Lawyers: Stop Sitting, Start Raising the Roof?

By Robyn Hagan Cain on February 15, 2013 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Finally, President's Day Weekend is upon us. Who doesn't get excited about a three-day weekend? A chance to leave the office and move around.

Or — as will be the case for many attorneys — a regular weekend, capped by a work-from-home-in-your-pajamas-on-your-couch-day. Fun!

If even a three-day weekend doesn't give you enough time to go running or swim a few laps at the pool, maybe it's time to consider exercises you can do in your office. Luckily, The Washington Post can help.

The Post's infographics department tested 12 exercises for the office to see which ones real people could incorporate into a workday. The exercises are simple, and don't require special fitness equipment. (Leave your pilates rack at home.) Each of the moves was recommended by an expert, whose job involves studying motion, preventing obesity, or getting people moving.

The best parts of the piece are the animated examples of these exercises. Even if you wouldn't be caught dead "raising the roof" in your office, you can get a hearty chuckle out of the animation. (The department's pros and cons for each move are also worth reading. Our favorite comments accompanied the "Hallelujah" move. "Pros: Made us smile. Lends a flash-mob feel to even the least coordinated group. Cons: Not the slightest bit subtle.")

If frolicking and waving and gyrating around your office will get you committed rather han promoted, maybe you can change the way you sit at your desk all day.

Consider sitting on an exercise ball instead of a standard office chair. (But keep your office chair around for client meetings.) If you work for a particularly generous or health-conscious firm, maybe the powers-that-be will even spring for a standing desk. Or better yet, a treadmill desk.

The point is that a lawyer's primary physical activity -- sitting behind a desk -- is bad for your health. So whether you choose to dance around your office or stand all day long, try to find a way to get moving at work.

Related Resources:

Copied to clipboard