Inspire your team to become proactive and comfortable with mental health in our 4-hour positive psychology course, Mental Fitness Teams.
You’ve spent time and countless resources to ensure your workplace is set up for your team’s success.
But despite your best efforts, the new “healthy habits” initiatives never stick, and every year you spend more time, money and resources thinking of a new and improved way to help your team perform more optimally in every area of their work and personal lives…
But what if the solution is not another 10,000-step challenge or healthy communication workshop?
What if the real solution to cultivating a healthy work environment that is productive, enjoyable and thriving is to focus on building the singular skill that all other skills piggyback off of?
Enter Mental Fitness.
Once you build a company-wide culture that’s centered around the importance of Mental Fitness awareness, habits and everyday skills, you can then sit back and watch in amazement as every area of your workplace improves…
From daily peer-to-peer interactions, productivity levels, team engagement, and so much more.
In this training course, you’ll gain the knowledge, confidence and skills you need to create long-lasting culture change in the workplace.
Course Outcomes
After completing this training course, you’ll be equipped with the tools, confidence, and resources you need to:
Understand the relationship and responsibilities between mental health, the workplace and employee performance. When you understand how employee performance is directly enhanced or diminished based on Mental Fitness levels, you’ll be better able to provide your team with the resources and support they need to function at their highest level.
Understand the role of a Mental Fitness Champion in the workplace. A Mental Fitness Champion’s role in the workplace is crucial to building a long-lasting cultural shift of strong mental health habits and values.
Understand how to articulate, implement and sustain a Mental Fitness team culture. You’ll learn how to translate the knowledge and skills you gain into real-life actionable steps so you can build a company-wide culture that’s centered around comfortable and candid mental health conversations.
Apply and share the L.E.A.D. model with teammates. Equip yourself with the resources and know-how you need to share this knowledge with every member of your team confidently, so they can confidently express their mental health needs and concerns.
Influence positive change within the organization. You’ll be able to properly identify the factors within your control that support and undermine your team’s mental health and wellbeing – so you can implement change that will have a long-lasting, positive influence on your company culture for years to come.
This course is proudly presented by our newest partnership initiative, Mental Fitness Hub. Visit the Mental Fitness Hub websiteto learn more about our project and how we help workplaces.
Discover how to apply the skills of Mental Fitness and resilience to invest in your own mental health in our 4-hour positive psychology course, Mental Fitness Circuit.
Improving and maintaining your physical fitness is a concept that’s drilled into most people from a young age. We’re required to participate in P.E. during our school years, we’re encouraged to join sports teams, and the media inspires us to be more active to promote good health and overall wellbeing.
So we know the importance of staying on top of our physical fitness, even if we don’t always do as much as we’d like to. But what about our Mental Fitness?
What if you could maintain, improve and strengthen your Mental Fitness the same way you work on your physical fitness? What would your life look like then?
You’d be more resilient to everyday life stressors.
You’d find it easier to feel a sense of purpose and remain future-focused in the face of difficulties.
You’d be able to focus more clearly and perform better at work.
You may also be less susceptible to experiencing an episode of severe mental illness.
When you’re mentally fit, the quality and experience of your life improves in every way. In this training course, you’ll learn the skills and rituals that will support and strengthen your mental health.
In this course, you’ll learn everyday practices that promote healthy thinking, implement habits and rituals that’ll help you reach optimal functioning, achieve more meaning at work and in life, and so much more.
Course Outcomes
After completing this training course, you’ll be equipped with the tools, confidence, and resources you need to:
Appreciate how common ‘life issues’ affect Mental Fitness. From issues at work to arguments with family and friends, to community and economic tragedies… There will always be something that’s affecting your level of Mental Fitness. With the right strategies, you’ll have the resources to better face challenges in a helpful way with ultimately more resilience.
Apply a growth mindset to Mental Fitness and stress recovery. Positive habits of mind are key to maintaining an overall lifestyle that feels optimized, balanced and stress-free. You’ll learn the habits and rituals essential for everyday stress recovery and growth.
Understand how to apply Mental Fitness skills to a busy life. Let’s face it, today’s fast-paced living and high-demand world doesn’t set us up for mental health success. The tools you’ll learn in this training course will help you maintain robust Mental Fitness even during the busiest and most chaotic times of life.
