I have a desk job and I’ve known for awhile that I need to make a point to get up and move multiple time throughout the day. Since getting a Fitbit One for my birthday, I’ve been competing against past Rachel to add more steps into my day while not detracting from my job performance.

I’ve been able to add a few hundred steps into my day by slightly changing my behavior, here’s what I do:

• park farther away. (Bonus: the farther from the door you are, the less likely your car is to get dinged by someone else’s door.)
• fill my water bottle half way. By filling my 28oz water bottle with 14-16oz of water each trip to the water cooler, I am effectively doubling my number of trips to the cooler. (Bonus #1: The FitBit lets me track my water intake with helps me reach my goals of drinking more water. Bonus #2: Refillable bottles are better for the environment)
• print to a farther printer. My office suite is not large, but I can add a few additional steps each day by printing to a farther printer.
• stop picking up the phone. Obviously I answer my phone, but walking over to the person who I need to talk to adds some steps (Bonus: I build better relationships with my coworkers this way.)
• pace. I don’t pace for the sake of pacing, but when I need to review or proofread something, I take it to the pacing zone or I take it outside if it’s nice. (Bonus: Changing my environment by even moving away from my chair helps me look at things with new eyes.)
• take the stairs. I work on the second floor in a building without an elevator, so I have no choice in the matter. But I try to take the stairs when I’m other places. It drives me nuts when I go to the Clinic and there are signs at the elevators that say “Free Exercise: Take the Stairs” then I can’t find the stairwell! And if I do find some stairs, the floor I need is authorized access only. Label the stairwells better or put arrow from those signs please!

My Fitbit One  Continue reading →