How do you do 10,000 steps a day when working in desk job?

I have never really walked but started in January this year, and with the exception of half a dozen days, have done 10,000 plus each day. Sometimes I go on a long walk, but more often it's pottering in the house, walking around while I'm making calls (amazing how that adds up the steps) and a walk around my local area - which fortunately is beautiful and accessible.

Many times I end up marching at the end of the bed while watching the news though, to make up the 10,000 before I go to sleep!

I've been trying to do 10,000 steps per day throughout August whilst DS is home from school. I'm finding time to do it the hardest thing tbh.

On an average day, I do manage about 3500 steps just pottering about the house with him. If I take DS for a walk during the day I can clock up about 2500. But I'm finding that realistically I have to do a long walk in the evening or early in the morning before DS is up to make up the rest.

Normally I'd get the steps in doing the school run.

The other thing is walking to the local shops to get that extra loaf of bread during the week rather than driving to the supermarket. It costs me more for the loaf there BUT I only buy the loaf and not other stuff I don't need and I'm not paying for petrol so ends up cheaper.

I got told not to aim for 10,000 steps but for exercise.

I've been for a 40 minutes quick walk today that was just under 5k.

I've still not reached 7000 steps because I'm on AL so not moving around as I would at work and read a lot this morning!

I have an Apple Watch now that records my exercise and I aim for 3 days of at least 30 minutes, 2 days of at least 45 and a day of at least an hour and then I do yoga or something the other day.

45 minutes brisk walk is better than 10,000 steps of pottering.

But I guess if it's a steps challenge you need to keep moving and so I'd recommend standing and marching on the spot frequently! Whilst making dinner, whilst bristling your teeth, watching some tv etc.

Oh and there’s also YouTube videos that aim to get your steps up so you can do it in the house.

I have a full on, full time desk job & run twice a week. But even though I average 8-9 miles a week of running, I average about 4K steps a day.

I did the 10000 steps a day for Brain Tumour research at the start of the year, so in the winter. Got myself a good waterproof jacket and some helpers who wanted to come out with me. I normally went a quick walk on lunch and then a good brisk hour in the evening, come rain or shine.

I decided that it didn’t matter if some days I didn’t get out, as long as the steps at the end made up for it, which they did.

I’ve carried on walking a few nights a week since then and kept it up during my pregnancy to stay fit. I’ll be out with the pram once baby is here as well.

Get up early and go for a walk in the morning for about half an hour. If you can, get out at lunch time to go for another walk and then after work.

I got a dog a couple of years ago so now I have to make the time to go for a walk and its one of the best things I've ever done. Not only has my health improved but there's something magical about that morning walk. Even when if chucking it down with rain or freezing cold. There's this wonderful silence in the morning.

I've gone off on tangent...

I’m currently having a garden office installed and am thinking about getting a walking desk…..so one of those higher desks and a platform treadmill. Not sure if it’s a recipe for disaster…..I’m not good at multitasking!

My Fitbit thinks I've done over 15k steps today (I definitely haven't), and has counted just under 3 hours of motorcycling as exercise 😁💪🏼

I get up at 5.30, go for a 20 minute run, then take the dog for a 40 minute walk, then by milling around sorting breakfasts , I'm usually at 8/9000 by 8/8.30am

I own a dog and go to exercise classes.

I know you drive at the moment. Is public transport involving a walk an option at all?
That's the only way I get mine in.

20 min walk in the morning and one in your lunchbreak. Hour walk to the supermarket or a run after work.
My IBS is horrific if I don't get enough steps in so I just suck it up and do it.

At the start of the first lockdown I decided to do a minimum of 10,000 steps a day and haven't missed a day since. When we went back to working in the office it was a bit harder to fit it in but I always go for a walk at lunch time and we have an early evening walk either before or after dinner. I rarely do fewer than 15,000 a day now and on a weekend it's usually 20,000 a day.

Once you get going you can't stop, I can't imagine not doing it now, I'd feel sluggish and a bit of a failure if I missed out a day.

Good luck!

according to my watch I walked more than 10 steps/9km today.
4k of this was an afternoon walk which took about 45 minutes.

Easily. Spin class at 6am, then walk to shops at lunch time. Treadmill at gym. Walking workouts on you tube.

Following with interest, incidentally how far is 10000 steps approximately? I find it easy to get steps in when I wfh but working in the office its impossible.

Walking meetings in the office - it’s standard for people to do laps of our office when having 121 chats

In term time it’s fairly easy to get to 10k steps if I do the school run, but I often walk round the block at lunchtime too. When I go to the office it’s harder though.

I work full time in a desk job (mix of wfh and in the office) and average 15k steps a day.
I run around 30 miles a week, which makes up some of that, but most of it is going for long walks with the kids at weekends and just generally having an active lifestyle - ie I'll always walk to the shops rather than drive; I get out of the house for a short walk where I can; I find things to do in the evenings rather than sitting on the sofa.. that sort of thing.

Today, for example, I'm already on over 15k steps and I haven't done any exercise. But I've been to the park with the children, done the shopping, gone for a long hilly walk and then done a load of gardening and cleaning.

I work from home 3 days a week. Most days I manage 10, 000 steps, as long as I can get out in the day for 30-40 minutes. I walk up to my allotment in the evenings, about a 3 mile round trip. Running up and down the stairs to the kitchen, down to the bottom of the garden a few times a day adds 500 or so.
When I go to the office its a 3 miles round trip and a walk at lunchtime and I’m done

PS should have said, I WFH. In the office I could rack up a lot more steps walking round the site during the day.

I work from home. I do either a 30-40 min run or walk before work and a 40 min walk at lunchtime. Then potentially one after work as well. I have been known to pace around the house if I haven’t been out enough

I generally do about 15,000 steps a day I think