5 Ways to Increase Your Productivity in Under One Week
To stay productive, humans need to move. A study published by the University of Bristol in 2011 reported that 79% of subjects said that their overall work performance increased on days when they exercised either before work or during lunch breaks. They also reported a boost in concentration and interpersonal skills.
Truthfully, breaking the habit of sitting all day is not hard; it only takes a week! Here are some simple tips to getting the most out of every day.
When there is a will, there is a way.
Day 1: Monday
Monday is constantly labeled as the “worst day of the week,” but it doesn’t have to be that way.
Here’s a challenge: get off a stop early, or park farther away from your building.
Your dress shoes may be slightly uncomfortable, so bringing along a pair of sneakers is the right way to go. Walking is a great aerobic activity especially if you take it at a faster pace and your lungs will thank you for doing it.
Day 2: Tuesday
Everyone plays with the settings on phones, but have you ever thought about changing your chair? An ergonomic seat can save you lots of back pain, bad posture and migraines.
Plus, bending down and toying with the screws and levers adds some movement to the activity. Bending down sure does take considerable agility.
Day 3: Wednesday
The “workday” can be loosely defined as the period of time during which you are completely immobile except for your fingers. To get more muscles moving, take 10 minutes to do a few short stretches.
- The Reach: Roll your chair two feet out from your desk and while seated, straighten one leg and then bring it up to touch the underside of the table. Repeat 10 times with each leg. This strength exercise tunes up your Rectus Femoris and prevents injury.
- The Owl: Owls are known to be able to rotate their heads almost a full 360. Although as humans we are not given such an ability, this neck and shoulder exercise will relieve tension from your tendons.
From a front-facing position, turn your head on a horizontal 90 degrees to the right and then look up at the ceiling then down at your shoulder. Repeat on both sides 5 times. Now, look down and place your hand behind your head and gently press down for a full back stretch. Hold for 15 seconds. - Concentration: For a challenge, take a file or a binder and squeeze it between your forearms with your fingers pointing up. Raise your arms (with the binder) up slowly and bring it down again for 10 reps. This exercise can relieve the tension in the deltoids and shoulders which stems from typing on a computer.
- Reverse Plank: If your chair has armrests, then you’re in luck because the reverse plank needs just that. Grip the armrests, lift your body off the chair and put all your weight on the heels of your feet and the armrests. Repeat 10 times while holding the pose for 10 seconds each time.
- The Success Pose: Bring your arms over your head and place your hands between your shoulder blades, then, make a fist and stretch up into a V. Success!
These inconspicuous exercises don’t take much time and can be done throughout the day whenever you feel like it.
Day 4: Thursday
Toronto has just recently undertaken an initiative to require new high-rise buildings to construct “green roofs” (another reason why T.O is a great place to work!) Now, a garden can be accessed without even exiting the building!
Make sure you take advantage of this by having your coffee break outside with your coworkers.
Day 5: Friday
The word “play” might sound a bit childish, but no doubt it inspires creativity, an attribute that is so valued in the workplace. Having a rubik’s cube, yo-yo, potted plant or stress ball on your desk makes play accessible during work hours. It’s also a great way to connect with coworkers who share similar interests.
Now, one week will help you get started, but you’ve got to keep it up!
Did these tips help? Was there a difference in your energy levels at work? Comment below to tell us!