If you lack physical fitness, you are more likely to be costing your company money.
It is estimated that unhealthy employees are costing Australian businesses billions of dollars every year with inactive employees impact the business they work for in a cost negative way in terms of productivity, lost time at work and increased claims for sick days.
With scores of unhealthy, overweight or obese employees, many businesses are initiating workplace wellness programs to decrease the immense costs to their bottom line.
Employers have long recognized that a healthy employee cost less. With fewer sick days, increase in productivity, improved employee morale, a decrease in accidents, or just to be a healthier place to work in; the payback for the company comes in the form of dollar savings.
The Australian Governments Institute of Health and Welfare indicates that it has 8 priority health areas. They are Arthritis and Muscular skeletal conditions, Asthma, cancer control, Mental Health, Diabetes, Obesity, Injury prevention and control and Cardiovascular health. These 8 priority areas are in response to the World Health Organizations findings on Global health. It is interesting to note that many of these priority areas can be prevented with an increase in activity and improved nutrition and lifestyle.
Here are some sobering statistics on the cost of an unhealthy employee:
The cost of smoking to Australian Business each year is the negative impact on workforce labour. At $4517.4 million per year. This loss is due to the reduction in the workforce and the increased absenteeism. (Tobacco in Australia, an online resource. The cost of tobacco to Australian society)
At least 70% of all illnesses are due to lifestyle related causes and are attributed to medical costs that could be prevented. (The economic benefits of regular exercise IHRSA)
A fit employee has fewer sick days, has fewer accidents, is less prone to harmful effects of stress and has higher job satisfaction than unfit ones. (Neil Gallaiford. Another reason to go to work-Keeping fit and healthy in the workplace-Human Resource management)
More Australian adults were overweight or obese and more drank alcohol at risky or high risk levels in 2004-5 than in 2001, according to results from the 2004-05. (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
People who don’t exercise have shown to have 34% higher health care costs and 54% longer hospital stays. (Inside track, the executive Fitness)
The proportion of adults classified as overweight or obese increased over the last ten years: for men from 52% to 62% and for women from 37% to 45%. (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
High or very high levels of psychological distress were recorded for 13% of the adult population, similar to the levels recorded in 2001. Of all those who recorded high to very high levels of distress, 59% were female. (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
The two most frequently reported lifestyle risk factors among adults were inadequate fruit or vegetable intake (90%) and sedentary or low level exercise (70%), and the most common pattern was to report them both, without also reporting smoking or drinking at risky levels (44%). In comparison to those classified as normal or underweight, adults who were overweight or obese were slightly more likely to report in this way (43% and 44%).(Australian Bureau of Statistics)
A majority of adults (90%) did not consume the recommended amount of fruit (2 or more serves) or vegetables (5 or more serves). This proportion was similar regardless of body weight. (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
So, how do you and your workplace measure up?
1. What is the existing culture in your workplace in regards to initiating or supporting a healthier work environment?
2. Do you feel you are as productive as you could be at work?
3. What snack time or lunch time practices are encouraged in the workplace?
4. Are you and your fellow employees fitting in your daily required amount of physical activity?
5. What Health, fitness and well being goals do you have?
6. If you are a smoker, what access do you have to a smoking cessation program?
7. What one action can you take this week towards a healthier workplace?
Author: Chris Bakens of Healthy Executives.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
7 reasons to work out even when you don’t feel like it
At the start of each year most gyms are full of people with impressive ambitions to exercise regularly in order to look and feel healthier than they do now, only to find that life gets in the way come February - March and their ambitions fizzle away until next year.
Maintaining the momentum over the course of the year will have obstacles that get in the way. Obstacles such as bad habits, occupation, stress, and partners are barriers to use as an excuse not to stick to your program.
Wouldn’t it better to maintain the motivation of a daily routine that has you being happier, healthier and more productive on a daily basis, rather than going from one extreme to another?
Below are my top 7 secrets to maintaining and enjoying exercise all year round, even when it is cold and dark outside.
