We don’t always need to work harder to create more energy and capacity in our everyday lives. Perhaps instead, we need to find more opportunities to incorporate movement into the working day we already have.
A new study from the National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA) shows a clear link between physical activity and the risk of severe stress. The study, which followed nearly 75,000 people, found that around 30 minutes of daily physical activity was associated with a 26% lower risk of developing severe stress later in life. Even a few minutes of daily activity were associated with a lower risk.
What’s interesting is that movement doesn’t necessarily require an hour at the gym or a lot of extra time in the calendar. It can be a walking meeting, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, cycling to work or a few active minutes together with colleagues. NFA specifically points to these small changes as opportunities to bring more movement into the working day.
Movement should be for everyone
That is also the idea behind Tæl Hjerter.
We use heart rate to make physical activity concrete and visible. When your heart rate goes up, you collect Hearts, allowing employees to see whether they are reaching the WHO recommendations for physical activity, which equals 150 Hearts.
For us, it’s not about getting those who already exercise to exercise even more. It’s about getting more people involved and making it easier to move together.
Too little movement can be a challenge. But getting more movement into your day doesn’t have to be complicated. It can start with a walking meeting, an active break or simply a few extra minutes of movement throughout the day.
Read the full article from the National Research Centre for the Working Environment (NFA)
