Desk Exercises That Can Help Fight Boredom and Increase Productivity at Work

Working can be both tiring and rewarding. There are days you will be very motivated to accomplish tasks. However, there may be instances when you sense bored and exhausted. These situations must not be neglected since these can affect your productivity and efficiency at work. Several desk exercises can aid you in fighting boredom and leverage productivity at work.

Causes of Boredom at Work

Various factors may cause boredom at work. It is vital to discover more about these factors to be aware of how to prevent boredom while performing your tasks.

#1 You think that your skills are misapplied

When we love what we do, we become happier and more productive. However, when you feel that you are good at something and you're working on a job that seems not inclined to your skillset, you may feel less motivated. It causes you to feel bored since your talents and skills are not being recognized.

#2 You are not appreciated

When you notice that your efforts and contributions are not recognized, you may also feel less inspired. When you believe you did an excellent job yet did not receive praise, reward, or any simple recognition, your morale can be affected. This can make you feel small and less important in the company.

#3 When a task does not challenge you or make you feel engaged

It is a usual problem for some employees when their assigned tasks do not stimulate or make you inspired. In this case, you should determine how to discover creative ways to improve your performance.

#4 You feel that you're not getting the respect you deserve

There are times that your ideas and suggestions are not being listened to. As a worker, you also have rights that everyone must respect. When workers did not get that respect, this can lead to boredom as well.

#5 Your time is often being wasted

During meetings and brainstorming sessions, you may have some creative ideas in your mind, yet you are not given a chance to share them. That may cause you to feel that your precious time is wasted, and you end up feeling bored at work.

#6 Your job is too monotonous

Various jobs can be monotonous in nature. For some people, this is so, but for some other individuals, it may sound tedious. Repetitive tasks can certainly increase boredom levels and may affect the quality of the job you have rendered. To solve this kind of fatigue, you just need to be more strategic and creative with how you handle them.

Importance of Desk Exercises

As previously mentioned, there are various desk exercises that you can whenever you feel sluggish and bored. You can create an environment that will encourage you to become better at work and generate more productive results.

According to ergonomic experts, sitting for long hours can lead to muscle degeneration, pain, problems with brain function, and damage to some organs of the body. This is why you need to get up, walk around, and do stretching.

Effective Desk Exercises You Can Try at Work

Below are some of the common and effective desk exercises that you can try at work:

#1 Desk Push-Ups

Here's a wonderful upper body exercise. To do this, place your palms at the edge of the desk, then put your feet away from the desk until you are comfortably inclined towards it.

Gently lower your chest down the desk while doing proper breathing. Just like how you do a regular push-up, you need to push yourself back up. Do this as many times as you can.

#2 Lunges

If you want to leverage your desk workout, the best option you can do is to try lunges. There are various videos and tutorials online where you can learn the proper ways of doing lunges. Make it a bit more challenging by incorporating some weight. One idea is to get two bottles of water and then use them as if you're holding dumbbells.

#3 Seated Leg Raises

You can do seated leg raises even during a meeting or a conference call without your colleagues noticing it. This exercise will focus on your glutes, thighs, quadriceps, and hamstrings. This exercise is actually an effective compound exercise that you can do without the hassle of getting up.  

To perform this, you need to sit upright in your chair. Keep your left leg straight to make it parallel to the floor. Hold that pose for 10 seconds. Then, do that also with your right leg. Repeat 15 times for both legs. When you already build up strength, you may start adding weight to the exercise, such as a briefcase on your legs or some other influences while doing the raises.

#4 Wrist Stretches

You may already be experiencing pain in your wrists and arms due to continuous typing or writing. When this is left unattended, it can go to more severe health conditions. This is why it is crucial to learn some stretches for your wrists, palms, arms, and hands. This will help you relieve your tension and pain.

#5 Calf Raises

You can also perform calf raises while on your work. You can use water bottles to add weight when doing raises. Or, you can lean on the wall or chair for better strength and stability. To perform this, place your hands on your side and then lift to the feet's balls. Alternately, go down and lift. Repeat this process to keep your core tight. Stay comfortable and still without rounding. Keep all the positions for 2-3 seconds. Try to perform two to three sets of up to 15 reps or until you sweat.

#6 Chair Dips

To perform this desk exercise, you will need an office chair that is stable and will not move away from you. Start scooting up on the front edge of your office chair, then place your legs out in front of you while placing your hands on either side of the hips. Make sure your fingers are pointing towards the desk. Hold the edges of the office chair with both hands using your arms and core to raise your body up from the chair. Then, move down your body so that your rear also goes down to the floor. Finally, push yourself up again. Repeat the cycles for fifteen times or more.

#7 High Knees

Do you know that you can do cardio while working on your desk? Yes, it is possible by performing high knees exercises. Stand up from your office desk and get your knees as high as you can. Doing high knees exercise is like running in place; however, with this one, your focus is on bringing your knees as fast you can. Make sure that you're doing the exercise correctly. It will be best if you can do three sets of twenty when you start doing this exercise. This is also an ideal warm-up before doing any workout.

#8 The Chest Opener

The Chest Opener exercise is a convenient and effective stretch that anyone can do. It is useful in relieving shoulder pain, which is commonly experienced by office workers. To do this, you need to sit on the edge of the chair and put both hands behind the lower area of your neck. Then, keep this position with your elbows carefully coming, and keep your chin down. Afterwards, open your arms and chest while maintaining your head high. Squeeze the shoulder blades, and then repeat for five to ten times. You can actually perform this exercise several times a day to ensure you'll have a significant part of your overall complete daily workout. Keep in mind not to hold your breath to avoid getting tired too fast.

Final Thoughts

Working on your desk can be challenging and at risk of getting conditions such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, pains, and other posture-related problems. However, several desk exercises can help you stay active and prevent health problems. Before you start doing any kind of exercise, remember to first remove the tension due to prolonged hours of sitting. You can also refer to reliable sources, coaches, and professional advice to prevent side effects or negative results of doing desk exercises.