1. Measure results – Choose your benchmark to which you wish to measure your progress towards that goal. If it is fat loss, then measure your waistline rather than looking at the scales. If it is to look leaner, then buy some scales that measure fat-loss percentage to see change in body composition. If it is getting fitter, then measure what you are capable of doing now (distance, time, intensity level).
2. Boost your metabolism - Regular exercise will build your lean muscle mass and increase your metabolism. The higher your metabolism...the more body-fat you burn and the easier it is to keep the weight off. A routine that includes as little as 30 minutes of strength training will elevate the metabolism for up to 48 hours after your workout.
3. Schedule your workout – Arrange your work-outs like you do your occupation. At the start of every week schedule your exercise at a time that will work. If you can exercise at the same time every day you will build a familiar routine and increase your likelihood of sticking to it.
4. Your Daily detox – Detox (short for detoxification) is our body’s natural ongoing process for elimination and neutralizing toxins from the body that can be potentially harmful to us. Every day we are surrounded by substances that will make our bodies sluggish like pollution, pesticides and chemicals in our food and water, coffee, cigarette smoke, alcohol, household cleaners, medications, and heavy metals like lead (which can enter our body when we ingest or inhale them). Exercise assists you to sweat them out to keep your body working efficiently so you feel healthier and energetic.
5. Increase your self esteem – Low self esteem stems from a poor self image. Regular work-outs will make you feel good about yourself and feel important to the community and other people. Everyone can benefit from a higher self esteem. Self esteem is crucial for a positive attitude towards living. If you have a higher self esteem you will be confident, happy and highly motivated to succeed.
6. Perk up your thinking power – There is an abundance of research that shows that exercise unlocks different areas of the brain to help you come up with fresh ideas to be more creative and problem solve as well as being more productive.
7. Just start - Difficult days are part of your program. Some days are going to be harder than others to get going. It is all too easy to stay in bed when it is cold and dark outside, so just put on an extra jumper and get out there and embrace your critics, do your best and don’t think.
Author Chris Bakens is head Performance Coach with Healthy Executives, a leading Brisbane corporate health company. They work with senior executives to implement healthy initiatives in the workplace. Her experience spans more than 2 decades in the fitness industry, working as a Personal Trainer, PT manager, Group exercise instructor and co-ordinator in some of Australia’s large gym chains. She also established a highly successful Personal Training studio in Brisbane and personally coaches Personal Training studios with strategies and tips to dramatically transform and master their trainers.
Maintaining the momentum over the course of the year will have obstacles that get in the way. Obstacles such as bad habits, occupation, stress, and partners are barriers to use as an excuse not to stick to your program.
Wouldn’t it better to maintain the motivation of a daily routine that has you being happier, healthier and more productive on a daily basis, rather than going from one extreme to another?
Below are my top 7 secrets to maintaining and enjoying exercise all year round, even when it is cold and dark outside.
1. Measure results – Choose your benchmark to which you wish to measure your progress towards that goal. If it is fat loss, then measure your waistline rather than looking at the scales. If it is to look leaner, then buy some scales that measure fat-loss percentage to see change in body composition. If it is getting fitter, then measure what you are capable of doing now (distance, time, intensity level).
2. Boost your metabolism - Regular exercise will build your lean muscle mass and increase your metabolism. The higher your metabolism...the more body-fat you burn and the easier it is to keep the weight off. A routine that includes as little as 30 minutes of strength training will elevate the metabolism for up to 48 hours after your workout.
3. Schedule your workout – Arrange your work-outs like you do your occupation. At the start of every week schedule your exercise at a time that will work. If you can exercise at the same time every day you will build a familiar routine and increase your likelihood of sticking to it.
4. Your Daily detox – Detox (short for detoxification) is our body’s natural ongoing process for elimination and neutralizing toxins from the body that can be potentially harmful to us. Every day we are surrounded by substances that will make our bodies sluggish like pollution, pesticides and chemicals in our food and water, coffee, cigarette smoke, alcohol, household cleaners, medications, and heavy metals like lead (which can enter our body when we ingest or inhale them). Exercise assists you to sweat them out to keep your body working efficiently so you feel healthier and energetic.
