Office worker

[NicH89]

Hello,

I am 26 and work in an office usually 9-6. I only just got my Fitbit for Christmas and very pleased with it. I am just about scraping 10,000 steps per day and wondered how fellow office workers who are stuck at a desk reach the goal? I find myself walking with high knees on the spot sometimes... Not ideal!

Thanks

Nicola

[NicH89]

I'm also looking for Fitbit friends 🙂

[Gem88]

Hi,

Welcome 🙂 Iam also a office worker 9-6pm and it is very hard to reach the goal for the day. I have found little tricks to help me if I don't get to the gym.

I use the ladies on the floor below and take the steps, parking a few extra spaces away, I will walk to the kitchen every 2 hours to fill my water up. It doesn't sound like much but it can make the difference at the end of the day. But like you some days before I go to bed I find myself jogging up and down my stairs, it might not be ideal but its still extra and makes you move a little more.

Good luck 🙂

Gem

[dmg195]

I go for a 1.5 mile walk during my lunch break which takes ~20 minutes. I also do cardio at the gym in the evening for an hour and this easily passes the 10000 step mark.

[Skyerules]

I'm a office admin too, esp on Friday's when I skip the gym, I'll take an earlier stop on the bus and walk home from a stop or two from my normal stop.  If I can, I'll try to get out at lunch and take a walk.  If you boss allows you, maybe you can start taking a 15min break during your day and go for a 15min walk.  

[awood08]

I'm also an office worker working 8-4 and I get how you feel!

If I'm not on the phone or typing/entering information I will go for a walk around our building, even sometimes I'll walk in place at my desk if I have the time. I have my goal set to 8k instead of 10k. Realistically I can only acheive those 10k on my active gym days, but I generally have no problem getting 8k during my off days. Good luck!

[KarlyK]

Hi Nicola!

I work in an office 8-5, so I feel you!  What I've started doing is bringing my lunch to work and eating it at my desk while working, then using my hour lunch break to walk.  Most days, this gets me up to around 8 - 9k steps by the end of lunch.  It also prevents me from getting lunch out every day, so I've ended up saving ~$200 a month from that as well.  Win-win!!

[Mukluk4]

 20-30 minute walk over lunch.

+ Getting out of bed and playing pick-up basketball for an hour a few days a week.

+ Evening basketball 2-3 times a week.

+ 3-4 mile dog walk on the evenings without basketball

[Lilymook]

Every little bit helps

- park farther away

- go to a further away bathroom

- walk to the farthest place you can to get your water/heat up your lunch

- scheduling WALKING meetings vs. sitting in a conf room

- get up and go to someone's desk rather than calling them or emailing them

- go for a walk on your breaks!

[cbess]

Depends on your situation. For me, Instead of taking the subway I now walk to work. That added 1 mile each way. 

Lunch is a good time to get some steps in as well.

[pandafitness]

Welcome to the fitbit community!

I am also an office worker , but only part time 🙂 I am also not allowed to leave the desk except bathroom and my breaks. 

I'm impressed with your 10,000 steps. When I got mine in August I wasn't getting 10,000 steps. 

I agree with everyone's recommendations. And it's really that lunch break you can get in your steps. I try to finish my lunch within 20 min and my last 10 min is just walking. I walk six floors up and then elevator down to any floor. Then walk that floor and then elevator down to the first floor. People stare me sometimes but it's ok!

And maybe doing squats in the elevator if no one is riding with you (I don't think it gets in steps, but it will help you get fit!)

Also choosing the furthest bathroom from your desk helps too!

[Emzor]

I have spent the past three years trying to answer this question.  I normally get home at the end of my work day (I work 9-3) and I've done around 2,000 steps.  That is a LONG time on the treadmill to get to 10,000.  This year I decided enough is enough, my job is NOT going to hold me back anymore, so I purchased a Varidesk.  It is a mount that sits on top of your desk and can go up and down so you can stand and work.  I've been using it a week and am easily doubling the amount of steps by the end of the workday making it so much easier to get to 10,000 at home.  I don't know if this in an option for you, but it is definitely something worth looking at.  I have found since I am already standing, I move around so much more.  Walk over to other peoples desks to ask questions instead of yelling across the room, etc etc.  

[Incognito]

---

@NicH89 wrote:
Hello,

I am 26 and work in an office usually 9-6. I only just got my Fitbit for Christmas and very pleased with it. I am just about scraping 10,000 steps per day and wondered how fellow office workers who are stuck at a desk reach the goal? I find myself walking with high knees on the spot sometimes... Not ideal!

