Sneak It In

No matter when, where or how you work, finding time to take physical activity breaks will help you be at your best.

Join the movement for workday movement

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What is Sneak It In?

Sneak It In is all about squeezing in small bouts of physical activity during your workday. While everyone’s work situation is different, finding time to take physical activity breaks will help you be at your best.

Why is physical activity important during the workday?

While less than half of workers in Canada (44%) make an effort to incorporate movement into their workday, research shows that doing so helps employees feel happier, more focused, and less tired. In fact, 75% of workers feel some benefit, almost half (44%) feel enhanced mood, 38% feel better able to focus and 38% feel increased energy when they get active during the workday. Physical activity can also contribute to increased job satisfaction, as well as reduced employee absenteeism and injury.

The importance of an active workday

Whether you’re a working adult, an employer or an administrator, you have a role in making active workdays expected and accepted.

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Benefits of an active workday

Boosted mood
More energy
Increased creativity
Improved focus
Increased productivity

How to reap the benefits of an active workday

Working in an office setting or from home?
Aim to move for three to four minutes every hour.
Working on your feet?
Stretching, picking up the pace or taking the longer route to the washroom, kitchen or breakroom all count.

Employer: 3 tips to help your employees get active

Encourage and enable active transportation

Offer incentives for those who walk, wheel, cycle or take public transit to get to and from work, and provide bicycle racks, showers and changing facilities with lockers or cubbies.

Create policies that support physical activity

Offer flexible work hours, provide opportunities to work from home and implement dress codes that allow employees to wear comfortable clothing and footwear.

Place visible cues or reminders

Nudge employees to sneak more physical activity into their days with cues such as a sign beside the elevator encouraging employees to take the stairs or a map highlighting nearby walking destinations.

Employee: 3 tips to add movement to your workday

Active transportation

If you’re able, walk, wheel or cycle to and from work, even if it’s just for part of the way. Taking public transit? Get off a stop or two earlier or take the stairs instead of escalators at stations. Driving? Park farther away from your destination. Working from home? Go on a walk or wheel before and after work to simulate a commute.

Exercise to energize

The work week in all its forms is tiring. It’s helpful to tweak your state of mind and view physical activity less as a chore and more as a necessity for boosting your energy. Sometimes we don’t move because we’re tired, but research shows that getting active can be just what we need!

Multi-task

Find opportunities to get active while getting the job done. Restocking shelves, taking meetings and calls on the move, or heading over to a colleague and speaking to them in person rather than emailing or messaging them all count!

More ways to Sneak It In

Work benefits

How to “fall” into more active workdays: 4 key tips

4 science-backed ways physical activity can improve…

6 beginner calisthenics exercises to easily fit into your workday

5 ways to gain the edge in employee mental health

How applying “nudge theory” can help you get active at work

Fashion a more active workday!

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