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Your Top Tips
Last week we asked you to tell us your top tips for keeping active during the working day. We had some brilliant suggestions, so we’ve compiled a few of our favourites to share with you in this blog post.
Get your day started the right way
Whether working from home or the office, there were some great tips around starting your day actively.
If you are in the office, Leona from team Walkie Talkies suggested:
“Our team top tip is to park further away in car park when driving to work. Those extra steps each day add up.”
And the for the homeworkers, Sue from the Peat-destrians said:
“If you work from home but used to work from an office pretend you still commute to and from work. If you used to take 20mins to drive there, go for a 20 min walk before and after work. It not only helps you walk more but provides that decompression time and transition from home to work life that many of us miss now our office is also our home.”
If you are on public transport, Ana from Walk this Wardlaw said:
“I get off the bus one or two stops before my usual stop (time allowing) or walk to a further stop along the bus route when I have to change buses and I know it'll be a bit of a wait anyway.”
Move more
One way to reduce lots of inactive time at work is to stand or move more whilst you are working. Kirsten from Major Step-Ops suggested improvising a standing desk:
“A standing desk! It doesn't need to be expensive, could even be makeshift, but I find if I am standing anyway I am more likely to move naturally and complete quick tasks, rather than stacking the tasks to do all at once when I get up from my seat.”
Whilst Heather from Viewpoint Stepaholics moves during phones calls:
“Move around when you are on a phone or do calf raises or squats. This works really well and gives a screen break too.”
Heather also advised, “set an alarm on your phone periodically throughout the day and do the One Minute Movers.”
Lunchtime escape
Use some of your lunchbreak to escape the desk, blow away the cobwebs and reset yourself for the afternoon. Steven from Daundering Diablos said:
“Taking 30-60 minutes for lunch and taking to your favourite local path is a great way to get some much-needed headspace from your to-do list, fill the lungs and get the blood pumping.I find it helps to keep me alert, productive, fit, happy and healthy.”
Morven from team Biotech Bolters had this advice around scheduling your walks:
“I like to get out for a walk or run during my lunch break where possible. I schedule this into my calendar which makes me less likely to put it off!”
Make it social
Getting colleagues, friends or family involved came up a lot in your tips as way to keep active, motivated and have some fun at the same time. Joy from the Fictional Footsteps suggested:
“Arrange a coffee/tea break with a colleague away from the desk. Walk to the canteen or take your cup outside and walk while chatting.”
Ruth from team Actify suggested building active breaks into our meetings:
“Schedule in regular breaks with your team during meetings, go for a walk during lunchtime (take someone with you as it's good company and you keep each other accountable for going!) and go for a walk after work to decompress.”
Do it your way
We also had some novel ways of fitting in some activity into our day. Rachael from Walking 9 – 5 said:
“On rainy days, I've been doing some low impact Latin dance exercises with a friend to keep the step count up. It's fun and the music is a bonus!”
Sarah from the EPSteps suggested building movement and activity into your everyday routines:
“Pair up movement breaks with every day actions e.g. do some side stretches whilst waiting for photocopying; walk about while microwaving your soup at lunchtime.”
Whilst Rona from team Walkie Talkies said:
“I've started skipping! It gets the heart rate and step count up!”
And our winning top tip for step count success was from team Walkie Talkies’ Marion.
“The last challenge I started a Walk and Talk with one of my colleagues. Rather than a catch-up online we would go for a walk. This has now grown and the whole of the community fundraising team is on board. We pair up once a month with someone from the wider team and get to know one another. My own Nations team is also doing our weekly catch-up this week as a walk and all calling in on WhatsApp. If it works we plan to do this weekly.”
