Remember when summer was the most relaxing three months in the entire year? Can you think back to a time where the words summer and job did not coexist? Well I can, and I can assure you that it was much less stressful time.

For many college students, summer is the perfect time to work and put money in the bank, and I am no exception to this generalization. For the next three months, I will be working in a home health care agency scanning papers, answering phones, and stamping envelopes.

As exciting as this job may sound, the truth is that I now spend the majority of my day with my butt glued to an office chair, and by the time my work day ends, I find it is very difficult to convince myself to go to the gym and workout. I am sure many students are stuck in a similar position, no pun intended, which got me thinking; how do you stay healthy while working? I did some research, and the best advice I found came from Women’s Health Magazine’s online blog. So here are some helpful tips for staying active at work this summer! 

• Park your car in a far away spot, ride your bike, or walk to work: Obviously it is much easier to park right in front of the building, but a slightly longer walk into work can significantly increase your number of steps for the day! Imagine how much better you will feel after a little walk into work!
• Take the stairs instead of the elevator: Everyone loves a good elevator ride, and why wouldn’t they? The elevator is a very simple way to get from one floor to another, and the only movement made on our part is to press the button! However, elevators take away a great opportunity to get your legs moving! If you do have an elevator in your office building, I encourage you to resist using it, and instead take the stairs. Maybe even do a few calf raises as you ascend to the office! I guarantee you will feel a strong sense of accomplishment after it is over!
• Activity breaks: Instead of sitting in the office chair all day, get up and move around. Try to do something simple like taking a lap around the office every 20-30 minutes. Another option if you have space and privacy would be to do some wall squats on an empty wall!
• Pack yourself a healthy lunch: It can be really easy to grab a take-out menu and order lunch with all of your co-workers every day. Instead, try to pack yourself a lunch with some good nutritional value for the majority of the week! I have also learned that food from a restaurant is even better when you haven’t eaten it in a while! In the long run, you and your bank account will be happier and healthier!
• DO NOT EAT OUT OF BOREDOM: I don’t know about you, but I am absolutely guilty of this. I find myself wanting to eat everything in sight, and not because I am actually hungry, but just because I have nothing better to do! Trust me, I understand how difficult it can be to stay entertained while working. Unfortunately, a bag of chips is not going to cure a bad case of boredom. Instead, I have found it helpful to assign myself a small task. Try to do little things like cleaning your office space, or taking out the garbage!

This summer, keep in mind that it’s the little things that count! Making small changes in your daily routine can contribute towards a lasting impact down the road. Hopefully these tips will inspire you to live a healthier lifestyle, no matter what your summer plans are.

|Stay motivated and don’t give up.  Amazing things will happen|

Julia O’Connor