Page 7 - PA_Enterprise_May-2022

PAE
2. Walk and talk
Aristotle asked his students to roam the
streets, Charles Darwin famously had a
specific walk reserved for thinking, and Silicon
Valley’s brightest minds swear by walking
meetings.
They’re a fantastic way to catch up with
colleagues – especially for more informal
chats. It’s a far more dynamic experience,
too; it gives your eyes a screen break, and
helps you enjoy the benefits of both fresh air
and exercise. If your employees are working
remotely, a walk and talk phone call will do the
trick, too.
3. Set up a running club
Whether you opt for a virtual run club where
everyone runs at the same time in their own
local area or (Covid restrictions permitting)
an in-person one, the act of exercising as a
group can be a great motivator to get up and
moving.
Unfortunately, presenteeism sometimes leads
employees to feel nervous about momentarily
walking away from a busy day (despite breaks
being essential to productivity), but if others
are joining them, they’re likely to feel more
comfortable.
4. Make a habit of desk-based stretches
Don’t underestimate the power of a few
quick stretches to reset your posture and get
your blood flowing properly. Back and neck
rotations, shoulder shrugs, leg stretches and
shoulder blade stretches are all easy desk-
based exercises to alleviate muscle tension
and stiffness.
Aristotle asked his students to roam the
streets, Charles Darwin famously had a
May 2022
specific walk reserved for thinking, and Silicon
Valley’s brightest minds swear by walking
meetings.
5. Get a headset
A headset or a pair of wireless headphones
can free you from being tied to your desk. If
you’re on calls, you can pace around your
office or home, benefiting from the stimulus
of new surroundings, a screen break, and of
course, physical movement.
6. Set up a team step count
The general consensus is that everyone
should do around 10,000 steps a day, which
equates to about five miles. While some
of us are perfectly motivated by the goals
we set ourselves, others rely on external
expectations; they’ll struggle to form new
habits unless people are counting on them
to do so. A team step count is a great way to
get everyone moving and geared towards the
same achievement.
7. Get an office that helps
Though we briefly mentioned there are offices
that have sit-stand desks, flexible offices, as
a whole, place a huge emphasis on health
and wellbeing. Though this varies on a case
by case basis, they tend to include fitness
classes, yoga sessions and sometimes even
gym memberships as part of your monthly
rent.
Alternatively, offices that embrace agile
working environments are a fantastic way
to get employees moving around. And even
better – offices that accommodate cycling to
work with bike racks, showers and lockers.
knightfrank.co.uk
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