Those with full-time sedentary types of jobs will agree that it’s a bit difficult to do much physical activity at work, what with not finding time or the energy to exercise after work! Back in the days when we were cave men and women, we got plenty of exercise chasing after our food, looking for shelter or simply swinging from trees. Those days are long gone now but the need to move our bodies is still very much a necessity. It’s up to each one of us to find ways to keep sufficiently active.
Whether working from home or office, there are plenty of great opportunities for us to move more and still get on with our jobs.
Why is physical activity at work important?
Exercise is terribly important to our health. There is evidence to show that regular and sufficient amounts of it keeps us fit and well. It reduces our overall risk to serious illnesses such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and even cancer.
Exercise not only helps us avoid diseases and look good, it also makes us feel good. It stimulates our brains to release lots of beneficial chemicals such as dopamine, which helps to improve our mood and even memory. Exercise is also an excellent stress buster and can help us get through stressful times at work and improve productivity.
How much physical activity do I need?
In the UK, 150 minutes of exercise a week are recommended by the Department of Health and Social Care. This can be broken down into 30 mins of exercise over 5 days. Better still, just about 22 minutes every day! And to put it into context, one episode of Friends or Big Bang Theory is 22 minutes long and doesn’t it always seem to go so quickly?!
You don’t have to visit a gym to exercise. Loads of every day activity can count as exercise. For example, walking to the bus/train or going grocery shopping and even dog-walking. However, to draw some benefit from your chosen type of physical activity it needs to raise your breathing, heart rate and body temperature altogether.
What gets in the way of exercising?
There are lots of reasons why we don’t exercise. Lack of motivation, lack of time, and lack of awareness of its benefits. There is also the erroneous belief that joining a gym is the best way to exercise. Cultural barriers, safety concerns, and not being in good health can also affect our ability to exercise. Take a moment to identify what gets in your way and what you can do about it.
How to increase your physical activity at work
A dozen ways to get more exercise while at work:
1. Change your mindset about work and exercise
Up to a third of our lifetime is taken up by work, quite grim if you think about it. Work therefore needs to incorporate other more fun and important things to us, such as exercise. If your job keeps you active, such as running after energetic pre-schoolers or involves heavy-lifting etc, then you already are getting plenty of exercise. But if sitting down is how you do work, then finding ways to get more active while at work should be a priority. So, read on…
2. Step away from your desk
After every hour of sedentary work, do get up and walk around for a moment. You can use the opportunity to refill your water bottle or to say hello to a colleague. This won’t break you into a sweat, but it helps your blood circulation and gives you a break from the computer screen or task.
3. Get a stand-up desk at work
The first time I saw a stand-up desk I thought it was cool but not for me. Now I use it on a regular basis. It keeps me on my feet while working.
4. Get active over lunch
You may not go hunting for your food as the cavepeople did but do choose to go out and get your lunch. It’s all too easy these days to get it delivered to where you are. And if you bring your sandwich with you to work, do go out for a walk after you’ve had it. Also consider something a little more intensive like a lunch time run, if possible. Remember 22 minutes a day is all you need!
5. Use employee exercise facilities
If you are lucky enough to have a gym or other exercising facilities where you work, do take advantage of these. And if the idea of exercising at work or with colleagues is daunting, try and take small steps towards it. It took me a while to join my colleagues at a yoga class because I knew how good they were. But I did and loved it, eventually.
6. Get yourself some exercise aides
If no facilities are provided at work or you need to supplement your exercise, consider getting yourself some small exercise aides. My brother gave me a set of small dumbbells which I now use during virtual meetings when I can.
7. Take the stairs
I know we are always pressed for time when at work but try not to pass up this excellent opportunity to raise your heart rate and burn some calories.
8. Have walking meetings
Walk and talk meetings are an excellent way of getting a bit more physical activity in. They are also great when having difficult conversations. They work well for small meetings of between 2- 4 people. Walking meetings are good for both face-to-face and virtual meetings that do not require presentations.
9. Walk to and from work (or part of it)
A few lucky people live a short distance from their workplace. However, if you are not one of these people, consider it a perfect opportunity to increase your physical activity. My walk to the train station is 20 minutes, both ways that’s 40 minutes. I try to take the walk briskly. However, I have colleagues who put me to shame by running miles to get to work (and yes they can afford their train fare!).
On the days you work from home, aim to walk or run when you finish work or do some exercise at home.
10. Cycle to work
Cycling to work is another great opportunity to fit in some quality exercise. Get yourself a bike. You can buy or hire. And if a traditional bike is too hard, consider a hybrid electric one. It may not get your heart rate racing as much, but it does have some health benefits too.
11. Make exercise a social thing
Lack of motivation is one of the biggest barriers to exercise. Most of us know someone who likes to exercise. You can draw motivation from them. Try to get your colleagues talking about physical activity. Better still, get them to exercise with you, or join them if they are already on it. If traditional forms of exercise are not your thing, get colleagues to go on a hike outside work hours especially now that more people are working from home. Or consider getting them to contribute to a table tennis table for the office? And if you are the boss, how about getting one for your staff?
12. Track and celebrate your progress
This definitely won’t break your sweat but it’s important to know how you are doing and celebrate your progress. It’s one way to stay motivated especially now when more of us are working from home. You can track your progress in a fitness diary or use technology such as a Fitbit or speedometer.
Is physical activity enough to keep us well?
If you are looking to improve your general health and wellbeing, getting adequate physical activity is a great place to start. However, equally important is eating well and healthy during the many hours we spend at work.