5. Increase your self esteem – Low self esteem stems from a poor self image. Regular work-outs will make you feel good about yourself and feel important to the community and other people. Everyone can benefit from a higher self esteem. Self esteem is crucial for a positive attitude towards living. If you have a higher self esteem you will be confident, happy and highly motivated to succeed.
6. Perk up your thinking power – There is an abundance of research that shows that exercise unlocks different areas of the brain to help you come up with fresh ideas to be more creative and problem solve as well as being more productive.
7. Just start - Difficult days are part of your program. Some days are going to be harder than others to get going. It is all too easy to stay in bed when it is cold and dark outside, so just put on an extra jumper and get out there and embrace your critics, do your best and don’t think.
Author Chris Bakens is head Performance Coach with Healthy Executives, a leading Brisbane corporate health company. They work with senior executives to implement healthy initiatives in the workplace. Her experience spans more than 2 decades in the fitness industry, working as a Personal Trainer, PT manager, Group exercise instructor and co-ordinator in some of Australia’s large gym chains. She also established a highly successful Personal Training studio in Brisbane and personally coaches Personal Training studios with strategies and tips to dramatically transform and master their trainers.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Creating the Building blocks for a healthy workplace
It has been well documented that a healthy workplace contributes to a healthier bottom line. With less sick days, improved productivity, greater performance and increased morale, providing a healthy place to work can make a substantial difference.
Transforming to a healthy culture requires active support from management in making workplace health a priority. This article will examine the elements of the current workplace and give you some simple steps of no cost and low cost options to making a start right now to some tangible benefits.
A Case for Action
What is happening now in the workplace?
• Australia annually loses billions in revenue due to sick days.
• Employees with multiple or chronic health concerns drive the biggest loss in productivity. Those concerns may include smoking, overweight or obesity, poor nutrition, not enough exercise, substance abuse, poor sleeping patterns, existing medical conditions etc.
• Poor health is impacting all levels of business including executives and non-managerial positions. Executives, management and supervisory positions suffer more presentee-ism productivity which is related to a lack of productivity due to poor health.
• Employees experience too little or too much responsibility and have unclear expectations in their roles.
• Poor communication.
• Lack of rewards and acknowledgment.
• Stress and mental health issues.
• Management attitudes and awareness.
The way the future could be with a healthier workplace:
• The culture of the workplace looks like a healthy environment by the way the employees act and the work is handled.
• Employees can’t tell you what the culture looks like but they can tell you how it feels.
• Employers, all levels of management, and employees are all part of the solution.
• Employers act as role models.
• Employee health is now part of the agenda at meetings
• Employers regularly share their health vision with employees in multiple types of communication.
• Management and supervisors are regularly trained on giving recognition and rewards.
• Employees are engaged in their work with less down-time.
• Employees are rewarded for taking action with healthy initiatives.
• Employees are acknowledged for work that is complete and not on the amount of hours to complete it. (Being busy versus getting the job done)
• Employers spend less money on training and developing new employees due to employee retention.
No cost and low cost actions steps you can take right now:
• Conduct meetings outside or on a walk, or take a 10 – 15 minute walk before or after the meeting.
• Allocate an employee to head up a wellness team and have them report back to management. This role can take as little as 2 hours per week.
• Use peer pressure wisely to gain interest in your wellness message. The message has to be something that is universal to most people (fat loss, how to make nutritious snacks, simple steps to handle stress etc) Leave time at the end for interaction. Use this as an opportunity to let them know the importance of healthy employees and the value it is to the organization.
• Train managers and supervisors to give rewards and recognition.
• Gain the professional expertise of a Personal Trainer to assist with a user-pays regular group exercise activity. These sessions can take place during or outside of work hours in a large inside space or nearby park. An opportunity to hear about the activity can be gained at an information meeting at a time that is convenient at work.
