National Public Health Week is coming up April 3-9, so it’s inspiring us at Merchology to refresh our wellness habits in time for the warmer spring weather. Here are a few “healthy hacks” that you can start implementing with your work team to get active, eat healthier, and improve your team’s overall health and wellbeing!
- Institute walking meetings. Let’s face it – we all spend a LOT of time in conference rooms. And just sitting in chairs in general. Studies have shown that the average office worker sits for about 10 hours a day… yikes! Prolonged sitting can lead to higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and even cancer. If it’s a small group meeting (2-3 people), why not take a lap around the parking lot or head to a nearby trail while brainstorming or catching up? You’ll return to your desk rejuvenated, without losing any productive working time.
- Invest in a standing desk or a desk treadmill. If you don’t have a meeting and you just need to crank on your To Do list, you should consider trying out a standing desk or desk treadmill. Check out our VP of Business Development Grant on Merchology’s Walkway Workstation! The afternoon is the perfect time to get up and moving, and with a desk treadmill, there’s no reason you can’t do it while you’re answering emails or knocking out a proposal. Only 20 minutes later, you’ve logged a mile!
- Put “healthy snacks” in the office candy dish. It’s all too tempting to share cookies, birthday cakes, donuts, and candy at the office, particularly when there’s a lot of great things to celebrate! However, you can’t eat what’s not there. Encourage your office manager (and each other!) to stock up on healthy treats like almonds, granola bars, and fresh fruits and veggies in your office kitchen.
- Start a weekly exercise group. Here at Merchology, there is a crew that attends weekly kickboxing classes at 9Round right near our office. When your accountability buddy sits right near you at work, it’s harder to blow off that workout. Make sure to create a consistent schedule and block it out on your calendars. And make it close and easy on yourself - the more convenient the gym, the more likely you are to go.
- Take breaks! Mental health is health too! We encourage everyone on the Merch team to leave the office at least once during the day to get some fresh air (even if it’s below zero, like Minnesota can be!). Experts recommend taking a short break once an hour, and studies have shown that those hourly breaks actually INCREASE productivity. Win-win!
- Don’t forget basic preventative care. Even though it’s almost spring, we’re not out of the seasonal sickness cycle quite yet! Be sure to get your flu shot every season, take Emergen-C or Airborne when viruses start circulating, use hand sanitizer, and for goodness sake… STAY HOME if you’re sick! One sick person can infect a whole office, so spare your coworkers and get well as best you can before coming back into the office.
Even if you can institute a couple of these new habits in time for National Public Health Week, you and your team are kicking butt! Don’t be afraid to encourage a little friendly competition… all trackable via Fitbit, UA Band, and/or free fitness apps like MyFitnessPal. Let us know if you adopt any of these ideas, or if you have additional suggestions of your own – we’d love to hear from you!