There is a reason many employers are investing in wellness programs for their staff. These programs are often geared towards healthy lifestyle choices; such as exercise, healthy eating and stress reduction. They have been shown to bolster productivity and reduce levels of chronic illness in the workforce. Even if your company does not have something in place, there are some simple things we can all do to be our own wellness advocate. Well into the month of December, when the year-end rush is intense for many people and holiday obligations can get overwhelming, we bring you three simple things you can do for your own wellness.
Take a walk during your lunch
A simple 15 minute walk can be an easy way to fit in some activity mid-day. Doing this keeps your energy level up heading off an afternoon slump that many people experience. There are more benefits to fitting this in after lunch. A recent study found that a 15-minute walk after a meal not only lowers blood sugar, but also risk for type 2 diabetes. Doing this twice a day (or 15 minutes each way) gets you the recommended 30 minutes of exercise per day. People often find ways to maximize this time by scheduling a conference call that only requires them to listen in. Or make it educational by listening to an audio book.
Make it a moving meeting
Make one on one meetings with like-minded people a moving meeting. This might mean finding a place where you can walk and talk. Just bring a note pad, or take keynotes on your smartphone or tablet. I know one person who likes to “move and meet” as we affectionately call it. Our meetings include slowly walking up a few flights of stairs, walking a hall, and then heading back down. Doing this a few times really helps keep the blood and ideas flowing. I admit I feel less stressed after our meetings compared with others.
Take a Stand
Nothing radical here, just find times you can physically stand up. Sitting all day can lead to a sluggish metabolism, chronic back pain, and stiff neck. If you have a job that leaves you sitting at a desk most of the day, you may feel the effects of this. Try taking a phone call standing up. The moment you stand up, your metabolic rate picks up according to the Mayo Clinics’ obesity expert James Levine, M.D., Ph.D. Many leaders are replacing long meetings sitting around a conference rom with huddles, where the team stands and meets for less than 15 minutes. The rest of the updates are provided electronically. A metabolism boost and a time-saver all in one. Now that can help reduce stress!
I just heard a statistic on the radio talking about how much weight people plan to gain between Thanksgiving and New Years. The program went on to state that the average amount people gain ranges between 3 and 7 pounds. It really struck me that people are just planning on this as a reality. How unfortunate!
We all know how challenging it is to reduce our weight. Imagine 3-5 years including a 3 to 7 weight gain every year.
This year, let’s go against the norm. Put these and other wellness strategies to work to have a happy and healthy holiday season!
We just scratched the surface in this brief write up. For more quick and simple employee wellness ideas, check out: http://www.wellnesscorporatesolutions.com/z-resources/70-ideas.pdf