Chained to your desk?

Looking for people like me who have low step counts due to a long high stress desk job to help give me motivation!
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Replies

  • jnsparrowe
    jnsparrowe Posts: 3 Member
    Girl, I feel you! I work 9-5 at a desk!
  • Omg. Right there with you! I work 45 hours a week
  • MamaSteg
    MamaSteg Posts: 10 Member
    I’m right there with you. The only time I get up is to go to the bathroom. I don’t even get a chance to drink more than one cup of coffee or more than one large glass of water!
  • flowergirl1326
    flowergirl1326 Posts: 4 Member
    So what works for you? By the time I get home collapsing on the couch is pretty much my life!
  • Pastaprincess1978
    Pastaprincess1978 Posts: 371 Member
    I feel you @flowergirl1326 - my generic brand 'fitbit' tells me to get off my butt if I sit too long - get some water - go to the toilet etc. Makes a difference even just to your joints/body. Walk to get your lunch if you can or to the water cooler. I know what it's like though :(
  • PaperDoll_
    PaperDoll_ Posts: 32,843 Member
    I get up from my desk every single chance I get. If I hear the printer go off, I'll get up to get it for whoever printed something. I make conference calls on my cell phone instead of the work phone so I can walk around. If I go to the restroom, I take a little longer walk back to my desk. I park as far away from the building as I can, and I take walks during my breaks. Just a couple minutes here and there helps a lot. It also keeps me from feeling drained at the end of the day so I can get an actual exercise in.
  • darsweers3333
    darsweers3333 Posts: 5 Member
    That's my life also. 8:30 - 4:30 at the desk and a half hour for lunch break. Not even enough time for a quick walk.
  • Mandylou19912014
    Mandylou19912014 Posts: 208 Member
    I’m a desk worker too
  • emmies_123
    emmies_123 Posts: 513 Member
    When I worked retail I longed for a desk job so I could be comfortable for an 8 hrs shift. Now that I have a desk job I miss the ability to move around like I did as a cashier!

    As others have said, try to get up when you can, even if it is just to stretch and move around. If your boss has an issue let them know that physical movement promotes a productive mental ability, keeps your brain from getting complacent and cobwebby =)

    I also helped another user learn some exercise you can stealthily do at your desk. If you are interested in that kind of movement I can repost here =)
  • Go_Deskercise
    Go_Deskercise Posts: 1,630 Member
    8-5 with an hour lunch break. I am in a unique situation where I live very close to my home, so I am able to go home for my lunch break. I go home, eat as quick as possible while my dogs are also eating, change, leash the dogs up, go for a run, come home cool off and change back into my work clothes and head back. *I understand this is definitely not possible for most people, but on the off chance someone else also lives close to where they work*

    I also:

    - park further away from work, stores, grocery, etc.
    - take the long route back to my desk if I need to get anything or go to the bathroom
    - get up every hour to at least stretch or walk somewhere if possible
    - walk in place in front of the microwave, stove, etc.
    - inefficiently put laundry away (walk back and forth to put it away instead of bringing it all to one room)

    Anything you can do to get more steps in the for the day helps, even if it seems silly :)
  • mandysuelorenz
    mandysuelorenz Posts: 12 Member
    Desk worker too. I usually take the longest walking route to the things I need to use (copier, bathroom). Try taking a small walking break. If you have spare time, maybe take a nice walk right from work. That way you aren't home yet.
  • lisaloumn2
    lisaloumn2 Posts: 203 Member
    desk slave here - I've started going to a 5:30am workout class because i know once i am in the office I am barely moving
  • TannerBoyl
    TannerBoyl Posts: 55 Member
    I went from being very active at work to being sedentary most of the day. Where I once did 10-15K steps on routine days, I'm now leaving work with 4-6k steps. I tend to park at the far end of the parking lot wherever I go, so that helps a bit. I also drink a lot of water which *forces* me to get up and walk. I do my best to get out at lunchtime and walk, but that isn't always practical.

    The trick for me is to not settle down when I get home. I get home and immediately walk the dog and start chores. This has helped me achieve more movement. I'm nowhere near the amount that I used to move, but at least I'm doing more that I would be.
  • GroovyTortoise
    GroovyTortoise Posts: 4 Member
    I just ordered a desk riser--one of those things you put on your desk and it raises your monitor and keyboard up so you can stand while working. I hope that helps a lot. :)
  • urloved33
    urloved33 Posts: 3,325 Member
    me too. ugh :#
  • jonathanthewlis
    jonathanthewlis Posts: 143 Member
    Sadly me too! Struggle massively with my step count I’ve even deliberately changed my routes to work to get some distance in!
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,771 Member
    Desk jockey here. Even though I am "chained to my desk", I am still able to get 1000 steps per working hour with trips to the copier, the fax machine, other offices, etc. I try to make movement a priority during the work day. And after work, a 3 mile walk with the dogs usually brings me to 15,000 daily steps.
  • Diatonic12
    Diatonic12 Posts: 32,344 Member
    @flowergirl1326 Understood, you can't be missing too long from your desk without consequences. Move at least once an hour if you can. If you're the only one in the bathroom, do some knee to elbow slaps, rotate arms forwards and backwards, march in place swinging arms UP and down, walk the stairs on your break if you get one.
  • jclawst
    jclawst Posts: 45 Member
    Unless in court I’m at a desk - getting a standing desk soon
  • beard_runner
    beard_runner Posts: 26 Member
    Im with you. 8 to 5 at the desk.

    Try to overcome it by getting out there at 530 am most mornings