Whether we are working from home or at the office, chances are we are still doing a lot of sitting. At the very least, we are hunched over looking at some kind of screen.
Here are some of my go-to tricks for keeping my spine supple, my circulation moving and my mind sharp.
Before I start my list of suggestions, let’s talk about time blocks.
Start With Pomodoro
When working on high-focus tasks, at our desks, it’s not only advisable to turn off our notifications but to also include the Pomodoro Technique.
This technique is basically setting a timer for breaks at specific intervals. Intervals can be blocks of 15 minutes, 25 minutes, or 50 minutes, each with a 5 or 10-minute break in between.
These in-between breaks are when I recommend that these exercises are implemented.
Regular, short movements are vital to our overall health and well-being. The science of sitting is extensive and very robust.
Ready. Set. Go!
OK, now here’s my list of movements you can do while sitting at your desk. Starting with the most minimal movements and moving all the way to the full body, including a short HIIT workout.
1- Simple vertical eye movements from your chair
Dopamine is the “feel-good” neurotransmitter, and it’s connected to our eye movements.
Dopamine is typically associated with motivation, reward, and mood regulation, it also performs a key role in controlling our eye movements.
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2 – Releasing soft neck tissue self-massage
Releasing the neck from the vertebrae for deep relief in muscle tension.
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3 – Full-body arm swings to activate alertness and energy
Dynamic movements like these wake our bodies up by increasing circulation and draining the lymphatic system. Just a few minutes of this and brain fog becomes the only distant memory.
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4 – This effective shoulder stretch is done on a chair
Coz who doesn’t have tense shoulders? You? Me? Nope, most of us do. Try these and incorporate them into your daily routine.
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5 – Back strengthening exercises on the floor
Gentle mobility exercises should be done on the floor to relax the shoulders, rebalance, and strengthen the spine. Thank me later.
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6 – On the floor back exercise with a stick
One of my favourite pieces of exercise equipment is the stick. Not because I use it to self-regulate but because it’s so effective in helping our skeletal system re-align.
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7 – Daily 7-minute stretch, a guided chair practice
This short Youtube video is a guided stretching practice that can be done while sitting in a chair. Excellent, achievable and effective movements are to be discovered here.
8 – Full Body 10-minute stretch, a guided floor practice
This is a full-body stretch without any equipment that will unfurl you and zip you back up in the best ways.
9 – General functional stretches around the house
This YouTube video teaches you to use furniture around the house for deep stretching. Items like door frames and kitchen countertops can be used to our advantage. Watch him explain why and try some of these yourself.
10 – Quick HIIT workout using two chairs
If you really want to burn some calories, break a sweat, get your heart rate up and achieve your strain target on your health tracker, then this quick High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) routine is excellent.
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Other Options Include
If none of the above suggestions appeal to you, you could perhaps do a few dozen pushups every 30 minutes.
Skipping rope, doing jumping jacks or jumping on a mini trampoline rebounder are also excellent bursts of activity that are worth including in your workday.
If you want to learn more about why this is so important, perhaps read my blog on the Fascia and the importance of resistance training for maintaining cognitive sharpness.
Getting Going
If you’re struggling with your energy and find it difficult to get going, perhaps it’s time to start experimenting with Cordyceps.
Cordyceps is an excellent adaptogenic non-psychoactive mushroom that supports your body in accessing more energy without feeling depleted afterwards.
Cordyceps are often used as a pre-workout supplement, it’s also great as a post-workout superfood.
We are proud to offer our very own high-potency dual extraction powder to give you the biggest bang for your buck.
As they say; no matter what, keep it moving!
Do you have a cool desk exercise practice to share with us? Tell me here in the comments below or on our Facebook group or Discord channel.
As always,
Flow strong.
Asha ✨
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