If you have an office job, you're bound to be familiar with all this: having a sore back or neck from staring at your computer, feeling sleepy during meetings lasting more than 30 minutes without moving, realizing at the end of the day that you haven't even taken 1,000 steps since waking up... That's what today's topic is all about: active breaks at work!
Remaining immobile at your desk all day long can have an impact not only on your own health, but also on that of your company. Consequences we'd all prefer to avoid.
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We often spend nearly 8 hours a day sitting at our desks at work. Not to mention the time we spend sitting on the couch when we're tired from our day. Sitting still for such a long time isn't the best thing we can offer our bodies, and this sedentary lifestyle at work can cause pain and even turn into illness. We're talking about TMS(troubles musculo-squelettiques), and if the name doesn't sound appealing, neither do the consequences.
Remaining too sedentary at work can therefore cause RSI in the joints of the upper limbs (your shoulders, elbows, wrists...) and in the lower back.
And if you're wondering whether work really has anything to do with it, you should know that working conditions are the leading cause of MSDs, according to the French health insurance system. Unfortunately, these illnesses can go further than aches and pains: 45% of MSDs result in serious after-effects, such as permanent disability, according to the same source.
As a company, you are not only at the forefront of this risk, but also the first potential actors of change, with active breaks!
But first, let's take a look at the impact of a sedentary workplace on your business. Firstly, sitting for too long in front of a computer without moving has a major impact on concentration levels. And when these MSDs become too much a part of employees' lives, they can also have a wider impact on your company. According to Assurance Maladie, 30% of work stoppages are caused by an MSD, and the related loss is estimated at 2 billion euros (half of which relates to back pain).
To avoid these risks, active breaks are a good habit to integrate into your teams' daily routine!
When you work at a desk, it's hard to stop being sedentary altogether. Typing at your keyboard while you're out for a run can get pretty complicated... But there are plenty of simple things you can do to minimize your sedentary lifestyle!
To combat back pain, you don't have to stand straight as a post all day long. After an hour or so, you could find yourself slumping. But that's normal: the body simply needs to be in motion.
So, as Philippe Auer, partner expert at Moha, advises, put an end to the myth of good posture! At work, as in your personal life, there's no such thing as good or bad posture, as long as you don't stay in it for long minutes.
So don't impose an unbearable posture on yourself, but try to change position as soon as you think of it!
Combating sedentary lifestyles at work is therefore essential for both employees and the company. Active breaks are an excellent solution! And as well as keeping risks at bay, they're also full of good things.
As we said, staying in front of your screen for long periods of time is tiring. The best way to avoid losing concentration is to get some fresh air and get moving. Active breaks can helpboost productivity during a slump.
Active breaks at work are often taken with colleagues! And that's a great thing for team cohesion. Exchanging more informal moments and moving around together strengthens bonds.
And if the hierarchy participates? That's even better! Studies show that taking part in an active break with your boss reduces the stress associated with hierarchy, and gives employers a better image.
At Moha, active breaks have been part of our daily routine for a long time now, and it's all good! Some of our customers have also adopted this good habit.
How does it work? Every week, one of our employees takes on the role ofactivator, and becomes responsible for active breaks! He or she can then motivate colleagues throughout the day to get moving in any way they can. We schedule a fifteen-minute point in the diary, and everyone who wants to take part joins in.
Of course, the active breaks on offer are never the same: stretching, dance, yoga, a walk around the office... You can be creative!
It's also a practice we've put in place during long meetings: when we feel we're losing our attention a little, we stand up, and continue the meeting standing up!
If you don't think about moving enough throughout the day, Quentin has a very simple tip to share with you!
At the start of the day, take 5 pens and place them next to you. As soon as you get up to move, remove one of the pens. The aim, as you'll have guessed, is not to have a single one next to you at the end of the day. That way, you'll have moved enough times.
Interested in QVCT? We're here to help you achieve well-being at work, with a platform to centralize your approach, and personalized assistance throughout the process. Find out more about our support services, or contact us directly to discuss your needs!
