of work (gym 3 times per week plus a long bike ride on a Saturday), I came to realise that not taking short regular breaks during the day was having an impact on me physically and also on my mental wellbeing.
It's so easy to get absorbed into your work, which is great by the way especially if you love what you do. But sitting or even standing in roughly the same position for hours without a break is not doing you or your body any favours.
Some unfavourable symptoms I experienced during my time in corporate included:
Very tight hamstrings
Weak shortened hip flexors
Lower back tightness
Weak glutes
Tight shoulders
Poor digestive health
Neck ache
Tension headaches
High stress
Low mood
Just to clarify, I am not a medical doctor. The above symptoms are what I personally experienced and are not necessarily just connected to not taking regular breaks. However, once I started to incorporate the exercises I share in the above video at regular intervals during the day alongside my existing workout schedule these symptoms started to improve or subside. I felt so much more energetic and productive!
"But I don't have time. My schedule is rammed!"
I hear you! I thought exactly the same. I felt like there were days I didn't have time to breathe let alone do shoulder rolls! But it can be done I promise.
The art of habit stacking.
Most of us go and make a coffee or tea, grab a glass of water, pop out to get a sandwich at lunchtime, or stand by the microwave watching our soup go round and round for 3mins. These are great opportunities to get into the habit of doing a mobility exercise or two, when you are doing something away from your desk that you already do habitually.
Over the next few days I would really encourage you to give this a try. Start small with perhaps one exercise and build it up. See if you can get into a rhythm with it and make a note of how you feel.
Hope this is helpful. Would love to hear how you get on so please do let me know.
Enjoy the rest of your week! : )
Amalia
DISCLAIMER: The information shared in this video is offered as an opinion. You should always consult a medical professional before trying any new diet or exercise program.
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