Championing wellbeing in the workplace  - by Stride & Glory 🏆 

How to take care of yourself, lead by example, and champion wellbeing in the workplace.

Carl Wakeford - Nov 2022

how to champion wellbeing in the workplace

This article is for leaders. It's for people who want to make a difference and champion wellbeing in the workplace.

To do that, you need to be self-aware enough to take a good hard look at yourself after reading the points made below.

If you want to help and support others with their wellbeing, you need to keep yours in check. Workplace culture doesn't always lend itself to superior physical and mental health and fitness, but by reading this article, you have the power to change that.

Here are some simple ways you can champion fitness, health, and wellbeing in your workplace.

Making small changes to your everyday routine can have a big impact on your health

To quote the famous Michael Jackson, 'if you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make the change.'

Powerful stuff, but it couldn't be more true. If you want to be a champion for positive mental and physical wellbeing, you have to lead by example. Here's how:

● Prioritise your own health and fitness, and safeguard your mental state. Getting a coach is an excellent way to keep yourself accountable, and ride through the motivation lows.

● Take the stairs instead of taking the elevator.

● Take your lunch break outside, even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

● Stand up and walk around when you need a break from sitting at your desk all day long (or you can even use a stand up desk).

● Set aside 30-60 minutes during your day when it's less busy to go for a run, or take a walking virtual meeting.

● Eat mindfully; don’t eat in front of the computer or TV, because chances are you won’t have any awareness about how much food you’re actually consuming until later on down the line when it begins to show up on the scale or on your waistline!

Regular exercise can help you manage stress and increase energy levels.

● Exercise releases endorphins, which can help you feel happier and less stressed. A happier and less stressed version of you is going to be a better manager, a superb role model, and a reliable leader.

● Exercise helps the body to produce more energy, so you'll have more pep in your step.

● Exercise helps you sleep better at night, which means that during the day you will be able to focus on your work without feeling tired or sleepy all the time.

You may also notice that as you get older, it is harder to lose weight and easier to gain it back. If this sounds like a problem for you personally or if many of your coworkers struggle with their weight too (and let's face it—the odds are high), then exercise could be just what everyone needs!

It's simple: increased activity will increase calorie burn over time (which means fewer calories consumed). This makes it much easier for anyone who wants to not only lose weight but keep it off permanently—thereby reducing risk factors associated with diseases related directly or indirectly (like diabetes) with obesity such as heart disease or cancer, among others.

You don't need to spend hours at the gym every day to see results.

Look, we get it. You're a busy person, with a hectic work life. Luckily, you don’t need to spend hours at the gym to see results.

If you have a coach, then providing they are any good, they'll be able to help you with killer workouts that you can dominate in a short space of time. Based on the awesome results we help our senior professional clients to achieve, fantastic results can happen with as little as three training sessions a week.

Here are some of our tips:

● At home – Do push-ups and sit ups in the morning or before you go to bed. Our preferred time is just before you get in the shower when you wake up. You feel sexy AF coming out of the steamy shower with a good pump on and your partner will probably attack you, even more cardio.

● Circuit style training - one of the fastest ways to workout your entire body. 5 exercises x 1 min each x 3 rounds. Literally 15 minutes of high intensity, and you've smashed it.

● In the office – Take a walk instead of using elevators or escalators whenever possible. Park farther away from entrances so that you have to walk more often. Or better yet, take the train and get off a few stops early and run to the office, this is legendary stuff.

● On-the-go – Pack healthy snacks full of carbs and proteins like meat sandwiches or protein yoghurts (try Arla, they're great). It's easy to buy crap when you're in the office, but you can pre-empt these habits.

Mental health is an important part of overall health.

Mental health is often overlooked, massively. It's a huge issue, especially in the workplace when everyone is trying to act like they know what they're doing all the time.

When was the last time you asked someone how they were doing? Not once, but twice? It's the second time of asking with genuine sincerity that colleagues begin to open up.

To help others with their mental health, you need to keep yours in check. To do that, you have to do the hard work which requires a lot of self-discipline. This is why we advocate so strongly for choosing Stride & Glory to help you. Even Stride & Glory coaches have coaches.

Remember, the test of mental health is not when times are good... It's when shit hits the fan and all of a sudden you're better able to cope because of the structures you put in place when times were good.

Helping others with their struggles can help you with yours.

Helping others with their struggles can help you with yours.

In my own experience, having been a full time Chartered Accountant and now being a full time run coach, there are times when I am struggling and feel like I’m all alone in my struggle.

When that happens, I often find that by helping others with their struggles, they help me deal with my own. It's a humbling experience to be able to offer support and advice to someone who is going through something similar—and it makes you realise that things could always be worse!

You can help others by sharing your health journey: sharing your experiences will encourage them not just because it might inspire them to try something new but also because it shows them that there’s hope for improvement. And if nothing else, it will show them that they're not alone in this fight against the daily battles of maintaining a healthy lifestyle!

You can also help out by being an active listener; sometimes people just need someone who will listen without judgment or criticism so they know they're not crazy for wanting better for themselves (and maybe even inspire some changes).

You can make positive changes in your life and the lives of your colleagues.

When you're ready to help others, remember that you have your own journey of health and wellbeing to navigate. You can't help others until you've helped yourself. Your personal goals are at the core of your wellness journey and they should be treated as such.

If others ask for advice or support, be open and honest with them about what's worked for you in the past. If someone asks how they can improve their fitness or nutrition habits, share some tips that worked well for you personally (and maybe even some that didn't).

Showing your colleagues that you're willing to talk about these things can make it easier for them to approach their own journeys with confidence and empowerment—and who knows? Maybe they'll inspire each other!

IN CONCLUSION

We hope that you’re inspired to make some positive changes in your life, and the lives of your colleagues. We know how hard it can be to make a change, but remember that everyone has their own journey.

If you feel like it’s too much work or too hard to get started, start small! Start with one thing at a time, and don’t expect perfection from yourself or others (especially when they are trying). Remember: fitness is not about being perfect—it’s about doing your best everyday!