Welcome to the second part of 2022! It feels surreal that the first half of this year has passed at high speed. Especially with everything that went on at home and work. Phew! Thank goodness for Corporate Wellness Week (or Employee Wellness Week) from 2 to 6 July 2022.

We encourage you to participate in wellness within your workplace by sharing our tips to keep your body active during the workdays, especially for those who sit long hours. But first, let us express how crucial wellness is at work.

• An estimated 56% of women and 29% of men are overweight and obese in South Africa.
• 1 in 3 men and 1 in 4 women will develop a heart condition before age 60, and heart diseases and strokes are our country’s biggest non-infectious
• 80% of these are primarily due to lifestyle and behaviour.

Premature deaths can be prevented through minor changes. So, let’s learn to follow a healthy lifestyle, even at work, as it reduces absenteeism, improves productivity and lower medical bills.

Move, move, move

Relax, we’re not throwing heavy exercises your way, but merely walking more because it’s easy for many hours to fly by without any sign of movement. A few simple steps can restore vascular health, especially after a lengthy period of sitting. Here are a few tips to try:

• Instead of sending an email, walk to your colleagues for a quick chat.
• Lose the lazy elevator habits and take the stairs.
• Aim to park a couple of blocks from your work entrance.
• Reorganise your desk so that the things you use regularly are only available within walking distance.

Reorganise your work environment

Talk to your boss to change up the working environment to provide more options for movement – include all the benefits such as boosted cognitive abilities, mood, and obviously, productivity. These changes could include standing meetings, adding desks with movement interventions such as treadmills, adding standing desks, or sitting on a Trojan Anti-burst Body Ball.

Take an active lunch break

There’s a world out there! Avoid eating lunch at your desk while checking your smartphone and answering emails in between. Take a brisk walk to one of the restaurants surrounding your work building and order something you have never had before.

You will return feeling refreshed, revived and more able to concentrate for the rest of the day. Even the slightest physical activity will decrease depression and burnout. Any movement, if only for 10 minutes, is better than no movement at all.

Burst out in song

Choose a specific time during the day to play a fun-themed song. Choose songs of encouragement to help everyone get through the week successfully and encourage them to sing along and loudly with no lip-syncing allowed.

This activity will relieve stress, boost mood, and guarantee laughter. Here are great songs to add to the playlist:

• Monday: Manic Monday – The Bangles
• Tuesday: 9-5 – Dolly Parton
• Wednesday: I Feel Good – James Brown
• Thursday: Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
• Friday: Friday I’m in Love – The Cure

Here’s to staying active (and warm) at work! Take care, Trojan fans.