Benefits Of Promoting Health and Fitness In The Workplace
Image Credit: Unsplash
Contributor | Writer: Dan Matthews
For many folks, their work doesn’t involve a lot of physically demanding tasks. This means, for your typical full-time worker, 40 hours of the week is spent sitting stationary at a desk — or something similar.
However, missing out on regular exercise can lead to some serious health issues down the road, which can really impact a business and its employees. Luckily, companies can help combat harmful health issues and get the most from their employees by promoting better health and wellness in the workplace.
According to experts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “A worksite wellness program that includes a physical activity component can help maintain a healthier workforce. A healthier workforce can benefit from reduced direct costs associated with health care expenses. The worksite wellness program also has potential to increase employees’ productivity, reduce absenteeism, and increase morale.”
Finding ways to be a little more fit, eating right, and mindful of your mental health at work is a great start towards a healthier lifestyle. Of course, it can be a bit difficult knowing where and how to get started, so here are some simple ways to better promote health and fitness while at work:
Mind, Body, and Soul
When most people think of health and wellness they tend to picture treadmills, kale salads, green smoothies, and definitely not pizza. However, health also involves our mental wellbeing. In order to really start focusing on wellness, particularly at work, it’s important to look at ways our routines and habits in the office could possibly be making life much more difficult.
For example, adults with ADHD tend to struggle with time management and working around everyday distractions. This means that a typical desk job can be a real nightmare for someone with pesky ADD symptoms. However, employers that give the option to take a break and get some exercise at the office or even while working remotely, can really help workers with ADHD.
In regards to ADHD in the workplace, advocates have outlined a few helpful tips for successfully managing ADHD at home and in the office. They suggest:
- Get moving whenever you can: Exercise is not only beneficial to your body but can help focus your mind. Aerobic exercises get the blood pumping which can help clear your mind and help your brain function at full steam. Take a quick jog around the building or your yard to get some fresh air and get away from sitting at your desk. At the office, set up a designated area where employees can lay down a mat and do yoga, stretch, or even jump rope.
- Maintain a healthy diet: The last thing you might want to do when you’re stressed and busy at work is eating a well-balanced, nutritional, healthy meal. Sometimes, all you have time for is a bowl of cereal or a sandwich. However, eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins will give you more energy and focus, which means less stress. Employers should really consider swapping out office snacks like sugary cereals and pastries with options such as greek yogurt, low sugar oatmeal, and even keeping the fridge stocked with string cheese.
Our mental wellbeing needs don’t just stop when we’re on the clock. Part of taking care of our health is finding more ways to reduce stress, clear our minds, and confront our weaknesses and hopefully, turn them into strengths. It’s essential that employers consider mental health as part of the greater wellbeing pyramid and find more ways to support their employees.
Working On Your Fitness
Finding motivation yourself or motivating employees to workout more often isn’t always easy. However, a lack of exercise can have a lot of negative effects on the body. Those who don’t regularly exercise while off the clock, in conjunction with working in an office all day, could be putting themselves at risk of having high blood pressure or hypertension.
This can then lead to heart disease or even having a stroke.
It’s also important to note that women are at a higher risk than men for stroke and can have subtle, non-traditional symptoms such as agitation, hallucinations, sudden behavioral changes, and even hiccups. Managing your high blood pressure or hypertension with a health and wellness plan can help bring your blood pressure down to a healthier range. This, surprise surprise, includes maintaining a healthy weight, eating correctly, and more physical exercise. A healthier lifestyle can also help manage your cholesterol which is important for reducing your chances of heart attack and stroke.
A healthy routine doesn’t have to be complicated.
One way to make exercise easier and more enjoyable for employees alike is to set aside time each week or even each day where everyone can share their exercise and other health goals with one another. This can motivate employees to work out together, hold each other accountable, and share in the celebration when those goals are met. This can also help keep you setting new health goals. Being healthy is a lot easier when you have a whole support team behind you.
When it comes to our work life and personal life, some things overlap. This includes our unhealthy habits. This is why it’s imperative that businesses make the investment into promoting better health and fitness in the workplace.
Dan Matthews is a writer with a degree in English from Boise State University. He has extensive experience writing online at the intersection of business, marketing, lifestyle, and health. You can find him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
