Think HBR

Sneaky movement tactics to boost your energy and performance at work

Lisa Mills
 
Did you know that you can do more for your energy levels, performance and overall wellness if you incorporate a few sneaky movement tactics into your day on a consistent basis, as opposed to heading to the gym or for a run a couple of times a week? Not to say you need to ditch the exercise all together, however regular movement during the day does more to impact your blood sugar levels, mood and mental alertness...which is a good thing considering most of us find it hard to fit exercise in amongst everything else happening in our week.
So here are a few sneaky movement tactics that can help you and your staff get moving more...with the bonus that some of them can be fun and even a little competitive!
•Wear a pedometer and have a competition in the office to see who can clock up the most steps in the day or the week - a prize for the most (and push ups for the least!)
•Program into your outlook calendar a pop up reminder that appears every hour remind you to stand up and walk around the office for 1 minute
•Dedicate 10 minutes of your lunch break to walking outside - fresh air, vitamin D and blood sugar control done!
•Stand whenever you take a phone call
•Move the printer further away and print single jobs at a time so you have to move more
•Take a walking meeting outside
•If you have stairs in the office, log at least 3 trips up and down a day or make it a competition between staff to see who can get the record for the most trips per day
•Swap to a stand up desk (for ideas see www.lifehacker.com.au and search for standing desks)
•Drink more water...more trips to the toilet mean more movement!
•When you are feeling stressed or have mental fatigue, do a couple of minutes of stretching and deep breathing
•Get social and make the most of the awesome range of get active apps on the market. A great one is called ‘HOTSEAT’ and uses nudges, social accountability and game play to create easy and fun two minute office activity breaks.
 
Of course eating food that boosts your energy is just as important. But it does not have to be boring, complex or expensive. If you want to find out more about how to eat for energy, performance and enjoyment, book a ‘Lunch and Learn Workshop’ for your business...plenty of delicious food tasting, demos, recipes and simple ideas to keep your office productive, happy and healthy.
Lisa fruit small shot Lisa Mills

Lisa is a holistic wellness and lifestyle coach, fitness trainer, presenter...and chocolate lover. She believes that simple, everyday routines and rituals are the pathway to gaining more energy,motivation and to revitalising your entire life. For more information visit www.lisamillsinc.com.au and www.lisainmypocket.com.au

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