My day job used to be my dream job. I had been a reporter for an acclaimed national newspaper in Washington, D.C., making a difference in people’s lives and touching readers all over the world.
My day started at 4:30 a.m. and often ended 14 hours later. For most of that time, I didn’t budge from my seat. As news stories broke, I had been in charge of getting first iterations up online as other reporters and sources called me with leads. To maneuver was to miss something: a shooting, a bombing, an earthquake, an overturned truck spilling pineapples onto the Beltway, a baby-panda birth. I had to stay there.
For hours on end, only my fingers moved. I barely drank anything for fear of having to use the bathroom. My posture and energy suffered. And over time, my dream job became a nightmare, affecting my health insurance and my outlook on life.
After hours, I worked out as hard as I could, however it didn’t counter my daytime routine. We humans are created to move, and my mobility and energy were limited by my insufficient consistent activity.
When I relocated to Minnesota to become listed on the Experience Life team, I met new colleagues who walked the talk from the magazine, seeking out ways to keep up with the integrity of our journalism without compromising our very own wellness in the process.
I was inspired — willing and able to follow the lead of my peers. But I struggled to fit in. The go-go-go lifestyle turns into a habit. And, like all habits, it’s difficult to break. I filled my beginning at EL with work that wasn’t needed or expected of me, and that i quickly found myself deskbound for hours on end. When I realized that I had been falling into old ways that I had hoped to leave behind, I knew I needed a change.
My new colleagues, whether or not they realized it or not, found my rescue. They invited me to become listed on them for midday walks. They periodically popped into my cube for exercise demos. They forced me out of my habitual work patterns. I’m not just a better version of myself for it — I’m a better employee.
Holding any one position for long periods doesn’t do us any favors. I now keep a kettlebell at my desk for impromptu swings along with a sticky note on my laptop with a list of my favorite stretches to unglue my shoulders, back, and hips from my seated position. I am going for walks around the neighborhood and hydrate when needed; I no longer fear what I might miss if I step away.
My jobs are not a matter of life and death, but my health ultimately is. Same with yours.
Read “Workday Workouts” with many ideas for moving your body throughout a busy day. While editing the article, I had the opportunity to chat with a number of my favorite fitness professionals regarding their techniques for fitting activity into each day, all day. (Yes, even personal trainers don’t naturally spend their entire days moving.) Here are my favorite inspiring quotes from them to help you put that advice to use:
“Determine what you want to do. The truth is that there's not one single approach that actually works for every person, even those who are going after the same goals. The entry ways to fitness are numerous, so address it like you’re at a buffet: Where would you like to start? Consistency is the key to everything; it’s easy to show up to an activity you actually like doing (or don’t actively hate).”
— Jennifer Blake, NASM-CPT, RKC-II, Life span personal trainer and powerlifting coach
“Be accountable. Produce a plan, write it down, and share it with someone. Surround yourself with people who will motivate you to be the best you. You are a reflection from the company you keep, so have people around you who support your goals and objectives.”
— David Freeman, NASM-PES, OPEX CCP, national manager of Alpha Training at Life Time
“Value frequency and consistency over difficulty. The task is always time and the belief that if something is not challenging, it’s not worthwhile. This overlooks the truth that a walk versus a run can establish significant health benefits, for example. Take the stairs; get up and move every hour to break up the day.”
— Jeff Rosga, NASM- CPT, CES, PES, BCS, senior director at Life Time Academy
