It's a hidden threat. Inactivity, is now listed as the fourth biggest killer of adults by the World Health Organisation. Several months ago, The Lancet said sitting is the new smoking, and is on target to cause more deaths than cancer. Physical inactivity causes 9% of premature mortality – more than 5.3m deaths a year – according to the report.

Too many of us come into the office and park ourselves at our desk for the day. Although a power walk at lunch will clear your head, more important to your health are the small micro-movements that you make throughout the day – like taking the stairs instead of the lift.

None of this is rocket science: we all know instinctively what is good for us. But, although we may know that this is the right thing to do, most of us don't do it. Our working lives have created some bad habits. So, here are some ideas to start building some better habits.

Measure, monitor and act

A good starting point to understanding your level of NEAT movements is to work out how much you move about the office. Research suggests we should be walking 10,000 steps a day – and unless you walk a long way to work you'll need to get some of these done in the office. Use a pedometer to keep note of how many steps you take throughout your working day and continuously increase this amount.

Walking around the office may seem like a small amount of exercise, but you will soon notice a significant increase in the number of steps you're taking. Take all the opportunities you can to get on your feet: make the effort to speak to a colleague the other side of the office rather than using email, take the stairs rather than the lift, or walk a longer route to your desk. Staying physically active throughout the day – even getting up to make a coffee – keeps you mentally alert and will help your overall health.

Meet in a different way

Rather than having an hour-long meeting, try a different approach. A 15-minute standing meeting will ensure that no one drones on, and data shows that standing meetings are not only shorter but more effective.

Need to have a private conversation? Try a walking meeting. Tough conversations can be made tougher by the pressure of a formal face-to-face meeting. A walking meeting eases the tension and helps get conversation flowing. Has your team meeting become a bit stale? At the first sign of nice weather head out to your closest patch of grass and see if the change of scenery doesn't inspire some brighter thinking.

Simplify your desk

Don't make your desk the go-to space for all activity. If your workplace offers alternative work settings and social areas, take advantage. Never eat lunch at your desk if you can help it. Doing so lowers your productivity and makes you hungrier later in the day. Try not to keep unhealthy snacks at your desk as they'll be the first thing you reach for at times of stress. If you've got a personal printer and rubbish bin, get rid of them and use one further away from your desk.

Monica Parker is head of workplace consultancy at Morgan Lovell.

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