Exercise at Home -
Get Away From Your Desk

If you are running your own business the demands are great and exercise is not usually top of your agenda.

Do you spend long hours at a computer, answering the telephone talking to customers, drumming up business, writing reports?

These can all take precedence over exercise. Tension and demands on your time build up and the business usually wins.

To make exercise at home easier, here are some easy desk exercises.

1. Not only can this exercise be done at the computer, it can be done anywhere. Queuing at the checkout, waiting for your train and the best part about it is no one will be aware you are exercising. Sit up straight at your desk with your feet flat on the floor (or stand up straight if you are out and about). Perform a simple pelvic tilt by pressing your lower back into the chair as you contract the abdominal muscles – at the same time pull up your pelvic muscles. Hold for a few seconds. Relax and then repeat 10 – 20 times.

If you go to Keep Healthy, in Tip 9 this exercise is explained in full detail and is very beneficial for ladies.

2. Legs can get very tired sitting in the same position for long periods. Sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor. Lift and stretch the lower right leg with the toes pointed upwards until the leg is straight and squeeze the upper leg. Hold for one second, lower the leg and repeat with the left leg. Repeat 10 – 20 times with each leg.

3. Relieve neck tension by circling your head 20 times to the right, 20 times to the left, and 20 times upwards and backwards and then downwards towards the chest.

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4. As you are sitting straight at your desk, your arms in the ’typing’ position, move your arms slightly backwards until they reach the side of your body by the waist, pulling your shoulder blades towards each other and hold for a few seconds.

5. Sit up straight at your desk, keep your fore-arms in the typing position but raised about 6” up from the desk. Move your arms together as though you were riding a make-believe horse. This will work your shoulders. Do this whenever you start to feel tension at the back of your neck and shoulders.

6. Another variation on the above exercise is to sit traight in your chair, arms raised as above, but one at a time move your arms in a forward movement as though you are swimming the crawl moving the arms across the body. This is good for relieving tension.

7. Invest in a small, discreet, kitchen timer and set it for 20 minutes. When it ‘pings’ make a point of getting up and away from your desk. Fetch a drink, walk to another part of the office to fetch an item you need. BUT – get up and move.

Take this small amount of time to exercise at home even though you are still at your desk. You will, in the end, be able to work longer and feel less strained.

Make a point of taking extra special care of your eyes

It is so important to keep fit, keep yourself as near as possible free from stress, otherwise if you suffer, your family suffers, your business suffers and your income suffers.