Understand and share the F.E.S.T. model. Once you’ve learned and applied all the concepts to your own life, you’ll be equipped with the resources and know-how you need to share this knowledge with your friends, family and coworkers.
Create your own Mental Fitness Circuit Training Plan. You’ll walk away from this course with a personal plan that will help you implement the Mental Fitness practices that work for you and your schedule. This plan will help you create lifelong habits so you can continuously adjust and improve over time.
This course is proudly presented by our newest partnership initiative, Mental Fitness Hub. Visit the Mental Fitness Hub websiteto learn more about our project and how we help workplaces.
Discover how to proactively support others in a fast-paced hybrid world with our 4-hour positive psychology course, Mental Fitness Conversations.
In today’s society, we’ve worked hard to normalize mental health struggles and setbacks — with many workplaces, schools and teams adopting the belief that leaders and peers should frequently check on others, encouraging them to ask, “How are you doing?“
Which is a great start. But what happens next?
What do you do when a coworker, teammate or peer responds with an answer that signals they might be struggling?
For most of us, we don’t know the answer. We may even freeze or flee from the situation entirely — leaving the other person more guarded and less likely to seek the help they need.
In this training course, you’re not only going to learn the best way to approach fellow coworkers, employees, peers and athletes…
But also what steps and actions you can take when you sense they may be struggling and in need of Mental Fitness support.
Mental Fitness Conversations is about more than theory. It’s a practical, habitual and life-long set of skills you’ll use to support others, especially as more of us interact through digital devices and work in hybrid environments.
Course Outcomes
Identify, approach and support other individuals in distress. Never again worry about the best way to approach a colleague who appears to be struggling. Whether you’re having a face-to-face conversation or chatting over Zoom, you’ll know exactly what to say, how to say it, and what needs to happen next.
Understand the application of Mental Fitness to overcome stigma. Because of the lack of awareness and education around mental health and how to maintain or strengthen it, most people won’t reach out for (or accept) help unless they self-identify with having an “illness” or having stopped coping. With the proper education and guidance, you’ll know how to combat this stigma wherever and whenever it appears and guide people to understand that we all have mental health, and that sometimes we have periods of injury or setback that can be overcome.
Understand the Mental Health Continuum and recovery concepts. Mental health is just like physical health — everyone has it. And the more you actively work on strengthening and improving it, the stronger and more resilient you’re likely to be. You’ll know exactly how to support someone at different stages of the continuum (potentially ill → struggling → moderately well → mentally fit) and what steps need to be taken to support their Mental Fitness journey.
Apply and share the C.A.R.E. model across various channels. In today’s society of online conversations — from emails to Slack messages to Zoom meetings and everything in between — it’s important for you to learn the best methods of communication for all channels. You’ll learn how to implement the C.A.R.E. model and lead effective Mental Fitness conversations, face-to-face or online.
Understand and share resources to promote support-seeking. You’ll be equipped with real skills and resources to support colleagues with how to seek support, strengthen their Mental Fitness, and take small steps to improve their quality of life.
This course is proudly presented by our newest partnership initiative, Mental Fitness Hub. Visit the Mental Fitness Hub websiteto learn more about our project and how we help workplaces.
In our 12-hour Certified Mental Fitness Champions Program, we’ll guide you through three comprehensive Mental Fitness online training courses, equipping you with everything you need to effectively create sustainable change in your workplace, school or community group.
Mental Fitness Champions are proud, passionate and most importantly – trained – to promote positive mental health awareness in their workplace, schools, sports teams, families and communities.
Mental Fitness Champions have the knowledge, confidence and skills to support anyone facing mental health concerns, burnout, emotional distress or struggling with the various challenges in life.
Mental Fitness Champions are vocal and visible. They take time out of their day to proactively promote good mental health habits, activities and conversations. They understand what’s required to build a preventative culture of Mental Fitness and how to inspire real, lasting and sustainable change.
Mental Fitness Champions inspire colleagues, teammates and peers to reimagine a more practical, proactive and preventative approach to everyday mental health.
Courses in the Certified Mental Fitness Champions Program
When you sign up to become a Certified Mental Fitness Champion, you’ll be taken through all three of our comprehensive mental health online training courses – equipping you with the knowledge, confidence and skills to effectively create sustainable change.
