The balancing act
‘Balance’ is a word that gets thrown around often. We hear people talk about finding the right work-life balance, the balance between drinking or non-drinking, balancing what they eat, or finding the right balance in how much time they commit to exercise each week.
There is no doubt in my mind, and certainly backed up by plenty of research over the years that supports the view, that regular exercise relieves stress, improves memory and helps you sleep better.
As an averred long distance runner all my life, I know, firsthand, that when I take a week off from my normal training schedule to recover after a big run or injury, my energy levels drop significantly and I need more sleep to maintain the same pace at work.
The Global Corporate Challenge
Over the last three months, our team of 60 staff has embarked on a companywide exercise plan as part of the Global Corporate Challenge. The idea is that everyone is divided into teams to make things a bit more interesting and the challenge is to attempt at least 10,000 steps a day (walking or running).
For those that are not used to regular exercise, this can be a bit of a shock to the system, however, the overwhelming feedback from team members was extremely positive! Overall, people confirmed that they felt better, slept better and achieved higher levels of energy throughout the day.
I would therefore suggest that when it comes to exercise there is little risk of overdoing things and getting the balance wrong. Whether you run, walk, cycle or swim, the advantages far outweigh the negatives.
Our new running club
Although we have finished our corporate challenge, we have now started a company running club for those that wish to keep the steps going. I believe the overall health benefits to both individual as well as company are certainly worth any business taking time and maybe a small investment in the wellbeing of your most important asset (your staff).
