How to Exercise at the Office

Exercising at the office has benefits for your mental and physical health. In this post, we examine the best ways to work out at work, including quick and effective workouts, relief for neck and back pain, and more.?

By Brandi Fowler

Working out before or after office hours can boost energy or release stress, but squeezing in exercise during the workday can be beneficial too.?

According to a Leeds Metropolitan University study , employees who visited the gym during the work day managed their time more effectively, were more productive, had smoother interactions with their colleagues, and left work feeling more satisfied, Harvard Business Review reported .?

Adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle-strengthening per week, according to the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, so it pays to do exercises at the office if you can squeeze it in.?

“Getting movement in your regular routine has a slew of benefits aside from the fact that regular exercise is imperative to take care of our physical health,” wellness expert, and creator of Hurdle, Emily Abbate said. “It's also critical for our mental health. There’s so much research surrounding this, specifically about how exercise can be effective and on par with managing depression and taking antidepressants.?

“Not only can exercise help improve your mood immediately, it can also help us get out of our environment, mix things up, make new friends, make meaningful, more deep connections.”?

Studies also show exercising can improve concentration, sharpen memory, help you learn faster, prolong mental stamina, enhance creativity and lower stress.

I chatted with Abbate and fitness and nutrition expert Joey Thurman to learn more about the best ways to exercise in the workplace, how to ease neck and back pain, and more.

How to Exercise at Work?

How you exercise in the office depends on your work conditions.?

Whether you have a gym in your building, have a private office or cubicle, or work from home can all lend to different workout capabilities. But you can find ways to incorporate physical activity in all of them.?

“Most people don't squeeze in workouts at all,” Thurman said. “So if it needs to be at work, then do what you can. I call them burst workouts. People always think that they need to work out for an hour at a time, but why does that hour need to be consecutive 60 minutes? You can do 10-15 minutes of movement three, four times a day.

“Do a 10- or 15-minute walk after your meal at work and that will add up to your 30 to 60 minutes of movement a day. I think we get caught up in trying to do 60 minutes. And if it's not 60 minutes, it's not efficient and effective. Tell that to a sprinter. They run for nine seconds and they are good to go.”

Thurman also suggested doing HIIT (high-intensity interval training) mobility exercises or glute squeezes.?

“We are sitting on our butts all day long so if you don't use it, you are going to lose it,” Thurman said. “Getting up and squeezing your glutes for 30 seconds will turn them on, walking uphill, walking up the steps instead of the elevator can help that too. And even do simple corner stretches for your chest every now and then.”

You can also start by walking around your office, doing basic stretching, or doing yoga, Abbate said.?

“So much research says yoga boosts self-esteem and motivation, and it could help someone navigate a high-stress situation in the office,” Abbate said. “It doesn't need to be a 30-minute yoga session next to your desk, but taking the time to stretch can really get the blood moving and help shake off any stagnation you are feeling.

“You can also use your lunch break to figure out the best way to make that work for you. If you have 30 minutes to an hour each day where you may be able to step away from your desk, split that time into 30 minutes to eat and 30 minutes to move, then think about what your options could be ranging from some sort of a boutique fitness class that might be near your office to making time for a light jog or [something you enjoy doing].

“It is really important that whatever you are leaning into is something that excites you, because if it excites you, then you're more likely to do it regularly.”

Exercises to Help Alleviate Neck and Back Pain at Work

When you are leaning over your laptop all day or making work calls, your neck and back suffer. Doing exercises to prevent or relieve pain can help.?

“Make sure that you are standing up regularly during your day,” Abbate said. “A big part of that neck, back pain, and shoulder pain is that hunched-over posture that we get into.?

“So, if you have the opportunity to get yourself a standing desk it can help you realign and make the best out of you being in the same position for a long period of time. It can also help loosen up the shoulders and neck.?

Abbate also recommended shrugging the shoulders and bringing your hands to meet behind your back to stretch.?

“Bring the right ear down to the shoulder and gently use your right hand to put some pressure onto the left side of the head,” Abbate said. “And feel that nice stretch down the left side of the neck.

“Repeat on the opposite side. Then tilt the head from side to side, or just move it in different directions, looking right, looking left, looking up, looking down, moving that slowly and taking some deep breaths.”

Abbate is a big proponent of incorporating breathwork into the workday.?

“Breath is one of the most accessible underrated tools we have at our disposal,” Abbate said. “By taking the time to incorporate breathing into your regular routine, you might be surprised how much tension leaves when you give that time and dedication to breathing.”

Abbate suggested using breathwork apps, particularly a platform called Open that has breathwork classes that start at one-minute long.?

“For someone who is looking for a low barrier to entry, a guided meditation, a guided breathwork class, that's a really great option to help you start without setting goals that are too high,” Abbate said.?

Thurman said stretching more than just the neck and back is essential too.?

“People think when they get a pain in a specific area, like your hamstrings or shoulders are tight, that area is the culprit, but there is something called regional interdependence,” Thurman said. “It is a physical therapy term, which means you could have pain triggered from somewhere else.?

So, you could have back pain that is coming from tight hips, weak glutes [etc.].”

Stretching your hip flexors, glutes, and pecs can help ease the tightness as well, Thurman said.

Exercise Tools to Bring to Work

You can boost your office workouts by bringing a few tools with you.?

Abbate said she keeps a small ball at her desk, and recommends having a lacrosse or massage ball on hand for pain relief, or a small resistance band for quick toning workouts.

Thurman proposed bringing a foam roller, a massage gun to alleviate stiffness and tightness, and loop bands or bands with handles for toning.?

“You can do some bicep curls, squats, put the mini bands around your ankles, get the glutes going,” Thurman said. “You can throw those things on your desk. If you don’t want people to know what you are doing, you can hide them [easily].”

Fitting a workout into your work day may seem impossible, but take baby steps. Start with 10-15 minutes of physical activity, whether walking around the office or doing mini-workouts with resistance bands. The benefits are worth the effort.

Top Takeaways

How to Get Exercise at the Office

• Exercising during the work day is beneficial for your mental and physical health and can improve your performance at work.?
• You can start exercising in the office by experimenting with 10-15 minute workouts, including walking around the office and quick exercises with resistance bands.?
• Splitting your lunch break in half with a mini-workout can help you achieve your in-office workout goals.?
• Bringing tools like exercise bands, foam rollers, and massage balls to work can amp up your quick workouts and/or alleviate neck and back pain.