Each course will guide you through a set of unique, specific and practical skills for applying Mental Fitness science and practice in your life and work.
Becoming a Certified Mental Fitness Champion helps you become a recognized, certified, and qualified leader around proactive and preventative mental health at your workplace, school or community group. You’ll be able to support other people having a tough time, discover and apply ways to improve your own Mental Fitness so you respond better to setbacks and challenges, and you’ll be able to inspire others in a team or group setting with the relevant and engaging language of Mental Fitness.
Learn how to inspire your team to become proactive and comfortable with mental health.
Who is the Certified Mental Fitness Champions Program for?
Mental Fitness Hub online mental health training is ideal for workplaces, schools, and community groups that want to do more to support employee mental health and to take action in a more proactive and preventative way.
This training program is suitable for team leaders, line managers, supervisors, new starters, teachers and principals, sports club coaches and support staff, as well as individuals who simply want to be more knowledgeable about mental health, and equipped with the skills to make a difference.
Anyone who cares about good mental health and wellbeing can become a Certified Mental Fitness Champion.
How Can I Become a Certified Mental Fitness Champion?
For individuals, you can register for one of our open public courses easily through our online booking system and choose the time slot that fits your schedule. To register, visit our Book A Course page.
For groups and organizations, you have the option to register for one of our open public courses by registering all participants during the booking process, or feel free to contact the Mental Fitness Hub and book a private session at a time and date that works for you.
Once you have completed the three courses and associated course requirements, you will be issued your Certified Mental Fitness Champion Certificate and have the right to use the Certified Mental Fitness Champion Badge in all digital communications.
This program is proudly presented by our newest partnership initiative, Mental Fitness Hub. Visit the Mental Fitness Hub websiteto learn more about our project and how we help workplaces.
Inspire your team to become proactive and comfortable with mental health in our 4-hour positive psychology course, Mental Fitness Teams.
You’ve spent time and countless resources to ensure your workplace is set up for your team’s success.
But despite your best efforts, the new “healthy habits” initiatives never stick, and every year you spend more time, money and resources thinking of a new and improved way to help your team perform more optimally in every area of their work and personal lives…
But what if the solution is not another 10,000-step challenge or healthy communication workshop?
What if the real solution to cultivating a healthy work environment that is productive, enjoyable and thriving is to focus on building the singular skill that all other skills piggyback off of?
Enter Mental Fitness.
Once you build a company-wide culture that’s centered around the importance of Mental Fitness awareness, habits and everyday skills, you can then sit back and watch in amazement as every area of your workplace improves…
From daily peer-to-peer interactions, productivity levels, team engagement, and so much more.
In this training course, you’ll gain the knowledge, confidence and skills you need to create long-lasting culture change in the workplace.
Course Outcomes
After completing this training course, you’ll be equipped with the tools, confidence, and resources you need to:
Understand the relationship and responsibilities between mental health, the workplace and employee performance. When you understand how employee performance is directly enhanced or diminished based on Mental Fitness levels, you’ll be better able to provide your team with the resources and support they need to function at their highest level.
Understand the role of a Mental Fitness Champion in the workplace. A Mental Fitness Champion’s role in the workplace is crucial to building a long-lasting cultural shift of strong mental health habits and values.
Understand how to articulate, implement and sustain a Mental Fitness team culture. You’ll learn how to translate the knowledge and skills you gain into real-life actionable steps so you can build a company-wide culture that’s centered around comfortable and candid mental health conversations.
Apply and share the L.E.A.D. model with teammates. Equip yourself with the resources and know-how you need to share this knowledge with every member of your team confidently, so they can confidently express their mental health needs and concerns.
Influence positive change within the organization. You’ll be able to properly identify the factors within your control that support and undermine your team’s mental health and wellbeing – so you can implement change that will have a long-lasting, positive influence on your company culture for years to come.
This course is proudly presented by our newest partnership initiative, Mental Fitness Hub. Visit the Mental Fitness Hub websiteto learn more about our project and how we help workplaces.
Discover how to apply the skills of Mental Fitness and resilience to invest in your own mental health in our 4-hour positive psychology course, Mental Fitness Circuit.
