Foo - Active lifestyle meets 40 hour desk job

Anyone know a good way to make it through a 40 hour desk job? I've done 50-60 hour construction in the past, no problem. But a desk job is killing me with inactivity. Even biking 14 miles a day, running a few more, and then misc. exercises and lots of moving beyond that, even walking stairs on my breaks- I'm still fighting sleep at the desk. Is there a good way to deal with this?

Nope. But when you figure it out, would you let me know? I been tryin to figure it out for about 8 years. I hate my job.

that just after lunch sat in a warm office feeling really sleepy period is a killer

I use drugs. But, that's just me.

I cruise these forums pretty much all day, which helps. what's your diet like? One huge meal at lunch? (I doubt it, extrapolating from your other activities)

Is the desk job mentally stimulating? That'd make a difference too...

Any chance you can work out at lunch? That helps me a lot, but I'm lucky. I have a gym right around the corner.

When I did the construction thing I hated it. I would come home beat and dead tired and not wanting to do anything. Now I have a 40 hour week desk job. I commute by bike 10 miles and have plenty of energy left over to go for long rides after work etc...

Sounds like you are not getting enough work to do. With my job(Web Administrator) when there is nothing to do I learn about stuff. Usually programming or networking but then see the geek thread. Maybe since your bosses don't give you anything to do you just have to create it your self...

Anyone know a good way to make it through a 40 hour desk job? I've done 50-60 hour construction in the past, no problem. But a desk job is killing me with inactivity. Even biking 14 miles a day, running a few more, and then misc. exercises and lots of moving beyond that, even walking stairs on my breaks- I'm still fighting sleep at the desk. Is there a good way to deal with this?

I sit all day in front of computers, here is what I do to fight the head nods

lost the car and started using bike to get to work, about 60km round trip per day. thats more than enough excersise for me.

At the office make sure you have lots of nice ice cold water handy, when you get sleepy have a drink. dont sit for to long take even a 1 minute walk/stretch every hour or so. your favourite chewing gum if you like gum. for me a couple pieces of mint gum will wake me up.

Get out for lunch sit under a tree outside and eat your lunch if you can.

Do not listen to music with head phones, or have a fan blowing in your face during the summer, both will put you down
like a baby :)

You're sitting around too much w/o enough motivation, that's why you're falling asleep. I say read more slashdot.

Stay hungry. It keeps me awake and alert all day.

Coffee. Massive amounts of coffee.

Crystal Meth always works

I'm still fighting sleep at the desk. Is there a good way to deal with this?

I know a guy who was a very successful attorney. A senior partner at a big firm, with all the window dressing and perks that go along with the position. One spring day he was gazing out the window and as he puts it "watching my life drain out through my shoes." He quit the next day and decided to fulfill a life long dream to ride his motorcycle around the world. Being an analytical lawyer type and not even knowing how to put oil in the engine he concluded that he first needed to figure out how to fix his bike.That way if it broke down someplace where he couldn't throw money at someone to fix it for him he could fix it himself. That led him to enroll in motorcycle mechanics school. Which was a hoot! He was the oldest student, older than most of his teachers. He, according to the school was one of most mechanically inept people they'd ever seen. At first he slowed down every class he attended with his questions. For example: "What's this?" "Ah, that's a spark plug." "What does it do?" He frustrated a lot of people. Then he amazed all by excelling and graduating number three in his class of 50. Job offers flowed from BMW motorcycle dealerships all around the country. He turned down the opportunity to be the oldest rookie BMW bike mechanic and fulfilled his dream. Lots of funny stories about his inability to even find his way out of the United States. It's hard to ride to Argentina when you can't find your way out of Texas. Eventually he figured it out. Central america almost killed him with some mystery illness. He recovered, just got back from riding across Russia, and Europe east to west.

I realize that this doesn't answer your question. Or maybe it's the only answer. I also realize that my friend was in a position financially where he could do the take this job and shove it routine. Even if you can't stop working, if you are so bored at work that you can't stay awake it's time for a change. Our time here doesn't go on forever, we're going to be dead for a long time.

Just Ride it!

Crystal Meth always works

after you organize your desk you will want to organize other stuff too.

Well, to answer a few questions/comments:
I don't really eat any big meals currently.

Not much chance I can work out, but after recently finding out there are some showers scattered throughout the building I might just make lunch a sandwich at my desk and go running over the break. Now just to see if I can fit carry that many changes of clothes.

Currently, I do have a fair amount of work to do, and when I don't, I'm very good at finding a productive way to stay busy. Funny enough, I'm intern to the web admin(very large network) and basically took over that position while my boss works on other things. I've got motivation. Shoot, I still manage to make my computer constatly scream even when my head is on the desk, my eyes are half closed, and I'm wishing I was lying in the grass outside; but the physical energy is not there.

