5 Minute Office Workouts

Sitting at your desk all day in the same position and making the same repetitive movements can cause annoying discomfort in your neck, shoulders and back, which can lead to fatigue and stress. Taking five minutes to stretch out the kinks every hour or so will not only relieve the ache, but will give you a boost of energy that will make buckling down to your tasks that much easier. Incorporate five-minute office workouts into your 9-to-5 routine every day to beat the office blahs.

Walk It Out

Besides your regular duties, there's something you do at the office every day probably without even thinking about it. You go to the restroom. Turn your restroom break into an opportunity for a five-minute workout. Take the long way to the restroom and back. If your office has a water cooler, stop for a refreshing drink, making sure to actively stretch your hamstrings when bending over to take a sip.

Shoulder Stretch

Bending over your desk all day has a deleterious effect on your shoulders, which are meant to be squared not slumped. Sit up straight and raise your right arm into the air. Then bend your elbow until it's pointing toward the ceiling and let your right forearm hang behind your head. Grasp your right elbow with your left hand and pull gently. Repeat on the other side. Alternate sides for up to five minutes.

Neck Rolls

If your shoulders are aching, there's a good chance that your neck will follow suit. Take five minutes to gently roll your neck the yoga way. Lower your chin toward your chest for about 30 seconds. Then roll your head very slowly to the left, to the back, to the right and ending with your head dropped toward your chest. Hold at each stop for 30 seconds without forcing. Repeat the entire sequence in a clockwise fashion.

Wall Pushups

If you work in a cubicle, check to see whether the walls are firmly affixed to the floor and if not, borrow another piece of office wall for these five-minute standing pushups. Place your hands against a wall, with your arms at shoulder height and rotate your wrists until your fingertips are touching. Bend your elbows and start leaning in toward your hands. Push back against the wall with your hands until your arms are straight. Continue these wall pushups for five minutes.

Chair Twist

Sit very tall in your chair. Exhale and lifting up from your waist, twist your upper torso and head slowly to the right. Reach both your arms to the right and around until they are grasping the back of your chair. Experiment with the placement of your hands. They may need to be close together or further apart depending on your current level of flexibility. Take long, slow, deep breaths for two minutes and then repeat on the left side.