Four Ways to Tackle Sedentary Lifestyles

You have probably noticed that when you are on the move, your body feels better than it does when you’re stationary. For example, you’re sitting in the car on a road trip: Even though it’s only been two hours, your body feels like you’ve been sitting there for five. Just picturing it makes us want to stretch our legs.

There is much research surrounding the benefits of moving more each day. Some of those benefits include stabilizing your mood, getting an extra boost in energy, sleeping better, living longer, maintaining a healthy weight, preventing chronic illness, and more.

For many of the same reasons, regular physical activity can reduce sick days and boost productivity. Most experts recommend aiming for a half-hour of physical activity each day. How can you help your employees reach this goal? Here are some ideas:

Help your employees find the opportunity to exercise in every situation.
From biking, hiking, walking, jogging, swimming, playing pickle ball, doing jumping jacks, training for a triathlon or just racing your kids (or the neighbor’s kids) across the yard, there is boundless variety in exercise. Share this idea with your employees. Make sure they know you don’t have to wear gym attire to move more – something as simple as parking your car in the back of the lot to get a few extra steps can make a difference.

Focus your employees’ attention on the immediate rewards of exercise, rather than the long-term benefits.
Immediate rewards are enticing and powerful when it comes to motivating someone to exercise. It may seem like preventing heart disease or living a longer life are pretty good reasons to go for a walk each evening, but studies have found that sometimes it’s not enough. Our brains are wired for instant gratification. You can use this to advance your employees’ health. Highlight the positive and immediate benefits of daily exercise to get them there. We recommend you stay positive and avoid fearmongering: referring to the lack of exercise as “sitting disease” won’t swiftly get anyone up and out of their chair.

Take your employees on an adventure to get them moving.
Step outside with your workforce for a company outing, or set up a charitable walk. Gathering your team in the name of health can be a refreshing way to get everyone moving. This might not be a trick you can implement each week, but there are several benefits tied to this method.

Turn up the tunes to get your team moving.
Exercise and music complement one another. Research shows that working out while listening to your favorite songs or even just fast-paced music can not only increase your pace, it can extend your workout endurance, make exercise feel easier, and help your muscles recover quicker.

Sources

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/in-depth/exercise/art-20048389
http://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/health-strategies/physical-activity/index.html
http://motivatehealth.com/ice-cream-shops-may-have-the-model-for-more-exercise/
http://motivatehealth.com/promote-microadventures-for-macro-health-benefits/