The negative impact of sedentary behavior on health has led to research on how to motivate office workers to be physically active during the working day. Micro-workouts, as a form of physical activity, might be an innovative solution. Micro-workouts are an accumulation of short (1-10 minutes) physical activities that are executed spontaneously during pauses in or around (especially during the workday) daily activities. However, insight into the effectiveness of micro-workouts at an in-depth level and knowledge of the factors influencing people to implement them are lacking. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of micro-workouts on different work-related performance aspects, and to explore their acceptability, feasibility, and effect moderators of the implementation process among office workers performing predominantly deskbound work in the financial and information technology (IT) industry.
The impact of micro-workouts, other than decreasing sedentary behavior, is scarcely being studied. Therefore, this study will provide knowledge to human resource departments and ergonomists about whether micro-workouts could be a valuable element in an effective occupational health and performance policy. The insight this study provides about the effectiveness, several effect moderators, acceptability and feasibility of micro-workouts, could be the first step for those professionals to develop a micro-workout intervention. In order to be implemented on a larger scale, it is important that not only an intervention is presented at the right time, and tailored to the office workers of the organization, but organizational conditions are also supportive and office workers experience the micro-workout as a valuable element in their daily work.
Definition and Benefits
Micro-workouts are short exercises that usually last a few seconds to less than 5 minutes. People, especially office workers, can do them sporadically throughout the day at their desks or at workstations and facilities (e.g., restrooms, lobbies) to temporarily remove themselves from work and re-engage with physical movement and exercises to improve metabolic and physical health and well-being. Micro-workouts are also known as micro-PA (physical activity), activity snacks, activity burst, exercise snacking, exercise-like physical activity, sneaky exercises, instant physical activity, instant exercise, deskercises, desk-gates (exercises at the desk/door gates to break the sitting time), quick exercises, brief exercises, workplace movement, and workstead exercises (physical activities that employees can apply at the workplace to either reduce sitting time or increase physical exercise).
Saccottini and Petrelli reviewed various exercises that employees can do at work. The benefits of micro-workouts include the potential to reverse or reduce the harmful effect of physical inactivity, making it easier for working adults to meet the physical activity guideline, burn calories, rebuild muscles, decrease inactivity periods and physical stress, help cognitive and psychological functions, improve leg strength, reduce the risk of low back pain, improve mood and job satisfaction, build greater stamina and increase energy, solve “no time to exercise” issues, enhance self-esteem, and protect against long-term health risks. Micro-workouts can be effective if programmed over time. For example, people who work long hours or sit for a long period may perform short exercises at regular and frequent intervals to help decrease the likelihood of muscle tightness, low back pain, etc.
The Importance of Physical Activity for Office Workers
Sedentary jobs come with a unique set of health problems, including an increased risk for chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. And yet, most people who work in offices aren’t regularly engaging in any form of physical activity while they’re in the office. With work being the leading reason why many Australians experienced difficulty getting to and staying at a healthy weight, it’s clear physical activity deserves a higher priority by both individuals and their work organizations. The energy we have to apply to our jobs decreases when the human body is largely forgotten, leading to dips in concentration, memory, and creativity. And let’s not forget the sedentary jobs that paradoxically pay people to come in and risk their health by sitting for long periods of time – often doing the sit-ups for our brains.
Previous studies and experts in the area say that micro-workouts in the office can have a three-part benefit: more often, greater variety, and less disruption. Which means it might finally be the exercise solution office workers are looking for. A steeper variety in office-based exercise is important as no single type of activity sufficiently counteracts the hazards of physical inactivity. High-intensity activity can be preferred as it leads to a greater metabolic response and therefore helps counteract the increased lipoprotein lipase levels caused by long periods of inactivity.
This should enable office workers to see the greatest metabolic benefits through a sedentary day. If you’re looking for inspiration to start your own office workout plan, the activities our examiners uncovered included muscle-strengthening exercises, taking the stairs, using a stand-up desk, using an exercise ball, and initiating group walking meetings. Some benefits were determined through previous research, including greater engagement in the workplace, switching off after work, improved problem-solving ability, and the ability to cope better with a demanding day. Furthermore, greater encouragement in the workplace can lead to greater improvements in employee health.
Health Risks of Prolonged Sitting
In recent decades, a growth in sedentary work has been witnessed, including that of office workers who spend a large proportion (approximately 70%) of their week at a computer (evenings can be even longer than this), contributing to social problems and health risks such as a range of physical complaints and illnesses, depression, obesity, and coronary heart disease. The spurt in technological development and increase in industrialization have not only reduced bodily exertion but have also increased the sedentary, mental, and emotional strain, resulting in a deterioration in the overall health and well-being of individuals. For example, diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer risks, obesity, cardiovascular disorders, muscular problems, and depression have been reported as the consequences of long-term sitting at work. Indeed, it is now well-recognized that leisure-time physical activity does not balance out the risks associated with prolonged sitting.
