Life is busy, there is no doubt about it. For those that work outside of the home, it can seem even more hectic. Between getting work done, taking care of the family, cooking, and cleaning, it seems as if there is not much time left for anything else. This unfortunate fact means that many people forgo the need to exercise. According to the CDC, people that avoid physical activity could suffer a serious health risk, including high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Rather than avoiding exercise, employers can encourage their employees to include fitness in their daily routine with a few simple changes.
· Encourage the use of stairs if your office has an elevator. Make sure the stairwells are clean and attractive. Consider posting “Use the Stairs, Skip the Elevator” signs by the elevator.
· Model to your employees that break times can be used to fit in a little physical activity, such as walking for 10 minutes, rather than sitting down and eating food. Let them see you getting out yourself for exercise breaks and “walking the talk.”
· Try holding meetings while walking, instead of congregating around a conference room table.
· Conduct stretching breaks or onsite exercise classes that make it easy for employees to attend.
· Create walking groups – Facilitate dedicated walking groups that participate in physical activity at lunch time. This allows your employees to have the social interaction that they desire at lunchtime, while fitting in the important cardio exercise.
According to the CDC, a total of 150 minutes or 2 hours and 30 minutes per week should be dedicated to physical activity. This might sound intimidating, but even 10 minutes of moderate physical activity at one time is sufficient. If you encourage your employees to walk on their breaks or to take longer walks during their lunch hour, they can easily fit in the fitness that is important to help them fight many chronic diseases, all while helping your business stay efficient by decreasing the amount of absenteeism and increasing every employee’s focus.
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