Improving and maintaining your physical fitness is a concept that’s drilled into most people from a young age. We’re required to participate in P.E. during our school years, we’re encouraged to join sports teams, and the media inspires us to be more active to promote good health and overall wellbeing.
So we know the importance of staying on top of our physical fitness, even if we don’t always do as much as we’d like to. But what about our Mental Fitness?
What if you could maintain, improve and strengthen your Mental Fitness the same way you work on your physical fitness? What would your life look like then?
You’d be more resilient to everyday life stressors.
You’d find it easier to feel a sense of purpose and remain future-focused in the face of difficulties.
You’d be able to focus more clearly and perform better at work.
You may also be less susceptible to experiencing an episode of severe mental illness.
When you’re mentally fit, the quality and experience of your life improves in every way. In this training course, you’ll learn the skills and rituals that will support and strengthen your mental health.
In this course, you’ll learn everyday practices that promote healthy thinking, implement habits and rituals that’ll help you reach optimal functioning, achieve more meaning at work and in life, and so much more.
Course Outcomes
After completing this training course, you’ll be equipped with the tools, confidence, and resources you need to:
Appreciate how common ‘life issues’ affect Mental Fitness. From issues at work to arguments with family and friends, to community and economic tragedies… There will always be something that’s affecting your level of Mental Fitness. With the right strategies, you’ll have the resources to better face challenges in a helpful way with ultimately more resilience.
Apply a growth mindset to Mental Fitness and stress recovery. Positive habits of mind are key to maintaining an overall lifestyle that feels optimized, balanced and stress-free. You’ll learn the habits and rituals essential for everyday stress recovery and growth.
Understand how to apply Mental Fitness skills to a busy life. Let’s face it, today’s fast-paced living and high-demand world doesn’t set us up for mental health success. The tools you’ll learn in this training course will help you maintain robust Mental Fitness even during the busiest and most chaotic times of life.
Understand and share the F.E.S.T. model. Once you’ve learned and applied all the concepts to your own life, you’ll be equipped with the resources and know-how you need to share this knowledge with your friends, family and coworkers.
Create your own Mental Fitness Circuit Training Plan. You’ll walk away from this course with a personal plan that will help you implement the Mental Fitness practices that work for you and your schedule. This plan will help you create lifelong habits so you can continuously adjust and improve over time.
This course is proudly presented by our newest partnership initiative, Mental Fitness Hub. Visit the Mental Fitness Hub websiteto learn more about our project and how we help workplaces.
Discover how to proactively support others in a fast-paced hybrid world with our 4-hour positive psychology course, Mental Fitness Conversations.
In today’s society, we’ve worked hard to normalize mental health struggles and setbacks — with many workplaces, schools and teams adopting the belief that leaders and peers should frequently check on others, encouraging them to ask, “How are you doing?“
Which is a great start. But what happens next?
What do you do when a coworker, teammate or peer responds with an answer that signals they might be struggling?
For most of us, we don’t know the answer. We may even freeze or flee from the situation entirely — leaving the other person more guarded and less likely to seek the help they need.
In this training course, you’re not only going to learn the best way to approach fellow coworkers, employees, peers and athletes…
But also what steps and actions you can take when you sense they may be struggling and in need of Mental Fitness support.
Mental Fitness Conversations is about more than theory. It’s a practical, habitual and life-long set of skills you’ll use to support others, especially as more of us interact through digital devices and work in hybrid environments.
Course Outcomes
Identify, approach and support other individuals in distress. Never again worry about the best way to approach a colleague who appears to be struggling. Whether you’re having a face-to-face conversation or chatting over Zoom, you’ll know exactly what to say, how to say it, and what needs to happen next.
Understand the application of Mental Fitness to overcome stigma. Because of the lack of awareness and education around mental health and how to maintain or strengthen it, most people won’t reach out for (or accept) help unless they self-identify with having an “illness” or having stopped coping. With the proper education and guidance, you’ll know how to combat this stigma wherever and whenever it appears and guide people to understand that we all have mental health, and that sometimes we have periods of injury or setback that can be overcome.
Understand the Mental Health Continuum and recovery concepts. Mental health is just like physical health — everyone has it. And the more you actively work on strengthening and improving it, the stronger and more resilient you’re likely to be. You’ll know exactly how to support someone at different stages of the continuum (potentially ill → struggling → moderately well → mentally fit) and what steps need to be taken to support their Mental Fitness journey.