Thanks for the responses so far. Luckily, this isn't permenant. Really lucky it isn't permenant.... I even resported to diet Mountain Dew yesterday(my "keep me up while driving at 3am" drink)

Discipline! My sister's a project manager at Cingular, and from the time she gets to work to the time she leaves (and sometimes beyond) she's chained to her desk. She gets up every morning and runs on her treadmill and eats right thought the day.

I know a guy who was a very successful attorney. A senior partner at a big firm, with all the window dressing and perks that go along with the position. One spring day he was gazing out the window and as he puts it "watching my life drain out through my shoes." He quit the next day and decided to fulfill a life long dream to ride his motorcycle around the world. Being an analytical lawyer type and not even knowing how to put oil in the engine he concluded that he first needed to figure out how to fix his bike.That way if it broke down someplace where he couldn't throw money at someone to fix it for him he could fix it himself. That led him to enroll in motorcycle mechanics school. Which was a hoot! He was the oldest student, older than most of his teachers. He, according to the school was one of most mechanically inept people they'd ever seen. At first he slowed down every class he attended with his questions. For example: "What's this?" "Ah, that's a spark plug." "What does it do?" He frustrated a lot of people. Then he amazed all by excelling and graduating number three in his class of 50. Job offers flowed from BMW motorcycle dealerships all around the country. He turned down the opportunity to be the oldest rookie BMW bike mechanic and fulfilled his dream. Lots of funny stories about his inability to even find his way out of the United States. It's hard to ride to Argentina when you can't find your way out of Texas. Eventually he figured it out. Central america almost killed him with some mystery illness. He recovered, just got back from riding across Russia, and Europe east to west.

I realize that this doesn't answer your question. Or maybe it's the only answer. I also realize that my friend was in a position financially where he could do the take this job and shove it routine. Even if you can't stop working, if you are so bored at work that you can't stay awake it's time for a change. Our time here doesn't go on forever, we're going to be dead for a long time.

Just Ride it!

Unfortunately, some people are working 50-60 hours a week just to get by.

I use drugs. But, that's just me.

Coffee. Massive amounts of coffee.
'Ats what I'm talkin' about!!




Crystal Meth always works

Yeah, but then your teeth all fall out.

You don't need a cold to take a Sudafed or two though. ;)

Unfortunately, some people are working 50-60 hours a week just to get by.

And those are the ones who've got it easy.

At school I tend to fall asleep since I get bored by the teachers talking. Blah Blah blah industrial revolution Blah Blah Blah. Big deal, thats what I have this huge book for right?

I entertain myself with either

A) Music
B) Those things you squeeze to strengthen your forearm.
C) Mind games. They have some pretty good books at Amazon. Do some of those on you lunch break to give your brain a workout.

PS, my dad says he agrees with "lots and lots of coffee".

The fact is that most desk jobs suck a$$. You're just going to have to suck it and see.

If you're falling asleep, I would agree that the problem is the nature of the job, not the location.

Good, strong espresso will keep you revved up. Good, strong dope will help you get through the monotony of it all.

Hah, with reference to the coffee...actually, it puts some people to sleep. When I get lots of caffeine it reduces my ability to focus, and that makes me drowsy. Hot soup will wake me up a bit, though. ;)

Unfortunately, some people are working 50-60 hours a week just to get by.

Why? It's all about choices. What situation would cause someone to have to work 50-60 hours a week to just get by? Obviously there are too many variables to mention here but let me run with one example, jobs easy to get. These are the low end fast food crew member type jobs. It could easily take 50 or more hours of working at this type of minimum wage job to make ends meet. There's no shame in working this type of job, if it's what you want for yourself. As Bill Gates said,"Flipping burgers is beneath no one." If it's not what you want then the question is why are you working there? No education? No skilled labor jobs available? Economically depressed area? My point is that anyone working a job they don't like has made the choice or choices that put them there. And it's up to them to change what they don't like. No one is trapped by circumstance, because we create our own circumstances. Move, get an education, learn a skill, and don't strap yourself with debt. It's all about choices.

As Bill Gates said,"Flipping burgers is beneath no one."

Could there be anything more patronizing than the world's richest man telling you that your minimum wage job is worthwhile? What a dip**** (Gates, not tom cotter). As if he ever eats at burger joints.

Could there be anything more patronizing than the world's richest man telling you that your minimum wage job is worthwhile? What a dip**** (Gates, not tom cotter). As if he ever eats at burger joints.

Thanks for clarifying that you weren't referring to me.

Bill's statement in context was directed at middle class teenagers who believed they were too good to work at Mcdonalds. Doesn't everyone want to start at the top?
I know people in low paying easy to get jobs who are very happy with what they're doing. I don't get it but hey, it's their life.