Part two of two about work related stress
Last week I talked about why you need to be fit for business and gave you some scary facts from the Stroke Association.
I’ve just found another snippet that says that people who sit down for long periods of time have larger waists and poorer heart condition even if they spend some time exercising. Not good news if you work in an office – like me and possibly you.
Stand Up, Move More, Move Often
There is hope though. According to a study of 4,700 workers in the US the more breaks you take, even if it’s just for one minute, the smaller your waist and the better your heart condition. Dr Healy, of the University of Queensland, Australia who led the study recommends standing up to take calls, walking to see a colleague rather than telephoning or emailing and having standing meetings.
Standing can also help make meetings or calls quicker. And going to talk to your colleagues helps with team bonding and is generally more pleasant. So, not only are you giving yourself better health, you’re being more efficient and building better relationships with your colleagues. Or that’s how you can explain wandering round the office to your boss!
Think About Exercise Creatively
If you’re like me, and you’re not keen on exercising – especially in a gym (yawn) – then some creative thinking may need to come into play.
When I did go to a gym I used the treadmill quite a lot. I noticed that my heart rate was higher when walking quickly uphill than when I was running on the flat. So, as exercising the heart is a good thing and I live at the top of a hill (a healthy 40 minutes walk) I decided to save myself the gym fee and regularly walk home from the station.
But as with most exercise regimes I tend to lapse if I’m not careful. I do it for a few weeks but then I have to change my routine, for one reason or another, and I return to using the car. But at least when I’m not doing it, I’m not paying not to do it!
Enjoy Your Exercise
If you enjoy your exercise you’re more likely to keep it up. So, do I enjoy walking up the hill? Yes, I do. Working in an office all day separates me from the natural world. So unless it’s raining hard or blowing a gale I enjoy the walk up. I hear owls hooting and birds singing. In winter I see the stars and planets and in the summer enjoy the sunshine and warm breeze. Plus, when I walk through the door at home I’m a much nicer person – or so my husband and children tell me.
Let me know what your favourite ways to exercise are.
Here are some other ways I de-stress after a busy day other than walking up the hill!
Linked In Workshop
Last week I went to a workshop to learn how to use LinkedIn to boost business. It was very interesting and I’ll give you a brief summary of what I learnt next week – once I’ve got my profile up to scratch!
