Obesity, stress and ill health are occupational hazards of sedentary jobs. Increased job pressure, heightened workloads and deskbound working conditions contributed to sickness absence costing the UK economy nearly £17million in 2009.
We spoke to iGlobalFitness and got their top 10 tips to help employees use their body as well as their brain, increase their activity level and improve their health.
1. When travelling to and from work, get off a stop early and walk the rest of the way.
2. Alternatively cycle or run to work, even if it’s just part of the way.
3. Use the stairs in your building rather than the lift.
4. Instead of emailing or phoning a colleague, walk to their desk and talk to them.
5. Try having a “walk and talk” meeting instead of a sit down meeting.
6. Go for a quick walk after lunch to aid digestion and keep your energy levels up.
7. Use the toilets on a different floor and make sure you use the stairs.
8. Drink around two litres of water every day.
9. Take regular short breaks to stretch and move your limbs to get that circulation going.
10. Enter the Stay Active Challenge and compete to be the most active!