• Reinforce the health vision of your workplace with a regular newsletter that can be sent out to your internal database, an agenda at meetings, posted on the bulletin boards or distributed in the lunch-room.
• Provide a quarterly healthy living expo in the workplace where employees can gain valuable information, attend workshops, participate in group activities, enjoy a 15 minute massage, have postural or ergonomic assessments, or get a health screening for blood pressure, blood sugar, flexibility, fitness levels etc.
• Start a virtual in-house fitness challenge.
A healthier workplace really is do-able and is essential to our communities. By taking responsibility in our workforce we are taking steps towards our countries rising health costs. This healthy workplace culture transformation while not easy to change is simple to put into action. This is not just a one-time thing but becomes part of how we can do business every day.
Author Chris Bakens is head Performance Coach with Healthy Executives, a leading Brisbane corporate health company. They work with senior executives to implement healthy initiatives in the workplace. Her experience spans more than 2 decades in the fitness industry, working as a Personal Trainer, PT manager, Group exercise instructor and co-ordinator in some of Australia’s large gym chains. She also established a highly successful Personal Training studio in Brisbane and personally coaches Personal Training studios with strategies and tips to dramatically transform and master their trainers.
Transforming to a healthy culture requires active support from management in making workplace health a priority. This article will examine the elements of the current workplace and give you some simple steps of no cost and low cost options to making a start right now to some tangible benefits.
A Case for Action
What is happening now in the workplace?
• Australia annually loses billions in revenue due to sick days.
• Employees with multiple or chronic health concerns drive the biggest loss in productivity. Those concerns may include smoking, overweight or obesity, poor nutrition, not enough exercise, substance abuse, poor sleeping patterns, existing medical conditions etc.
• Poor health is impacting all levels of business including executives and non-managerial positions. Executives, management and supervisory positions suffer more presentee-ism productivity which is related to a lack of productivity due to poor health.
• Employees experience too little or too much responsibility and have unclear expectations in their roles.
• Poor communication.
• Lack of rewards and acknowledgment.
• Stress and mental health issues.
• Management attitudes and awareness.
The way the future could be with a healthier workplace:
• The culture of the workplace looks like a healthy environment by the way the employees act and the work is handled.
• Employees can’t tell you what the culture looks like but they can tell you how it feels.
• Employers, all levels of management, and employees are all part of the solution.
• Employers act as role models.
• Employee health is now part of the agenda at meetings
• Employers regularly share their health vision with employees in multiple types of communication.
• Management and supervisors are regularly trained on giving recognition and rewards.
• Employees are engaged in their work with less down-time.
• Employees are rewarded for taking action with healthy initiatives.
• Employees are acknowledged for work that is complete and not on the amount of hours to complete it. (Being busy versus getting the job done)
• Employers spend less money on training and developing new employees due to employee retention.
No cost and low cost actions steps you can take right now:
• Conduct meetings outside or on a walk, or take a 10 – 15 minute walk before or after the meeting.
• Allocate an employee to head up a wellness team and have them report back to management. This role can take as little as 2 hours per week.
• Use peer pressure wisely to gain interest in your wellness message. The message has to be something that is universal to most people (fat loss, how to make nutritious snacks, simple steps to handle stress etc) Leave time at the end for interaction. Use this as an opportunity to let them know the importance of healthy employees and the value it is to the organization.
• Train managers and supervisors to give rewards and recognition.
• Gain the professional expertise of a Personal Trainer to assist with a user-pays regular group exercise activity. These sessions can take place during or outside of work hours in a large inside space or nearby park. An opportunity to hear about the activity can be gained at an information meeting at a time that is convenient at work.
• Reinforce the health vision of your workplace with a regular newsletter that can be sent out to your internal database, an agenda at meetings, posted on the bulletin boards or distributed in the lunch-room.
• Provide a quarterly healthy living expo in the workplace where employees can gain valuable information, attend workshops, participate in group activities, enjoy a 15 minute massage, have postural or ergonomic assessments, or get a health screening for blood pressure, blood sugar, flexibility, fitness levels etc.
