After doing the stairs for seven days at work, hiking up and down the 18 flights of the stairs has become nearly automatic, hardly work to do twice a day up and down. I don’t even think of going to the elevator anymore, and I find if I have my phone out or have something to distract me, I can do the stairs with barely even noticing I’m climbing.

Each time up the stairs it works out to be 50 calories burned over roughly 4 minutes, a brief but moderately intense cardiovascular activity for good health. No waiting for elevators and while I miss the banter with colleagues in the lobby, I don’t miss the crowds or wondering when and elevator will arrive and whether or not I will get trapped in the elevator.