It is no secret that physical activity is essential for your overall health and day-to-day functionality. In addition to physical and mental mobility gains, regular physical activity also helps the productivity and efficiency rates of your employees. Even in today’s bustling corporate world, there are a number of incentive-based solutions and time management tricks that any organization can partake in to reap the benefits of increased physical activity in the workplace.
Have Step Competitions
An easy and relatively inexpensive first phase of encouraging more workplace movement is to sponsor an in-office step competition or even several mini-competitions. It requires little investment, save for competition prizes and/or perks, a reliable means of keeping track of steps and clean safe walkways.
Exercise Before or After Work
A regular exercise regimen is highly beneficial to both employees individually and their employers. This can be accomplished with employees keeping either a standard gym routine or an alternative exercise routine outside of a gym, such as a home workout area, before or after work hours. Early or late workouts, regardless of any employee’s personal preference, are always beneficial. Another alternative is to switch from motorized vehicle transportation to either walking or biking to work. It’s important to always take precautions when biking to and from work in order to stay safe.
Fitting Bits of Activity Into the Work Day
Even with a regular exercise regimen, long hours working at a desk can have negative cumulative effects on your health. While the aforementioned step competition can help, there are other options for people to stay active. Portable weights, from lightweight hexagonal dumbbells to reasonably weighted kettlebells, are easy to store and carry. Simple lateral shoulder raises with dumbbells and small sets of kettlebell swings can add helpful exercise in small doses throughout the day.
It is neither positive to sit nor stand all day in one place, but switching between the two every so often can help add a small amount of activity to your day. Also, taking microbreaks throughout the day — for example, getting up and walking for five minutes every hour for three hours instead of taking one fifteen-minute break — can also positively affect your health in an average workday.
While increased physical activity in the workplace is desirable, it is important to also exercise safety and precaution. Coworkers should only participate if they are physically able to do so, and they may need to be evaluated by their respective physicians for activity clearance.
Does your business need better management? Click here to learn how to get things done!
