The Office Playground
This morning Bryan and I had the pleasure of having The Greenhouse Group come in for a day of corporate wellness, fitness, and most importantly, movement. The Greenhouse Group is a really awesome real estate company. To some, “real estate company” sounds like a bunch of people that sell homes. To Bryan and me, it sounds a ton like, “people sitting in cars and at desks all day being incredibly static, tight, and lacking movement.” Which bring us to today’s wisdom of creating movement in your work life without looking like a total weirdo.
This morning Bryan and I had the pleasure of having The Greenhouse Group come in for a day of corporate wellness, fitness, and most importantly, movement. The Greenhouse Group is a really awesome real estate company. To some, “real estate company” sounds like a bunch of people that sell homes. To Bryan and me, it sounds a ton like, “people sitting in cars and at desks all day being incredibly static, tight, and lacking movement.” Which bring us to today’s wisdom of creating movement in your work life without looking like a total weirdo.
The Commute
Everyone that attends San Diego Athletics is well aware of the dreaded lacrosse ball. This three dollar investment can be the key to your morning commute. Take note of your posture when you are driving. I am almost positive that your driving posture looks very similar to the posture you take when you open up the computer at work and start typing. Now imagine sitting at your desk and in your car in the same position for nearly nine hours a day. This is not so far from the truth for many people. Place a lacrosse ball in your lower back and find some knotted areas. Is this taking you out of a poor position? No, but it is keeping the musculature healthier by loosening up the areas that become very short by sitting most of the day. Placing the lacrosse ball under each glute for five minutes a side will also calm the effects of that morning commute.
At Work
Sitting all day in that chair is killing you, literally. This is very true and there is a ton of science and data backing this up. So how do we fix this? Through many consultations and lifestyle coaching clients, we have found a few easy ways to implement some movement into your day. The first is to find a standing desk. I know there is a 50% chance this doesn’t happen but it is still the best thing you can do for yourself. Two years ago, we had a client that was constantly flying for work travel and suffered from chronic back pain. She begged her way to getting a standing desk and within two months we saw a drastic difference in posture and relieved almost all of the back pain. Two years later we are still pain free until we hit bad stretch of travel and the plane wins.
The second option is to implement some passive stretching into your day. I am not here to steal other people’s information so watch this video for a ton of ideas on easy stretching that can be done at your desk. Please do not be annoying to your coworkers. Nobody in your office wants to walk over to your desk and see you in warrior 11. But you do need to spend some time mobilizing some joints and moving throughout the day.
My personal favorite is the long lost art of walking. Look, it is 2015. Taking 30 minutes of personal time to get outside, feel the sun, and not think about work is totally fine. In fact, you may become the most sought after employee on your team by organizing a 30 minute break from the madness. Get people involved, go outside, move around, and have a real conversation with people that does not involve sales and P&L reports. This is important. Not only are there incredible benefits to getting some vitamin D, positive social interactions, and movement, but you should empower yourself to take some time in the middle of your day dedicated to only you. Above all of the things I mentioned above, this is mandatory. I am passionate about midday walks. If you ever see Bryan and me on a long stroll on the boardwalk in the middle of the day it is because we prioritize 30 minute walks. It clears your head and makes you feel human. You are not a machine at work, respect yourself. Go outside and take 30 minutes to move and be a part of nature.
Most importantly is the concept of practice. You have to try. Adding movement to your day is hard and requires effort. Maybe it is impossible to get a standing desk at work. Maybe it is impossible to stand and stretch your hips. But, maybe there are other ways. With a little bit of effort you can change the commute and office from a static, unhealthy environment into your own movement project. You just have to make the commitment and try.
Anders will be hosting a FREE clinic on Thursday at 6PM at 1019 Garnet Ave. The clinic is open and free to everyone. Bring a friend and let’s learn…
