Little daily habits can sap your mojo more than you know. Do these easy desk-friendly tweaks from the pros at Canyon Ranch spa in Tucson, Arizona, to save your energy for that after-work sweat session.
Do This Sneaky 10-Minute Workout at Your Desk
Save Your Back
The problem: Sitting for hours slides your tush down in your chair, forming a C-curve in your back, says Mike Siemens, clinical director of exercise physiology.
The pick-me-up: Every hour, stand up, put your hands on the small of your back, and gently arch as far as you can for one second, leading with your head. Do six to eight reps.
The 8-Minute Workout for Back Pain
Nix Neck Pain
The problem: Hunching over to text or read the cell phone screen pulls your neck out of alignment -- a kink that can cause neck pain and fatigue.
The pick-me-up: Placing a thumb on your sternum, make an L by pointing your index finger up. If your chin touches it, move your head back. Do six chin-to-finger-and-back reps hourly.
Skip the Sugar Crash
The problem: Getting a candy fix within 90 minutes of gym time will send energy levels crashing 10 to 20 minutes into your workout, Siemens says.
The pick-me-up: Don't go more than three hours without eating, and make your preworkout snack a mix of protein and carbs, like peanut butter on apple slices.
9 Shocking Facts about SugarBust Job-Related Stress
The problem: Stress can cause you to breathe shallowly, depriving you of energizing oxygen, says life-management therapist Peggy Holt.
The pick-me-up: When tension starts to build, spend three minutes taking slow, deep breaths and use all your senses to visualize something soothing, like lying on the beach.
More from FITNESS:
The Ultimate Lunch-Hour Workout
No-Equipment Total-Body Toners
Healthy Fast Food Lunch Picks
Work driving you nuts? Pick up the September issue of FITNESS magazine (on newsstands now) for the best ways to stop stress for good.