Apply and share the C.A.R.E. model across various channels. In today’s society of online conversations — from emails to Slack messages to Zoom meetings and everything in between — it’s important for you to learn the best methods of communication for all channels. You’ll learn how to implement the C.A.R.E. model and lead effective Mental Fitness conversations, face-to-face or online.
Understand and share resources to promote support-seeking. You’ll be equipped with real skills and resources to support colleagues with how to seek support, strengthen their Mental Fitness, and take small steps to improve their quality of life.
This course is proudly presented by our newest partnership initiative, Mental Fitness Hub. Visit the Mental Fitness Hub websiteto learn more about our project and how we help workplaces.
Can acknowledging what we’re grateful for boost our wellbeing?
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”- William Arthur Ward
The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia. Depending on the use of the word it has meanings such as grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. Gratitude helps people place their focus on what is good in their life rather than what they’re lacking. By expressing gratitude, people often recognize the aspects of their life where goodness is provided outside of themselves. This can be the people in their lives, nature, etc.
Research in Positive Psychology has shown that gratitude may be associated with greater happiness. Expressing gratitude helps people deal with adversity, build healthier relationships, improves their health and allows them to feel more positive emotions (Michael Craig Miller, 2011)
In 2005, researcher and Psychologist Martin Seligman tested the effects of different Positive Psychology interventions among 411 people. The results showed the biggest improvement in happiness was when the volunteers were asked to write and deliver a letter of gratitude to a person who had been kind to them, to whom they never had the chance to properly show thanks.
Relationships are one of the ultimate factors when it comes to overall wellbeing. Research shows that couples who took the time to express gratitude for their partner felt more positive towards each other. More interesting is that they also felt more comfortable speaking openly and expressing concerns in their relationship. (Michael Craig Miller, 2011)
Now that you know a bit more about the science of gratitude, can you find a moment to stop and focus on what you’re grateful for?
Some people are naturally able to express gratitude, whereas it can be more difficult for others. To help you, we’ve put together a few ideas of ways you can express gratitude!
Gratitude Letter– Write a letter to someone who has been kind to you. Whether you give this person the letter or not is entirely up to you! You will reap the benefits purely expressing the emotion.
Gratitude Journal– Keep a journal where you can write down the gifts you received that day. This can be as simple as a passing smile or a coffee a friend bought for you. Sharing these with a loved one enhances the experience.
Gratitude Jar– Keep a jar in your home where each family member can write on a note one thing they’re grateful for, fold it and place it in the jar. For example, expressing thanks for the meal mum cooked or a hug from dad.
Count your Blessings– Set aside a time regularly to think about the week that’s passed and make note of the things that you are grateful for. Your list doesn’t need to be long but focuses on the things that were the most meaningful for you.
Reach Out– If writing a letter isn’t comfortable, reach out to someone who was kind to you that week and express thanks for their kindness.
Give Thanks to Yourself– We often forget to give thanks to ourselves. Our mind, body and soul allow us to experience the life we live, so take a moment to give thanks to you.
References
Lambert, N., & Fincham, F. (2011). Expressing gratitude to a partner leads to more relationship maintenance behavior. Emotion, 11(1), 52-60. doi: 10.1037/a0021557
Michael Craig Miller, M. (2011). In praise of gratitude – Harvard Health Blog. Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/in-praise-of-gratitude-201211215561
Team, S. (2020). The science behind gratitude. Retrieved 17 November 2020, from https://blog.smilingmind.com.au/the-science-behind-gratitude
Understanding ‘fight or flight’ mode and how to deal with it.
Have you noticed that when you get stressed your body tenses up? Breathing quickens? Heart pounds faster? This is as a result of the ‘fight or flight’ response being triggered. The fight or flight response, also known as the acute stress response, evolved as a survival mechanism, enabling people and other mammals to react quickly to life-threating situations.
The fight or flight response is a physiological reaction that occurs when we feel threatened. The term ‘fight or flight’ represents the choices that our ancestors had, either to stay and ‘fight’ or run from danger- ‘flight’. In both cases, the body prepares to react to danger.
Even now, we still respond in this same way to different situations, for example, when encountering an aggressive animal. It can also occur in less dangerous situations such as when preparing to speak in front of a crowd.
