7 exercises HR can follow to stay fit at workplace
If you have worked in HR, you would have understood the stress of all activities in HR & especially when it’s recruiting – From sourcing, finding and screening, hiring the right candidates and later limiting attrition or retaining employees on board. All of this consumes the most of your time, leaving you physically and mentally exhausted. Work hours stretch out unfortunately and not everyone skips two hours of his/her day to work out after the long, tedious hiring day.
While, you may not be able to take a break from your 9-6 world currently, there are plenty of simple exercises that can aid you stay fit and healthy at your desk:
Tap your Feet
This is the simplest cardio exercise that you can manage without having to get up from your desk or perform while at your desk. Try this: while placing your feet on the ground and begin to tap them rapidly, first moderate & then increase the speed gradually, you would experience that it actually can amaze you by building your heart rate. In a couple of weeks’ time, you would visualize signs of improvement in your muscles and overall fitness.
The Leg Raise
While seated, all you need to do underneath the desk is straighten either or both of your legs and hold them for at least five or more seconds. Bring them down without allowing them to touch the floor. Repeat every day to experience how speedily your muscles would turn stronger and pain less at the end of a tiring day.
Small Walks
They say, “All great thoughts are conceived by walking”, but this is not all it means. Taking a quick walk to a cafeteria or may be to the parking level is an excellent idea to stay fit. If your office is on 3rd or 5th floor try to take stairs instead elevator at least thrice in a week. If you need a quick discussion with your colleague, then stand up and just walk over to his or her desk instead calling them over a phone.
Play with your Wheel Chair
While seated, this exercise can actually give you a complete warm-up. Raise your feet slightly above the floor and roll your chair. Repeat the process 20 times until you get tired. Engaging yourself in this exercise can be simple, refreshing and work as a great sitting workout. Senior recruiters who hardly get time to move off from their desks can use this exercise in their cabins when they are all free to warm-up themselves for the rest of the day.
The Wall Stand
While, this workout does require you out of your desk but once in a day, it is good for your health. If there is a wall behind your desk, lean your back on the wall and carry out tasks, which do not require your laptop such as, reading an HR survey or report. Keep this exercise as a regular schedule and soon you would find your backbone more straightened than earlier.
The Praying Position
This can be an excellent arm exercise, which is possible to do from any location. Yes, even during that dreary and long office meeting you have to sit through. All you need is to, sit straight and keep your feet flat on the floor. Now, bring palms of your hands together in front of your chest, as if you are doing “Namaste” or praying for something. Now push your hands as tough as possible. Hold this for 10-20 seconds at least and release. Repeat the sequence for at least five times.
The variation of this exercise is to clench your hands together tightly and try to pull them apart instead of pushing them together.
Just 'Stretch'
When hours have passed interviewing and pre-screening candidates, give it a thought to revive yourself & all you need is a simple stretch. Get up from your seat, intersect your fingers and stretch-out your arms towards the ceiling while standing on your toes. Reach higher as much possible. Come back to normal position and repeat for 5 minutes. Stretching even if 5 minutes a day, along with walking can cut fat from your body and keep you active and energetic at work amidst those hectic working hours.
The above mentioned exercises appear like a small step, however, if done regularly and seriously, can collectively make a remarkable difference in your performance and overall fitness at workplace.