SUMMARY
A sedentary lifestyle is a hotbed of diseases, and millennials are extremely aware of this situation
Fitness at the workplace is a concept that has been picking up steam for a while now
With erratic work hours, millennials often lose out on time they would spend going for various exercise centres
Millennials or Generation Y are the new entrants to the workforce in India and have a multitude of ideas towards personal wealth and wellness. At work, one usually remains seated for the majority of the day, and combined with the time spent seated after work while relaxing, the average millennial spends approximately 9-10 hours sitting.
Staying seated for a long time can lead to severely locked muscles in the back and shoulders, which can affect a person’s posture for the worse. A sedentary lifestyle is a hotbed of diseases, and the digitally-savvy, knowledge-seeking millennial is extremely aware of this situation. Due to this, millennials are now incorporating various activities to keep themselves a little healthier while at work.
Fitness at the workplace is a concept that has been picking up steam for a while and rightly so. Many companies are recognising the need for healthy employees and are actively promoting programs that encourage physical activity and healthy behaviour. The reason for this shift in perception and behaviour lies in the benefits presented by maintaining fitness and wellness.
For employers, having healthy employees will lead to benefits such as:
- Lowered healthcare costs
- Less absenteeism
- Reduced stress levels
- Improved work performance
- Improved teamwork
For employees, of course, the fitness and wellness benefits are a little closer to home. Daily exercise offers individuals advantages that include lowered stress levels, better focus and concentration, lowered risk of cardiovascular diseases among others. Millennials understand the importance of this and have begun integrating different practices into their daily work routine, some of which include:
Desk Exercises:
With erratic work hours, millennials often lose out on time they would spend going for various exercise centres. To combat this, they prefer doing 15-20 minutes of exercise at their desks. From leg planks, back twists and shoulder raises to different yoga poses, millennials are going all out to make sure they get at least some exercise in their day.
Quick Breaks To Stretch Their Legs:
Taking quick breaks to go on a walk is an excellent way to make sure one’s muscles don’t cramp up due to inactivity. Due to this, many millennials go on short breaks to take a walk around the office and its premises. It helps give a jolt of energy to the walker and gets in a little bit of cardio which otherwise would be woefully absent from their routine.
Adopting Healthier Eating Habits:
A healthy balanced diet is the foundation of good health and millennials are aware of this fact. There has been a string of healthy lunch services that have cropped up and millennials are taking full advantage of it. Many of them also choose to snack on healthier foods in the middle of the day instead of consuming food containing empty calories.
Millennials also take inspiration from celebrities and other eminent personalities who follow a healthy lifestyle despite their hectic schedules. The biggest inspiration is of course the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, who, despite his busy schedule, makes time to practice his strenuous yoga routine every morning.
Another person who inspires awe is Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, who despite being the chairperson and managing director of Biocon Limited, and the chairperson at IIM Bangalore (Indian Institute of Management), keeps an hour aside every day for a session of swimming, yoga or cardio. Ritesh Agarwal, founder and CEO of OYO Rooms is another successful entrepreneur, who attributes his morning for running or going on long walks.
It may seem like a difficult task to include exercise in the routine when being bogged down by work. But it is important to remember that a little exercise goes a long way in making a person sharper and less stressed.
