The inflatable chair; working out while sitting at your desk.

This Week’s Topic

This week’s series is about being healthy at work.  Yesterday we covered a small change you can make in your daily routine that will make you more productive and healthier.  Today, we’re going to stay with the topic of being physically active at work by looking at what you can do while sitting down.

The Problem 

If you’re like me, you spend a lot of your work day sitting down in front of a computer.  You probably have an occasional lower back pain due to bad posture.  You might also have problems with your weight due to multiple hours sitting down with no physical activity.  You’ll be happy to know that there’s a solution to both these problems, the exercise ball!

The Solution 

If you’ve been to a gym, you’ve probably seen one of these around.  People tend to do all sorts of exercises on them, from presses to sit ups.  If you don’t know what an exercise ball is, take a look at the following link:

That’s a 75cm ball.  It’s appropriate for someone of my height and weight.  If you’re a bit smaller, you may want to consider the 65cm ball or even the 55cm version. 

How To Use It 

The exercise ball is usually meant for a variety of exercises but all we’re going to do with it is sit.  Simply inflate it, place it in front of your desk and sit down.  You’ll want to be careful at first since there a lot of balance involved here.  Also, you probably don’t want to sit on it for more than 15 to 30 at a time since it’s a powerful leg workout.  I keep a ball under my desk and use it 3 or 4 times a day for about 20 minutes each.  At first, I got a few odd looks from coworkers, but once I invited a few of them to try it, I had more people interested in this simple but effective way to be active at work.

How It Works 

You see, the ball has two benefits.  First, by removing the backrest it forces you to sit upright with your back straight.  So it’s great for your lower back because it eliminates bad posture.  Second, the ball is somewhat unstable due to its shape.  It doesn’t have legs like a chair that will keep it firmly placed in one spot.  That means the stabilization job is being done by your legs.  Every time you lean even slightly, your legs will be working to keep your whole body stable.  You may not feel it, but your legs will be constantly working while you sit on the ball.  In fact, that’s one of the reasons I recommend not sitting on it for more than 15 to 30 minutes at a time. 

Summary

This is another way to stay healthy at work without losing an ounce of productivity.  You’ll feel better, your lower back will thank you but you’ll still accomplish the same amount of work you always did.  Just one more step on your way to a healthier life.