Some physiological changes that occur when the fight or flight response is activated include:
Release of adrenaline – signals organs
Large muscles tense – preparation for action
Rapid heart rate and increased blood pressure – increasing blood flow to muscles
Rapid breathing – lungs take in more oxygen to prepare
Reduced activity in the digestive system – feeling sick and/or experiencing a dry mouth
Bladder muscles relax – to drop extra weight to flee or ‘flight’
Perspiration – cools the body in anticipation of the heat to come
Pale or flushed skin – blood flows to the muscles, brain and limbs is increased which may result in your face becoming pale
Blood clotting ability increases – in preparation for possible injury, to avoid excess blood loss
Hyper-vigilance – in order to take in more light our pupils dilate
Racing thoughts – drawn to consuming thoughts of the worst-case scenario
After reading through the physiological changes, you can probably recall a time where you were in ‘fight or flight’ mode. These changes prime our body to cope effectively with the opposed threat and can help you perform better in high pressure situations.
However, we aren’t constantly being attacked by animals or giving presentations to large crowds. The fight or flight response can also be triggered in response to situations we perceive as threats where there is no real danger. It can stay activated for longer periods than it is necessary.
This natural response is not always well matched to our modern threats. Many people are unable to switch off their fight or flight response. This can lead to chronic low-level stress. After a while, this has an effect on the body that contributes to health problems associated with chronic stress.
How do we deal with our fight or flight response? A few ways to respond to your body’s fight or flight response include:
Actions of relaxation:
Abdominal breathing
Meditation
Focus on a soothing word (such as peace or calm)
Repetitive prayer
Physical activity (exercise) this can include any form of exercise, a few examples include:
Walking
Running
Yoga
Tai chi
Golf
Tennis
Any participation in exercise is beneficial!
Social support:
Confidants
Friends
Family
Spouses
Acquaintances
Companions
Those who enjoy close relationships receive emotional support that helps to sustain them at times of stress and crisis.
If you’re stressed over a work or class presentation you aren’t going to have the time to take a break and hit the tennis courts. In an immediate situation you may want to try these tips:
Observe what you are noticing in your body and remind yourself that this is your ‘fight or flight’ mode activating.
Try to take control of your breath by breathing in for 4 counts, holding for 2 counts and breathing out for 6 counts. Do this a few times until you feel you have regathered your breath.
Take a moment to examine your thoughts. How likely is your worst-case scenario? Try to focus on the good in the situation or remind yourself that this will pass.
Understanding that the fight or flight response has been inherited from our ancestors and is a natural response that we can actively control, will help you bring yourself back to baseline when this response is activated.
If you find it hard to get out of fight or flight mode, we have a toolkit designed to teach you strategies on dealing with challenge and uncertainty.
No time for exercise? Here are some tips to help you
There are so many reasons why we should participate in regular exercise. The effects are both physically and mentally beneficial, yet we tend to find so many reasons to avoid it. If you were to ask people about their barrier to regular exercise, you would find that ‘time’ is one of the most common issues standing in the way. That is for good reason. With busy schedules, it can be harder to find time to fit in a good, regular exercise regime. However, making the time will allow you to reap the benefits.
In case you aren’t convinced, here are just a few reasons why regular exercise is beneficial:
• Improves sleep quality • Lowers risk of depression • Prevents health issues such as diabetes • Decreases stress and anxiety • Increases self-esteem and self-confidence • Boost’s the brain by preventing cognitive decline • Lowers blood pressure
What are some ways you can create time to fit exercise into your day?
What small steps can you take to make more time? Is it possible to wake up half an hour earlier, take a short walk on your lunch break, or dedicate some time before or after dinner in the evening rather than watching tv or scrolling through social media? At first, it may seem daunting. However, after a mere 21 days, you’ll start to create a habit and feel better physically and mentally.
What about joining the gym? This is a great option for some, however, finding the extra time to drive there and home can cut into your day and may not be practical. Exercising at home is a great alternative. There are many exercises you can take part in from the comfort of your home and most of which you’ll only need a workout mat for. Another alternative is walking or running outdoors. Getting your body moving by participating in any form of exercise will allow you to experience the benefits.