• Start a virtual in-house fitness challenge.
A healthier workplace really is do-able and is essential to our communities. By taking responsibility in our workforce we are taking steps towards our countries rising health costs. This healthy workplace culture transformation while not easy to change is simple to put into action. This is not just a one-time thing but becomes part of how we can do business every day.
Author Chris Bakens is head Performance Coach with Healthy Executives, a leading Brisbane corporate health company. They work with senior executives to implement healthy initiatives in the workplace. Her experience spans more than 2 decades in the fitness industry, working as a Personal Trainer, PT manager, Group exercise instructor and co-ordinator in some of Australia’s large gym chains. She also established a highly successful Personal Training studio in Brisbane and personally coaches Personal Training studios with strategies and tips to dramatically transform and master their trainers.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
5 Simple Strategies to stick to your New Year’s Resolutions
1. Decide what your goal is and commit to success:
Working out what you really want when you are surrounded by other people’s ideas can be confusing. Do you really want what you have or are you conditioned to want it?
If you are unclear want you want, make a list of things that you don’t want and do the opposite. This will give you a starting point. What is it that you no longer want to tolerate? What is it that you will now stand for?
What have you given up that really matters to you? Have you compromised on things that are important to you like no time with family, no social or love life, where you are living, or how much you earn? Can you choose just one thing to focus on that is important and worth the effort?
2. Write down as many reasons as you can why you want to succeed:
To create how you want your life there has to be a deep reason for change. The first step to having any goal accomplishment is desire. It is only then that when the desire becomes so intense that you do something about it.
Write down as many compelling reasons why this goal is important to you and then ask the following questions. A. Is this an important goal? B. If I continue with my current lifestyle will I achieve my goal? C. How will I feel when I achieve this goal? Use your imagination to see yourself reaching your goal.
Make a stand for something or fall for anything.
3. Live your goal as if you've already achieved it; imagine yourself succeeding:
The journey is the reward. It is who you become by reaching your goals rather than actually reaching your destination. Only by feeling the benefits of doing what you say you will do, can transform you from being a couch potato who talks about taking action, into someone who prizes really living life by achieving what they set out to do.
If your resolution is to be happy...choose to be happy. Remember that the right time may never come along. Ask someone you trust when you are being too serious.
Life is a circus. You can be the ring master or you can be the beast. Which one are you? It is never too late to have all of the things you want in your life.
4. Make a daily plan:
Life is not a journey for nothing. You would never get on a plane if the pilot did not know where he was going – would you? You have probably heard the saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Basically if you do not plan your life then someone else will and you will live someone else’s dreams.
Even if you did no more than just write down the direction you would like your life to take, you would still benefit greatly from the enhanced mental focus. Your mind will be consistently pulling you in the direction of your written goals.
Every day take at least 10 minutes to sit down to organize and plan your life. Look at all the areas that are important to you like Family, health, professional, social, financial, mental, and spiritual development. Everyday write at least one thing down in each area. You will begin to see your own individual needs, your desires, your unique journey and what you really want your life to look like.
5. Devise coping strategies, and, most importantly never give up.
There are external and internal barriers which will prevent you from making the changes necessary. These are powerful forces which will either constrain you or stop you from achieving your goals.
External Barriers are things we may not be able to change, like the weather, kid’s school and sporting commitments, family obligations, the hours we work, bottleneck traffic at freeway construction, budget etc.
There are environmental factors also. If you want to stop smoking yet you are consistently around smokers.
If you want to take up a running program yet you work during daylight hours there is a safety aspect.
Internal Barriers are beliefs that drive our current behaviour. Emotional barriers can be “I will always be fat, I don’t deserve it, I am naturally a lazy person, I can’t get myself motivated,” or “I feel overwhelmed, I don’t have time, it is too difficult, I don’t have the right information, I always get interrupted “etc.
