Your employees work a lot, spending most of their waking hours in the office. This might help them meet your productivity goals; however, their health can take a hit as a result. And they’re not alone. In fact, according to statistics, only about one in three adults in the U.S. get the recommended amount of physical activity every week.
How can you ensure that your team is feeling good and staying strong, even with a hectic work schedule? Here are a few different exercises they can be performing right at work, without ever stepping into a gym:
#1: Standing knee lifts.
Stand up straight and lift one knee upward, so it’s parallel with the ceiling. Alternate with the other leg. Repeat 20 times. This exercise is good for both your leg and abdominal muscles. Once you get stronger, you can even consider adding leg weights to make it more challenging.
#2: Shadow boxing.
With this exercise, you can stay seated or stand up. Simply raise your fists in front of you, as if you’re boxing and punch the air in a forward motion with your fists. Switch back and forth between your right and left arms. Continue for about 30 seconds. This will not only strengthen your arm muscles, but also get your heart rate going for some cardiovascular exercise.
#3: Desk pushups.
Turn your desk into an exercise apparatus. Simply stand in front of it and place your hands on the edge of your desk. Keep your legs around shoulder width apart, slightly behind you. Then start pushing off with as much force as you can. You can also turn this exercise into a leaning plank but simply holding the pushup position for 30 seconds or longer.
#4: Side lunges.
Make sure you’re in an area with plenty of open space around you. Stand with your hands on your hips and shoulder width apart with your toes pointed forwarded. Then start shifting your body weight to one leg by bending at one knee to a 90-degree angle and then sliding over, in the opposite direction. Return to the center and repeat on the other side. Do 10 on each side.
#5: Jump squats.
Again, you’re going to need some space around you to perform this exercise. When you do, make sure you’re standing up straight, then bending at the knees into a half squat position, swinging your arms behind you as you do. Then jump up, as high as you can off the ground and swing your arms upward, toward the ceiling. Repeat 10 times.
#6: Hamstring curls.
Stand up straight with your arms bent at the elbows at a 90 degree angle. Then bring one foot up behind you toward your backside, while straightening both arms out. Your hands should be down in front of you, while your foot is up in the air. Repeat on the other side and do 20 total curls.
#7: Walking.
This is certainly the easiest exercise to perform. Encourage employees to get up and stretch their legs every couple hours by simply walking around the office for a few minutes. If the weather is co-operating, they can also head outside for a longer stroll or even ask a fellow co-worker to join them.
Is your team stretched thin and unhealthy as a result?
Morgan Hunter can help. As a leading staffing agency in Kansas City, we can give you access to skilled and dependable people, whether on a temporary, full-time or temporary-to-hire basis. Simply contact us today to learn more.
