As National Walking Month steps into our calendars, it’s a good time to reevaluate our activity levels, even more so within remote and hybrid work settings now becoming ever more popular. Whilst some studies suggest that the shift toward hybrid working and working from the comfort of our homes is resulting in a healthier workforce; this is not the case for all.
For some, physical activity, particularly walking, falls by the wayside due to decreased need to get out of the house and walk to the station, office, or place of work on a regular basis. This reduced walking can also be attributed to fewer opportunities for incidental walking that typically comes from commuting, moving between different parts of a workplace, going out for lunch, or simply the act of walking to and from the car park or train station. The convenience of home amenities often leads to shorter or fewer breaks that might otherwise involve a brief walk, and the blurred lines between work and home life can result in longer sitting periods without scheduled times to get up and move.
This month serves as a perfect time to reintegrate walking into our daily routines, shining a light on the critical role it plays in enhancing our physical health, mental well-being, and overall productivity.
The Benefits of Walking for Remote and Hybrid Workers
In today’s digital era, where screen time often dominates our daily routines and significantly outweighs our time spent outdoors, incorporating walking into our workday is more crucial than ever. For remote and hybrid workers, the lines between work and personal life can easily blur, making it essential to establish a structured routine that promotes physical activity. Walking, a simple and accessible form of exercise, offers a wide range of benefits that extend far beyond physical health:
- Enhanced Mental Health: Regular walks help break the monotony of the home office environment, alleviating feelings of isolation and anxiety. This can lead to significant improvements in overall mental well-being.
- Improved Physical Health: Walking contributes positively to cardiovascular health, aids in weight management, enhances sleep quality, and boosts energy levels, making it an excellent choice for maintaining physical health.
- Boosted Productivity: There is a well-documented link between physical activity and productivity. Walking improves focus, memory retention, and cognitive agility, which can enhance work output and creativity.
By integrating walking into their daily routines, remote and hybrid workers can enjoy these benefits, fostering a healthier work-life balance and increasing both their personal well-being and professional productivity.
How to Incorporate Walking into Your Workday
Many people start with good intentions of adding a walk to their day and may do it for a few days, but with the pressures of life and work, the routine can easily fall by the wayside. Embedding walking into a workday dominated by virtual meetings and sedentary tasks requires intentional planning and creative thinking. Here are some ways to seamlessly integrate walking into your remote or hybrid work lifestyle:
1. Schedule Walking Meetings: Leverage the flexibility of phone calls and virtual catch-ups by converting them into walking meetings. This approach not only fosters physical activity but also infuses a new dynamism into routine discussions, potentially unlocking new innovative ideas and solutions.
2. Set Regular Walking Alarms: In the continuous flow of work tasks, taking breaks for walking can easily be overlooked. Setting alarms or calendar appointments and reminders at strategic intervals can serve as a nudge to take those vital walking breaks, which can reinvigorate your mind and body, aiding in sustained productivity throughout the day.
3. Create a Lunchtime Walking Habit: Allocating a segment of your lunch break to walking can drastically improve your afternoon productivity. It aids in digesting both your lunchtime meal and the morning's workload, offering a refreshed mindset for the remainder of the day.
4. Establish a Pre- or Post-Work Walking Routine: Mimic the commute to and from work with a walk. Initiating your day with a brisk walk can mentally prepare you for the day ahead, while an evening walk can serve as a decompression ritual, marking a clear end to the workday.
5. Participate in Walking Challenges: Engaging in walking challenges, often promoted during National Walking Month, introduces a communal and competitive element to walking. Through tracking your steps and competing with colleagues or friends, these challenges can significantly amplify your motivation to stay active.
National Walking Month stands as a testament to the transformative power of walking, especially within the context of our current work environments. For remote and hybrid workers, integrating walking into the daily work routine is pivotal for breaking the monotony of prolonged sitting and for cultivating a healthier, more vibrant lifestyle.
As we embrace this month, let it serve as a catalyst for change, inspiring us to embed movement into our daily routines and reap the myriad benefits it brings to our professional and personal lives.
How do you plan to incorporate walking into your remote or hybrid work routine? Why not share your tips, techniques and experiences and ideas for staying active with us on our social media pages? After all, our Dakota Blue HR Consultants could also do with a little nudge and inspiration from time to time to remind us the importance of getting up and walking in our daily lives.