What about the times you wake up in the morning and think about going for a walk? Instead you lie in bed and toss and turn just ‘thinking about it’. Imagine how fit you would be if instead of just thinking about it, you actually got up and went for a walk?
The bottom line is that there is an 80/20 rule when it comes to getting what you want. If you do not have what you want in your life, it is because of either of these 2 barriers.
This may be hard to accept but what constrains or stops you are the 80 percent barriers within you. The other 20 percent is outside of you.
Expose the beliefs that do not empower you and replace them with the ones that do.
Working out what you really want when you are surrounded by other people’s ideas can be confusing. Do you really want what you have or are you conditioned to want it?
If you are unclear want you want, make a list of things that you don’t want and do the opposite. This will give you a starting point. What is it that you no longer want to tolerate? What is it that you will now stand for?
What have you given up that really matters to you? Have you compromised on things that are important to you like no time with family, no social or love life, where you are living, or how much you earn? Can you choose just one thing to focus on that is important and worth the effort?
2. Write down as many reasons as you can why you want to succeed:
To create how you want your life there has to be a deep reason for change. The first step to having any goal accomplishment is desire. It is only then that when the desire becomes so intense that you do something about it.
Write down as many compelling reasons why this goal is important to you and then ask the following questions. A. Is this an important goal? B. If I continue with my current lifestyle will I achieve my goal? C. How will I feel when I achieve this goal? Use your imagination to see yourself reaching your goal.
Make a stand for something or fall for anything.
3. Live your goal as if you've already achieved it; imagine yourself succeeding:
The journey is the reward. It is who you become by reaching your goals rather than actually reaching your destination. Only by feeling the benefits of doing what you say you will do, can transform you from being a couch potato who talks about taking action, into someone who prizes really living life by achieving what they set out to do.
If your resolution is to be happy...choose to be happy. Remember that the right time may never come along. Ask someone you trust when you are being too serious.
Life is a circus. You can be the ring master or you can be the beast. Which one are you? It is never too late to have all of the things you want in your life.
4. Make a daily plan:
Life is not a journey for nothing. You would never get on a plane if the pilot did not know where he was going – would you? You have probably heard the saying “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” Basically if you do not plan your life then someone else will and you will live someone else’s dreams.
Even if you did no more than just write down the direction you would like your life to take, you would still benefit greatly from the enhanced mental focus. Your mind will be consistently pulling you in the direction of your written goals.
Every day take at least 10 minutes to sit down to organize and plan your life. Look at all the areas that are important to you like Family, health, professional, social, financial, mental, and spiritual development. Everyday write at least one thing down in each area. You will begin to see your own individual needs, your desires, your unique journey and what you really want your life to look like.
5. Devise coping strategies, and, most importantly never give up.
There are external and internal barriers which will prevent you from making the changes necessary. These are powerful forces which will either constrain you or stop you from achieving your goals.
External Barriers are things we may not be able to change, like the weather, kid’s school and sporting commitments, family obligations, the hours we work, bottleneck traffic at freeway construction, budget etc.
There are environmental factors also. If you want to stop smoking yet you are consistently around smokers.
If you want to take up a running program yet you work during daylight hours there is a safety aspect.
Internal Barriers are beliefs that drive our current behaviour. Emotional barriers can be “I will always be fat, I don’t deserve it, I am naturally a lazy person, I can’t get myself motivated,” or “I feel overwhelmed, I don’t have time, it is too difficult, I don’t have the right information, I always get interrupted “etc.
What about the times you wake up in the morning and think about going for a walk? Instead you lie in bed and toss and turn just ‘thinking about it’. Imagine how fit you would be if instead of just thinking about it, you actually got up and went for a walk?
The bottom line is that there is an 80/20 rule when it comes to getting what you want. If you do not have what you want in your life, it is because of either of these 2 barriers.
This may be hard to accept but what constrains or stops you are the 80 percent barriers within you. The other 20 percent is outside of you.
Expose the beliefs that do not empower you and replace them with the ones that do.
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