As a working mother and director of a busy outpatient center, I struggle to find the motivation to exercise and find time for myself. But once I started using the Thrive app, the Microstep that caught my attention was scheduling time for myself to go outside.
I picked my lunch hour to do this because I tend to work through lunch. Scheduling time on my calendar prevents me from making appointments and meetings during that time, and cements it as time for me to take a breath and recharge. Setting reminders in the Thrive app is an added benefit, just in case I get caught up with work.
Looking back, building this routine was one of the best investments I made in my health and well-being. Walking during my lunch break and being away from my desk not only improved my mood and physical well-being, but also helped with my productivity levels at work.
Also, I’ve been lucky enough to have some of my team members as walking buddies. We all started scheduling time to walk together — and keeping each other accountable. As a team leader, it was a great opportunity to connect to my team outside the workplace and share some laughter, fun, and health and well-being tips. Additionally, I found walking with the team, even if it’s only for 15-30 minutes, is an amazing way to increase engagement with my colleagues!