December Desk Challenge

November 25, 2025 Studio Strong Fit

December Desk Challenge: The 5-Minute Reset That Saves Your Sanity (and Your Back)

Real talk: December hits different when you’re running a business. While everyone else is sipping hot cocoa and watching holiday movies, you’re juggling year-end financials, client deadlines, tax prep, holiday parties, and somehow trying to remember if you actually have a family.

Oh, and you’ve basically become one with your office chair. Your back hurts, your brain’s foggy by 2 PM, and you’re on a first-name basis with your barista because you’ve upgraded from “regular customer” to “concerning caffeine dependency.”

We see you. And we’ve got your back. Literally.

The December Dilemma

Here’s the thing about December: While you’re crushing those Q4 goals and planning for 2025, your body is staging a quiet rebellion. That stabbing pain between your shoulder blades? The fact that standing up now requires a three-point plan? The way your energy crashes harder than the stock market in 2008?

That’s the Sitting Disease Tax, and December is collection season.

The average business owner spends 10-12 hours at their desk during the year-end crunch. That’s 300+ hours of sitting in December alone. Your body wasn’t designed for this, and it’s letting you know—loudly.

Enter: The December Desk Challenge

What if we told you that just 5 minutes, four times a day could:

Eliminate that afternoon brain fog (without another espresso shot)
Ease your desk-jockey back pain
Boost your energy when you need it most
Improve your focus during important year-end meetings
Help you actually finish the year strong instead of just surviving

The best part? Zero equipment. Zero gym time. Zero leaving your office.

This is the ultimate zero-friction fitness solution for the busiest month of the year.

Your 5-Minute December Reset Routine

Every two hours, take a 5-minute break for these four desk-friendly exercises. That’s it. That’s the whole challenge.

The Four Power Moves

1. Desk Push-Ups (1 minute)

Place hands on the edge of your desk
Walk feet back until your body forms a straight line
Lower chest toward desk, keeping body straight
Push back up
Goal: 10-15 reps
Pro tip: The further back your feet, the harder it gets

2. Chair Squats (1 minute)

Stand in front of your chair
Lower yourself until you gently tap the seat (don’t sit!)
Stand back up, squeezing your glutes
Goal: 15-20 reps
Bonus: This is basically standing up practice for later in life

3. Calf Raises (1 minute)

Stand behind your chair, holding it for balance
Rise up onto your toes as high as possible
Hold for one second at the top
Slowly lower back down
Goal: 30-40 reps
Science alert: Your calves are your “second heart,” pumping blood back up from your legs. Give them some love.

4. Standing Stretches (2 minutes)

Reach overhead and perform side bends (each side)
Torso twists to release spine tension
Shoulder rolls (forward and backward)
Neck rolls (gently!)
Goal: Move through your full range of motion, release that tension

Why This Actually Works (The Business Case)

You’re a numbers person, so let’s talk ROI:

Metabolic Activation: Breaking up sitting every 2 hours prevents your metabolism from going into power-saving mode. Translation: No more 3 PM crash.

Enhanced Circulation: Those calf raises? They’re literally pumping blood back to your brain. Better circulation = sharper thinking = better decisions.

Stress Management: Physical movement regulates cortisol (your stress hormone). Five minutes of movement beats five minutes of doom-scrolling for stress relief.

Mental Clarity: Movement breaks maintain cognitive function without relying on caffeine. Your liver will thank you.

Energy Management: Think of these resets as charging stations for your body battery. Small, frequent charges beat waiting for a full shutdown.

Your December Challenge Framework

We’re keeping this realistic because we know your December is chaos:

Week 1 (Dec 2-8): Start small—just TWO resets daily at whatever times work Week 2 (Dec 9-15): Level up to THREE resets daily, find your rhythm Week 3 (Dec 16-22): Hit all FOUR resets at least 3 days this week Week 4 (Dec 23-31): Maintain the full routine through year-end

Progressive, flexible, and designed for real life (not Instagram fantasy life).

Making It Stick: Your Implementation Strategy

Set It and Forget It

Set phone alarms: 8 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM, 4 PM (pick four)
Block calendar time as “CEO Health Breaks” (because you are the CEO of you)
Treat these like client meetings—non-negotiable

Track Your Progress Use our challenge tracker (see below) to create visual accountability. There’s something deeply satisfying about checking boxes. We’re basically gamifying your health.

Find Your Accountability Partner Text a fellow chamber member after each reset. Peer pressure works. Use it for good.

Celebrate Small Wins Completed all four resets? That’s a win. Do a victory dance (counts as movement).

Your Challenge Tracker

So Easy We Did it for You!

Or if you wanna make one on your own – What You Need: A simple tracking sheet with:

Dates running down the left side (Dec 1-31)
Four columns for your four daily resets (8 AM, 10 AM, 12 PM, 2 PM)
Checkbox-style empty squares for each reset
Weekly goal reminders at the bottom of each week
Space for notes (“Crushed a presentation after noon reset!”)

Pro Design Tips:

Use outlined boxes instead of filled squares (saves ink when printing)
Include the four exercise names at the top as a quick reference
Add motivational quotes at weekly intervals
Leave space for “wins of the week”
Make it printer-friendly (black and white, simple layout)

Bonus Features:

Badge system: Complete 10 resets = “Getting Started,” 20 = “Building Momentum,” 30+ = “December Warrior”
Weekly reflection questions
Space to track energy levels (1-10 scale) before and after resets

Troubleshooting Real December Problems

“My schedule is completely unpredictable.” Perfect. Do your resets whenever you can. The goal is four resets daily, not four resets at exact times. Flexibility is built in.

“I’m in back-to-back meetings all day.” Do your reset right after a meeting ends, before checking email. Or do desk push-ups during a phone call (muted, obviously).

“I work from home and feel weird.” Close your door. This is business time. Your health IS your business.

“What if I miss multiple days?” You’re human, not a robot. Just pick back up. No guilt, no shame, just resume.

“I’m traveling for the holidays.” Hotel room floor works great for this routine. So does your in-laws’ living room (bonus: it’s a great conversation escape strategy).

Your Next Steps

1. Commit: Decide right now that you’re doing this
2. Download: Get your tracker ready (or create your own)
3. Schedule: Block those four 5-minute times in your calendar TODAY
4. Start: Your first reset can be right now (seriously, stand up and do 15 chair squats)
5. Share: Tag an accountability partner

The Real Investment

This isn’t about getting ripped or looking like a fitness model. This is about finishing December without completely destroying your body. It’s about having energy for the things (and people) that matter outside of work.

Twenty minutes of movement spread across four strategic breaks. That’s less time than you spend in your inbox before 9 AM.

Your business runs on you. When you’re running on empty, everything suffers. The December Desk Challenge is your maintenance plan for the busiest month of the year.

Ready to Finish Strong?

Download your challenge tracker, set your first alarm, and show December who’s boss.

Need more personalized support? Visit studiostrong.fit/ChamberStrong for fitness solutions designed specifically for time-strapped business owners.

Let’s make December the month you proved that sustainable wellness isn’t about having time—it’s about making the time that matters.

Challenge accepted? Stand up right now and do 10 chair squats. We’ll wait.

This article is part of our Chamber of Commerce Business Performance Series, designed to help local business owners thrive in 2025.