Employee interest in health and wellness often peaks during “moments of motivation,” such as the start of January with its promise of a fresh start. However, this motivation usually fades quickly, with nearly 80% of people abandoning their resolutions by February. This happens partly because humans are wired to respond to immediate needs rather than long-term goals. If your employees’ health and wellness need a reset this spring, try these practical ideas.
Think Smaller: The Case for “Exercise Snacking”
Too often, exercise can feel like an all-or-nothing choice. If there isn’t enough time for a formal workout, many people skip it altogether. A more effective approach is to make it easier to get started. Instead of expecting employees to carve out time for longer sessions, make it easier for them to move in smaller, more manageable ways throughout the day.
This method, often called “exercise snacking” (or “snacktivity”), breaks movement into short bursts that can be woven into the workday, even if it’s for just a minute or two. Research shows that as little as 10 minutes of activity can deliver meaningful benefits for metabolic health and longevity, and may help offset the cardiovascular risks associated with prolonged sitting.
Shorter sessions work well because they fit into busy schedules. They’re easier to begin, feel less overwhelming, and people are more likely to keep doing them.
Make it Stick: The Power of Habit Stacking
Short bursts of movement are a strong starting point, but they have to be consistent to be effective. The key is to make movement more automatic. That’s where habit stacking comes in. Popularized by James Clear and grounded in behavioral science, habit stacking is the practice of attaching a new behavior to an existing routine.
In the workplace, this means encouraging employees to identify a current workday routine or “anchor” and then attach a wellness micro-habit to it. Here are some examples:
- The coffee or break anchor: While the coffee is brewing, take a 5-minute walk around the office or building.
- The meeting anchor: After a call or meeting, employees can stand, pace, or perform some light mobility exercises.
- The email anchor: Finishing a block of emails or hitting a project milestone can be a cue to stand up, step away from the screen, and do a quick stretch routine.
- End of day anchor: Right after logging off, employees can take a few minutes to get the blood flowing by doing some jumping jacks or taking a few flights of stairs.
These small movements give the brain a reset. Short walks or brief stretching sessions increase blood flow to the part of the brain responsible for problem-solving and decision-making. This helps employees return to work feeling more focused and energized.
These habits don’t require extra time. They simply use the time employees already have in a new way. Just as important, they can help reduce decision fatigue, a state of mental overload that builds throughout the day, making even simple decisions harder. Employees don’t need to plan or choose what to do when the habit is already built into their routine.
Convenience Is Key
The main reason people change their behavior is convenience. People are much more likely to exercise when it doesn’t require extra planning, travel, or time they don’t have.
That’s one reason on-demand fitness has become so popular. For employees balancing meetings, deadlines, and personal responsibilities, flexibility is important. On-demand fitness platforms and easy-to-use apps make it possible to choose movement that fits in the moment, whether it’s a two-minute stretch between calls, a quick midday strength session, or a longer workout when they have more time.
When movement is easy to access, easy to start, and easy to scale up or down, employees are more likely to keep coming back to it, not just when motivation is high.
Aaptiv: Making Movement Easy to Stick With
With personalized, on-demand workouts that range from quick stretch breaks to full training sessions, employees can choose what works for their schedule, energy, and environment, whether they have two minutes or twenty. By making fitness simple to access and easy to adjust, Aaptiv helps employees build routines they can actually stick to.
Learn more about Aaptiv employee fitness and wellness solutions.
