We all know how hard it is to fit exercise into a busy schedule, but why not try and squeeze more walking into your working day?
According to the NHS, regular walking has been shown to reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, asthma, strokes and some cancers. And so as part of Living Streets’ National Walking Month this May, we are launching the Walking Lunch campaign, encouraging workers to reclaim their lunch break, to get active and try to walk for twenty minutes in their working day.
But how else can you add extra walking into the rest of your working day? We’ve got some top tips to help you fit in those extra steps that make all the difference:
1. Take the stairs
One of the easiest ways to add walking into your day is to avoid the lift and take the stairs. Did you know that you burn 3.5 calories per floor? Just another little reason to climb the stairs.
2. Send fewer emails
It’s easy to fire off emails when you’re in a rush, but why not try walking over to your colleagues’ desk instead? Take the time to ask them a question face to face and add in those precious few extra minutes walking as well. Bonus points if they work on another floor and you have to take the stairs to get there.
3. Take a phone call on foot
Next time you answer the phone, why not try making it a walk and talk?! Walking has even been proved to help creative thinking – researchers at Standford University have found that our creative output increases by an average of 60% when walking. So you can come up with some creative suggestions for those tricky questions.
4. Park further away
Add a short walk to your day by avoiding those front row spaces and parking towards the back of the car park. If you get public transport – try hopping of the bus one stop early.
5. Use the furthest away bathroom
For some of us a toilet break is the only chance we get to move away from our desk. But this toilet break provides an opportunity to get some more steps in; make the most of it by trying to use the bathroom furthest away from your desk – or even on another floor.
Have you got any ideas for some more great walking hints? Tell us your tips to @WestfieldHealth and use #WHWalkingLunch, and why not get your company involved by signing up.
By signing up to Walking Lunch you can also get the chance to win some great prizes. The person who walks the farthest will win a FitBit watch, and the team will win £1000 to buy something which will improve the health and wellbeing of their workplace!
Westfield Health are supporting charity Living Streets for this year’s National Walking Month – www.livingstreets.org.uk
Comments
Also, choose a meeting room further away from your team desks!