Last week, before the start of the yoga class I was teaching on Zoom, I asked the participants who they were feeling and if there was anything I could include in the practice that would feel supportive to them. One student shared that she was having low back pain because of sitting more than usual that day, and also missing her movement break at lunch time. Sitting is hard, and movement matters!

The reason that sitting is a problem is that we, as a population do too much of it and not enough moving. Standing desks don’t fully address the situation because standing still at your desk simply changes the problem from too much sitting to too much standing in one spot. I have first-hand knowledge of the damage this can do. As a teen, I worked long hours as a cashier and developed spider veins in my legs where the blood pooled because I wasn’t moving enough!

We need to move and we need to do it throughout the day … and not just for an hour of exercise in a yoga class or at the gym. Moving throughout your day helps every system in your body function better. For example, muscle-based contractions are vital for returning your blood to your heart. Not moving throughout your day has serious consequences for all your bodily systems — not just your musculoskeletal health, but your metabolism, biochemistry, and so much more.

In our current culture, it seems that even if you are like me and don’t have a typical office job, you are still likely to spend a lot of time not moving. One of the ways I’ve increased movement in my day is to move my desk to a coffee table and sit on the floor, or to my kitchen counter to stand for a while. The bonus of sitting on the floor is that it is less comfortable and results in me moving more. I’m lucky that I can do this. Not everyone can.

Do you work in an office with desks and chairs? Here are some quick tips that you can use to get a bit more movement during your work day.

• Drink more water: Really! You will need to get up and go more often!
• Stand up and move around every time you take a phone call or send a text.
• Take breaks – movement breaks! Every 90 minutes or so, get up and move. Your body will benefit, and so will your brain which will need a break by the 90-minute mark.
• Make a point to get outside and walk on ALL your official coffee and lunch breaks. You will feel better and will perform better at your job.
• Use your work furniture to do some quick yoga stretches. Here are a five of my favourites!

1. Standing Calf Stretch: This works best with a half-cylinder as shown in the photo. You can get one at a fitness equipment store for about $10. It’s worth it!

• Take your shoes off. Place the ball of your right foot on the high point of the dome, near the left end of the dome.
• Bring your right heel to the floor and line your right hip above your heel.
• Keep your pelvis upright and balanced.
• Move your left foot forward, towards your right foot.
• Hold for about 30 seconds and switch sides.

2. Pelvic List: You can do this on a book, yoga block, or on the floor. This exercise helps build strength and stability in your hips and is a great preparation for tree pose in yoga class!

• Take your shoes off. Place your right foot on the book, block or stand on the floor.
• Transfer your weight onto your right foot and take weight into your heel.
• Root down towards the floor from your right hip and allow your left foot to get light enough that it lifts off the floor.
• Keep both legs straight and lined up with each other as you balance on your right leg.
• Use a wall or a piece of furniture to help you balance if needed.
• Hold for about 30 seconds and switch sides.

3. #4 Stretch in a chair: This versatile stretch is great for your outer hips. If you take yoga classes you may have done it lying or your back or even balancing on one leg!

• Sit near the front of your chair, making sure it doesn’t roll around if it has wheels!
• Cross your right ankle over your left thigh next to you left knee.
• Keep your spine neutral as your fold forward from your hip joints.
• Hold for about 30 seconds and switch sides.

4. Seated Twist in a chair:  Spinal twists are great for balancing your energy. They can calm you if you feel agitated and perk you up if you feel tired. They are also a great way to get some stiffness out of your back when you have been at your computer for too long!

• Bring your feet to the floor side-by-side.
• Place your right hand on the chair back and your left on the arm or seat. If you are sitting on a ball, place your right hand on your low back and your left on your outer right hip or thigh.
• With an inhalation, get tall through your spine.
• As you exhale, move the lowest part of your rib cage back, like you are trying to hollow out your belly, and turn your torso to the right.
• Hold for about 30 seconds and switch sides.

5. Arm Stretch at a wall: This is a great way to wake up the front of your shoulders and get a stretch across the front of your chest. This is great antidote for the rounded posture that is often our default at desks and computers.

• Stand one arm’s length away from the wall with your right side facing the wall.
• Place your right palm on the wall at shoulder height, finger pointing towards the sky, arm straight.
• Standing tall, push your hand into the wall and slowly turn the front of your chest away from the wall. Keep turning until you feel a stretch at the front of your right shoulder and perhaps down your arm, too!
• Hold for about 30 seconds and switch sides.

So, if you did all of these stretches in sequence, they should take about 5-10 minutes to complete. Repeat as needed throughout your day!