Thanks

Nicola

---

Welcome!!

If you stare at a computer screen most of the day, it is always highly recommended to take a break from staring at it so you dont develop eye problems.  If you can please do so, and while doing that, take a short walk around the building or even the office area to refocus your eyes and get in a few steps.  

Take scenic routes when you use the restroom.  Walk during your scheduled breaks and lunch if you can.

Park further out in the parking lot if you can.

I work 6-2:30 and by doing those things, I can get about 8k-10k steps while at work.  

Since you work 9-6, you may want to get in a morning walk or run before going to work to help get your blood circulating.

Good luck!!

[GuinnessLover]

I set the alarm on my watch for 30 minutes and when it goes off I get up and walk around for 5 minutes. 

In addition to the steps, it's really not good for your body--your lymphatic system, and therefore your immune system, in particular--to sit for long periods of time, so doing this really helps that.  

[brokenfromfire]

Hi 🙂 I'm an office worker too, and I just returned to school after a bit of a hiatus.. so I am always sitting. I tend to park at the far end of the parking lot and I walk on my breaks as well as half of my lunch break. I also force myself to get up often from my desk. For example, instead of waiting for 5 items to print, I'll print one at a time, so that I have to get up, walk over to the printer, sit back down, finish the paperwork, then print the next item and repeat.

[bizygirl1]

Hi Nicola,

I too work in an office but I'm up and around to other offices throughout the day. I have some days where Im planted in a chair though and I must force myself to take breaks to get up and move. A couple of months ago I began walking to and from work. Its just under 2 miles each way. Also, at lunch I either go walking the downtown area or I walk to my gym 1/2 mile away and lift weights or do Zumba, or Spin. The stairs are my mode of transport now instead of the elevator. The process has been gradual. but Im beating my goals most days. There are a lot of really good suggestions on this thread.

[bizygirl1]

So am I

[BWright1175]

Something we have here at work, implemented by upper management to reduce "office injuries," such as carpal tunnel, strain from sitting for too long, eye strain, etc, is a program called RSIGuard.

Basically, it keeps track of both mouse and keyboard usage... and when either reaches a predetermined threshold, it prompts you to take a break.  Whether you follow the suggested exercises that it provides during these breaks (standing, stretching, etc) or take a quick walk is up to you.

It's very customizeable, but I believe the default settings start at around a 4 minute break duration.

So... you might try talking to your HR department, IT department, management, etc and try and "sell" them on this program.  Yes, you technically get more "breaks", but reducing strain and discomfort leads to increased productivity (and less injuries), so it balanaces out.

[sketchdoll]

I too work in an office, 8-5 (though I have been taking a half-hour lunch break so I leave more like at 4:30). Very rarely do I meet my 10k steps just at work.  I have a good day if I can reach 5-6k.  That's why I wake up super early and get my cardio in before I go to work at least 3 times a week.  I do try to walk on my morning and afternoon breaks if I have time. If I put the two fifteen minutes together, that could get me 30 minutes of walking, but I very rarely get to take the full breaks because I can get so busy.  Several of the ladies I work with will go outside on their breaks, and if I have time to do so, I walk around the block for 10 minutes or so.  I'm also super lucky that the building I work in used to be an old school, so there is a gym attached! The actual school was moved next door, so the gym is in use a few times a week by the kids, but if there aren't any kids or if it's summer, I get to walk around the gym on my breaks.  There is also a nice track around the playground at the school nextdoor that I will walk on in the summertime.  I'm pretty fortunate in that regard!  But I agree as others have suggested, taking the time to actually get up from your desk to talk to a co-worker instead of emailing or calling them is helpful.  Sometimes when I'm making a ton of copies in the copy room, I walk around our work table. You would be surprised how many steps you can get when you are making 100+ copies of something!  Even more if it's front and back!

All in all, if you are struggling to meet your goal at the end of the day, then you will probably want to carve some time outside of work to get those steps in.  I know I usually have to!

[Nomad92]

Hello NicH89.

I might not be the ideal example for an office-worker since I am self-employed and mostly work from home ( got a lot of flexibility when it comes to working hours ).

.. but..

I usually go for my 20 km - 30 km walk in the morning. Got my rucksack, some liters of water and some other useless or less useful equipment on me.

When I finish at around 6 or sometimes even 8, I usually go for a 30 minute run.

If you sum it up, I do more physical activity than many other people working outside the office.

Conclusion: Even us desk-farmers can get some decent amount of activity, all it needs is a loud clock ringing the bells at 5:30.

Cheers.