A lot of people I’ve talked with don’t see themselves in an office job. The idea of sitting all day behind a computer screen can be intimidating. Our bodies aren’t made to sit for hours, so it makes us feel lazy and we end up leading a sedentary lifestyle.
I want to share some tips since working in an office is inevitable for most of us.
Invest in a smart watch (Fitbit, Apple, etc)
It’s 2019 and smartwatches are becoming more affordable. I see people with them all the time, but with an office job (if you are not an active person) they are important. Realizing you’ve been awake for 8 hours and only walked 2000 steps or less is an eye opener to go to the gym, walk in the park or even ride a bike.
10,000 steps a day is recommended and if you’re sitting all day every weekday, it will catch up to you. Personally, I have a Fitbit, because it also tracks your sleep and having a job and going to school can take toll on your sleep schedule. There’s a setting on the Fitbit that sends alerts to your watch if you haven’t walked 250 steps in an hour. This helps me realize I’ve been sitting still for an hour and it’s also a que to take a mental break, get water or grab a healthy snack.
Make a point to get up from your desk every hour.
Sometimes this is impossible, I’ve been at an office job for 3 years and there are days where you really do not have time to move from your desk. It can be overwhelming, but that’s why I suggest making a point to get up, whether it’s to the bathroom, pretending to fill up your water bottle, actually filling up your water bottle or running out to your car just to get some fresh air, it’s essential to keeping your stress level down and mental health strong. Some days or weeks it really is impossible and you are just stuck, but they are not as common as your normal workload, so don’t let weeks like this bring you down (I’m currently in a week like this and it’s not exciting).
BRING YOUR LUNCH
Meal prepping can really be hard to master. It’s hard to prepare your food for a whole week in a day and during the week schedules are so crazy that you may not have time to cook. I promise you that making the effort to meal prep is way better than eating out 3-4 times a week and letting your body and bank account take a hit. Believe me, it’s not worth it, speaking from experience.
Even if you may not want an office job, life takes you places you didn’t expect, so if you do end up in an office- just be prepared. Once you’ve formed a habit, it’s not hard to continue it.
I know most people in school are not typically working office jobs, but as a warning, the first year or so at an office job will take a toll on your body that you wouldn’t expect or possibly won’t even notice. Years of sedentary lifestyle will affect your health. Stay conscious and teach yourself self-discipline (if you haven’t already mastered it with school).