Harvard Health states that doctors should prescribe at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise or 15 minutes of intense exercise a day. A way to accumulate some exercise points if you don’t particularly have half an hour to spare is by making different choices in your daily activities to get your body moving more.
Here are some suggestions: 1. Walk to the bus/train- Instead of driving, walk to the station. By doing this you’re adding extra steps into your daily count and getting your blood pumping. 2. Swing your arms- While you’re walking, swing your arms. It helps us reach a brisk pace which is more healthful. 3. Walk and talk- Whether you’re talking with friends or watching your child’s soccer game, walk while you’re doing these activities. 4. Pets- Several studies have shown that dog owners get more exercise than canine-less. 5. Walk tall- Maintaining a good posture helps keep your back and abdominal muscles in shape. You’ll also look a lot healthier and confident with a better posture (which your mother probably reminded you of countless times!) 6. Find a buddy- Adopting a friend to become your walking, jogging, or biking partner is a great idea to make exercising more fun and help motivate you. 7. Take the stairs- We all know the stairs are a better option, yet the escalator is for some reason so enticing. You’ll reap more benefits from taking the stairs than you ever will opting for the alternative. 8. Set goals- It’s the 21st century and our phone tracks everything (slightly too much). Use this to your benefit. Most phones now have a step counter. Set a goal of how many steps you want to reach by the end of the day or week. 9. Stand up while you’re on the phone- Breaking up long periods of sitting has metabolic benefits. 10. Stairs tip- You’ll give your gluteal muscle a workout if you take two steps at a time.
Aside from changing your daily habits here are a few more exercise activities for the time you have to set aside:
1. Yoga- Yoga has many benefits such as enhancing our flexibility, balance, better over-all fitness. It also helps to reduce stress and improve mind-body awareness. 2. Walking- An Australian study showed that people who took 5,000+ steps per day had a much lower risk of heart disease and stroke than those who took less than 5,000. 3. Golfing- Rather than taking the cart around the course, opt for walking and carrying your clubs. 4. Swimming- Harvard Health states that we should accumulate 150 CME (cardiometabolic exercise) points each day. 30 minutes of swimming results in 230 points. 5. Jogging- Jogging is quite a vigorous form of exercise in which participating in 30 minutes of jogging results in 200 CME points. 6. Jumping rope- Jumping rope strengthens our bone density, improves heart health, and more. 15 minutes of jumping rope accumulates to 200 CME points! Do you have 15 minutes to spare? 7. Biking- Instead of driving, try biking. You don’t have to set aside a lot of time and it’s a convenient option for transportation. Ride your bike to the station or during your work break, even to pop to the local grocery store if you’re only picking up a few things. 8. Pilates- Pilates is a great form of exercise to get your muscles working. In each practice, you can target particular parts of your body depending on the muscles you want to work on that day. 9. Aerobic dance- Aerobics is a great way to get moving and improves your cardiovascular health. 10. Tennis- Tennis increases bone density, improves muscle tone, strength, flexibility, and reactions.
If you find it difficult to create healthy habits and stick to them then our toolkit is the perfect solution. Appli have put together a Mental Fitness Toolkit with strategies to assist inform healthy habits and improving wellbeing.
Publishing, H. (2020). How much exercise do you need? – Harvard Health. Retrieved 12 October 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/how-much-exercise-do-you-need
Publishing, H. (2020). More evidence that exercise can boost mood – Harvard Health. Retrieved 12 October 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/more-evidence-that-exercise-can-boost-mood
Publishing, H. (2020). Why we should exercise – and why we don’t – Harvard Health. Retrieved 12 October 2020, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/why-we-should-exercise-and-why-we-dont
Schmidt, M., Cleland, V., Shaw, K., Dwyer, T., & Venn, A. (2009). Cardiometabolic Risk in Younger and Older Adults Across an Index of Ambulatory Activity. American Journal Of Preventive Medicine, 37(4), 278-284. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2009.05.020
Tennis – health benefits. (2020). Retrieved 12 October 2020, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/tennis-health-benefits
5 Mental Benefits of Exercise. (2020). Retrieved 12 October 2020, from https://www.waldenu.edu/online-bachelors-programs/bs-in-psychology/resource/five-mental-benefits-of-exercise
10,000 steps. (2020). Retrieved 12 October 2020, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/blog/blogcollectionpage/Conversation-10000steps