How to Incorporate Micro-Workouts into a Busy Office Schedule
At the beginning of 2018, almost three quarters (74.9%) of all employed people living in the European Union (EU) worked in the service sector. Besides service workplaces, the office forms one of the growing workplace settings. In the past 50 years, office spaces have become more and more dominant and are nowadays known as places of long sitting work. For everyone, spending hours sitting in the car commuting or sitting on the job in the chair can be associated with multiple health issues, such as musculoskeletal pain from awkward postures, an increased risk of vessel thrombosis, the metabolic syndrome, and lower energy expenditure. This sedentary lifestyle at work increases the risk of sickness absence due to a higher prevalence of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
Why is a Micro-Workout Beneficial?
It is essential to incorporate some physical activity. One important key to a more active working day is to interrupt the sedentary behavior. Movement is the key. The focus should be on introducing different activities, physically working against the effects of long sitting activities, and improving general health. The behavior at work has to adapt to physical movement. Little activities should be included in the workday, and thus, can be summarized under the term micro-workout. Small amounts of physical activity in job breaks can lead to physiological and psychological health benefits, instead of a continuous sitting period in the workplace. These interruptions can promote temporary relief from musculoskeletal discomfort and can even prevent physical problems such as discomfort and health complaints. Participants in the study by Thorp et al. performed more sitting and physical activities throughout the workday or took more steps per day and felt better in general health and energy inside and outside of work for 1 hour in total sitting time per workday.
The core question is how much physical activity is required to break the sitting period and how to incorporate it into the office. Research shows that regular interruptions in the workplace can contribute to health maintenance. Simply the act of standing up and walking regularly can offer already positive changes. The positive effect consists of increasing the muscle activity to relieve the pressure on the passive structures in the posture by maintaining better muscular balance. In the ideal work environment, supplies an exercise machine, table-tennis, or a readymade stretching or strengthening exercise to train the body during the breaks. There are much more simple and effective alternatives; for example, climbing the stairs or going for a short walk outside and well-directed simple exercises at the workplace that can be incorporated into a minimally varied working day. Adult workers spend hours in sedentary activities, and many report having pain in their muscles and joints while working. It is essential to reduce the health risks associated with these sedentary behaviors. Brief breaks of varied activities can contribute to physical health benefits. One key finding is to take one-minute micro-pauses every 15 minutes. During these micro-pauses, a variety of exercises can be conducted. Even in the variety of single undersize breaks that office workers have, the improvement of exercise compliance is high. Such small and discrete duration of self-administered exercises might be an effective strategy to result in a new active lifestyle at the office.
Quick and Effective Exercise Techniques
Going to the gym is out of the question for many professionals as it is tiring and time-consuming. The awareness of potential health risks that occur due to a sedentary lifestyle has increased the demand for effective exercise techniques for office workers. In order for office workers to carry out sustained, simple, quick, and effective exercise routines, safety, intensity, environmental fit, and efficacy should be the priority. Throughout human history, many exercise routines have been developed by human beings to address this requirement. The most typical forms are walking, squatting, and stretching. The development of time-efficient exercises is critically needed to maximize the positive impact of physical activity on health.
Core: Plank and Bridge Exercise Plank, also known as palakasana in Sanskrit, is the most effective core exercise, as it requires the abdominal muscles to maintain the position. The bridge is also a good core exercise that works the back and the hamstrings, as well as the rectus femoris and iliopsoas muscles. It also stretches the hip flexors. The paper recommends doing both to train the back as well as the front of the torso muscle. A large number of routines can be established by a combination of these exercises with others.
Micro-workouts are the latest trend in the fitness industry. Taking place in everyday locations, these short and sharp workouts are helping people across the globe stay fit and active while dealing with their busy lifestyles. Office workers are one such group of people that are benefiting from the growth of micro-workouts. Micro-workouts are particularly useful for office workers given the prevalence of sedentary behavior and office work-related physical inactivity associated with office-based roles. Research is supporting the impact of micro-workouts on office workers, which usually involve simple yet effective strength or resistance training.
This type of exercise is known to provide a plethora of health-related benefits that are particularly beneficial to office workers. Micro-workouts can improve office worker strength, posture, reduce musculoskeletal discomfort, and improve mental performance by increasing blood flow to the brain as well as reducing post-lunch slumps. These small but frequent physical interruptions to the office-based workers’ sedentary and inactive behavior result in mood elevation, increased work efficiency and performance, and decreased job stress and fatigue while allowing them to participate in more vigorous sessions outside of the workplace. They also cater to office workers that have difficulty finding the time for long bouts of exercise – these micro-bursts of activity are an easy and convenient way for sedentary workers to remain active and create new exercise habits which will ultimately lead to better health and an improved sense of well-being.