Moving when on sitting a lot

[Smeagher]

This I think has been addressed before, but I am asking again anyway. I am trying to figure out how to get more movement in my day. I don't usually have a typical desk job.  I work in early intervention and sometimes when meeting with young children and their families we do a lot of movement and sometimes we don't.  I can't always predict. I also have to do paperwork which involves sitting somewhere and typing  I am trying to march in places while typing but when I do that my Fitbit Versa does not measure my steps unless I am balancing on it on my leg. This isn't really a relible as it will often fall off. Are there any more reliable ways to position when sitting. I have tried  my pocket and and doesn't seem to work when there. 

[Baltoscott]

@Smeagher -- some people will put their Fitbit in their sock, or rig up some kind of watchband extender to wrap around the ankle to get "steps" while cycling on a stationary bike while working.  If that motivates you to move more, give it a go.  But if you are really completing reports, typing, etc, you are not moving in any sense that is comparable to what you do when you are actually moving about on your two feet.  I'm not sure it is worth the effort to try and record.

Instead, just wear it normally, and when you can while working walk to convey messages to co-workers, to the bathroom that is the farthest away from your work area, park far if you drive to work, and get off mass transit a few stops earlier if you take a bus/train to work.  If you need to move some stuff from one room to another make multiple trips carrying just one or two items at a time (you can make a game of that one).  Stand and pace when you talk on the phone or talk with clients if you can, etc. 

One of the great thing about having your Fitbit on 24/7 is that you can see your baseline in the first couple of weeks, and then you can look for little ways to become 'less efficient' at moving around and thereby increase your steps and activity.

[DanielleinDC]

If you're spending time typing reports and doing paperwork, you can probably get up every half hour or so and walk around the office.Or go the long way when you use the restroom. I do have a typical desk job, and I get up every hour to get my steps.

[gtg947h]

I make myself get up every hour at most, and walk a lap of the building.  At lunch, I go for a 30min walk.  So far today I'm at 15,847 and I don't go home for two more hours...

Of course, even the closest bathroom is a 250 step round trip.  A lap of the building nets me almost half a mile.

Other things you can do:

- Park as far away as practical

- Use the printer farthest from your desk

- Go walk to talk to people instead of calling them

- Drink more water, then you'll have to make more trips to fill your cup, and more bathroom trips 😉

- If your coworkers are amenable, discuss things while walking instead of sitting at a desk--assuming you don't have to take special precautions with your discussions (sensitive/classified/proprietary information, etc)