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Over the past two years, I’ve been on a mission to make my home office as productive as possible. I’ve also been trying to focus on my health. At first, these two goals did not seem very compatible.
When I decided my health needed a revamp, I bought an Oura Ring, which I absolutely love. What I didn’t love? Being gently nudged with a “Time to stretch your legs?” once an hour, inevitably right after I had finally gotten into the flow of work. It was like my Oura was both shaming and mocking me: “Oh, you thought you were actually going to get some work done, huh?”
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By now, we all know our sedentary work-a-holic lifestyles are killing us, so taking a movement break for a few minutes every hour seems entirely reasonable. Unless, like me, a quick walk around the house generally turns into doing a load of laundry and straightening the kitchen, then deciding to pick out new paint colors for the cabinets or thinking maybe what you really need is to completely redesign your kitchen right now. When I finally sit back down, it takes me most of an hour to get back into flow. In short, the constant interruptions were a nightmare.
What I needed, I realized, was a way to move my body while I was working. I purchased (and returned) several options in my quest to find the perfect thing I would actually stick with. That viral stair-stepper on TikTok? Maybe I got the wrong one or set it up incorrectly, but the motion I experienced was more step-sink-done than a smooth up-and-down. The top-rated foot elliptical was clunky and didn’t quite fit under my desk, so I never actually used it.
Finally, I found a winner: a foldable under-the-desk treadmill. After researching a bunch of different options, I chose the WalkingPad C2 Mini Foldable Walking Treadmill.
It’s not the cheapest walking pad on the market, but along with having great reviews, I chose it because of its ability to fold in half. While I’m not clacking away in a closet, my office has fairly tight quarters and I’ve learned that aesthetics make a big difference in my ability to get into the right headspace. I knew I would get really annoyed with something that took up a lot of space or that I was constantly tripping over.
This version folds into about half the length of a conventional treadmill and isn’t too bulky, so it can slide under a coffee table, a couch (as long as it has some decent legs on it), or even stand on its end to slide between the bookcase and the wall (my chosen place to park it). While heavy enough that you can’t pick it up and carry it around, it is fairly easy to roll around thanks to a set of wheels if you want to sneak in some Netflix and walk time in front of the TV.
I have loved this new addition to my routine, but there are a few downsides to this model. What you get in portability and slim design, you give up in functionality beyond a walking pad. This version doesn’t go over 3.7 mph which is a decent clip (for comparison, my sweet spot with balancing movement and deep-work is 2.5 speed), but it won’t do double-duty as a running treadmill. (Though WalkingPad offers a couple more expensive versions with higher speeds.) You’ll also need to have a desk that functions like a standing desk. (If you don’t want to invest in a new piece of furniture, try a tabletop converter. I am a big fan of this one.)
But the biggest drawback is one that would be the same no matter which make and model you get: when your hands are typing away at a keyboard while your feet are walking, some devices like the Oura Ring might not clock your steps accurately. I’ve gotten used to walking with my phone in my pocket to make sure at least one of my apps is keeping track of my movement. (The treadmill display will also give you a total.)
But even if you lose a few steps here and there, that’s nothing compared to the biggest perk of adding a WalkingPad to your work routine. It turns out, the scientists were right: walking does boost your creativity. I’ve found that the gentle motion of strolling along while, say, writing a draft about the pros and cons of a desk treadmill, helps to whip my mind into focus. Add in a little instrumental music, and you’ve got the ultimate office productivity fitness hack.
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