Do you spend all day chained to your desk at work? We reveal five exercises from push-ups to squats that you can do in the office
Spending as much time as we at our desks, we aren't getting the exercise we need so here are some ideas to get yourself moving without needing to leave your workplace
YOU might be rushed off your feet but if you work in an office you’re probably still chained to your desk.
Research from commercial property consultants found that 37 per cent of men and
45 per cent of women spend less than 30 minutes away from their screens at work. And it’s putting lives at risk.
Office lifestyles are leading to a “pandemic” of inactivity, which contributes to 90,000 deaths a year.
And nine-to-fivers could be 60 per cent more likely to die early, according to a separate Cambridge University study. But there is a way to keep fit at working — deskercise.
Harkirat Garcha, boss of personal training provider MotivatePT, says: “Bodyweight exercises can be done anywhere, and are very effective, meaning you can train anywhere.”
Here Harkirat shares five exercises you can do in the office.
DESK PUSH-UP
Stand a few feet from your desk with feet close together.
Place palms on the edge of desk, shoulder-width apart.
Lower upper body to edge of desk, bending elbows.
Hold for two seconds and push back up. Build up to 15 reps.
TRICEPS DIP
Stand with back to the desk and hands behind you on edge, palms downwards.
Lower until arms are at a 90-degree angle.
Slowly lower and raise yourself.
Keep shoulders straight and knees bent.
ALTERNATING HAND-ELBOW PLANK
Start in plank position, palms on ground under elbows and shoulders.
Keep glutes, abs and legs tight so you have a flat back.
Slowly, lower onto elbows, one at a time.
Exhale and raise back onto palms, keeping them in line with elbows and shoulders.
Repeat for five to ten sets.
WALL SIT
Start with back facing the wall.
Walk feet forwards and slide down the wall until hips and knees bend at 90 degrees.
Keep shoulders, upper back and back of head against the wall.
Let hands hang to the side and hold for 30 seconds, one minute or longer.
ONE-LEG SQUAT
Stand with feet shoulder-width apart facing away from a bench or one-foot-tall object.
Extend one leg back and place top of foot on the bench behind you. Squat down until the knee of rear leg almost touches the floor.
Return to original position by extending hip and knee of forward leg.
Continue with opposite leg. Keep torso upright during squat and keep chest forward.
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Going it alone-ly
TWO in five self-employed Brits are lonely – and almost one in five (17 per cent) don’t feel in control of their lives.
Those aged between 25 and 34 are the most alone, with 54 per cent feeling isolated, according to Aldermore Bank.
But for most, becoming one of Britain’s 4.6million self-employed has been a largely positive experience.
An impressive 82 per cent believe being their own boss has given them more control of their destiny.
MOST READ IN MONEY
Entrepreneur and mental health activist Duncan Bannatyne said: “Building a business is a massive challenge that, at times, can be very lonely – particularly as you adjust to having an irregular income and an uncertain future.
“However, what can’t be underestimated is the sense of reward and fulfilment that can be achieved. With determination and dedication, anyone can do it. But the support network needs to be in place to help them.”
Aldermore commercial director Charles McDowell said: “With four million British workers aspiring to be their own boss at some point during their working life – and one in ten aiming to make the transition in the next six months – it’s important they understand the realities.”
Jobspot
BETHELL Construction is looking to fill various construction roles.
Please call 01204 439 112.
Key law changes
ALAN PRICE, a director of consultancy Peninsula, reveals five key employment law changes this year.
1. Gender pay gap: Private sector employers with 250 or more employees must report on their gender pay gap each year.
2. Apprenticeship levy: Large employers with an annual pay bill of more than £3million must now pay an apprenticeship levy.
3. Minimum pay: The National Living Wage has risen from £7.20 to £7.50 per hour for workers aged 25 and over.
4. Statutory payments: Maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay is up from £139.58 per week to £140.98.
5. Tribunal compensation limits: The maximum basic award for unfair dismissal is now £14,670.
Kofi's helping hand
RETURNING to civvy street can be the toughest battle for our brave boys and girls.
Seventeen thousand wounded or sick UK veterans will be looking for work at any one time.
But our heroes can get help from groups such as Stoll (). Kofi Brempong, 33, of Stratford,
East London, spent 12 years in the Army, before being given a medical discharge in September 2015.
Stoll helped him find a full-time job with the NHS, as well as a home. Kofi said: “I didn’t know anything about getting a job, but my mentor helped me. I am so thankful I met the right people.
“My advice to Service leavers would be to aim high – if you put your mind to the task, you can deal with it.”
Jobspot
ARNOLD CLARK is looking for apprentices in the motor industry. Please call 0141 435 4490 to apply.
Account on dull jobzzz
DO you have the the most boring job in Britain?
A new survey of 1,000 people by Kaplan found that more than two-fifths (44 per cent) thought of accountancy as the most boring profession – four times more than human resource manager, which received the second highest share of votes (11.5 per cent).
Across all respondents, nurse (18% per cent), teacher (16.5 per cent) and engineer (16 per cent) were rated as the three most interesting jobs.
Corinne Mills, Managing Director of Personal Career Management and author of Career Coach: Your Personal Workbook For A Better Career, said: “It’s always useful to talk to people who work in the type of roles you may be exploring to find out what the day-to-day reality is like.
“You’re likely to find that although there will be elements in common, there will be a huge variation depending on the organisation, sector and even the type of boss you have.
“Job satisfaction is about finding a role that plays to your skills and then finding an organisation that fits your personality.”