This is a guest post by Amy Chambers… more about her below… she writes about exercise and work, but it DEFINITELY applies to job seekers.
Bike week: how to incorporate exercise in your working week
There’s no doubt about it, there’s something inherently romantic about a bicycle. Maybe it’s all the movie moments we’ve been fed in which the simple country girl rides around on her lover’s handlebars in soft focus, maybe it’s all the sentimental importance attached to the moment when your dad or mum takes off the stabilizers and lets you go.
Of course, there’s nothing romantic about rolling into work damp from rain, sweating from exertion and liberally splattered with mud – and that’s the image which puts many people off commuting to the office by bicycle. But as more and more workplaces install on-site showers, there’s more and more workers who’re choosing to travel two-wheeled.
Taking the cycle path is just one of the ways you can fit in some exercise around your working hours. Below we’ve got three ideas to help you incorporate training into your working week – it’s easier than you think!
1. Get your workplace involved
Most companies want their employees to be happy, and all of them (if they’re sensible) want their staff to turn up to work healthy enough to get on with the job in hand. So they might be more open than you think to helping when it comes to keeping fit – whether it’s subsidizing local gym memberships, helping you work out flexible hours so you can make it to fitness classes or finding space in the office for a shower.
Find out if your colleagues are interested in getting healthy and see if you can get discounted membership for local gyms or a group rate for a class – some trainers who work in more gentle areas of exercise (think yoga) might be happy to come into the office to do a class in a spare room.
2. Get into a routine
The more organized you are, the more time you will have to exercise. It might hurt to get up an hour earlier than you normally would, it might be irritating to have to make your lunch and pack your bags the night before, but it’s all worth it when you’re gliding to work on a post-exercise glow.
If you find that getting healthy meals is becoming a problem, why not think about investing in a slow cooker, or an oven which you can program to start at a certain time? Then after a heavy session at the gym you’ll be able to come home to a delicious roast or a nourishing stew.
3. Use your lunch break
Going to a nearby pool for a swim, taking a walk to the nearest café rather than eating ‘al desko’ or finding a quiet place to do a quick bit of yoga are all low-sweat ways to get a bit of blood pumping. It might not feel like you’ve done much in that half-hour break between spreadsheets, but you’re laying down a valuable health foundation for yourself: it’s all going to contribute to your overall wellbeing, reducing your stress level and giving your aching eyes a chance to un-focus and rest. You’ll feel refreshed and raring to go for the afternoon’s work!
About the author
Amy Chambers was unemployed for six months after graduating, but found her perfect job after maximising her CV using the tips and tricks she discovered online. She’s an HR geek and lives in the sunny South West of the UK.