Treadmills in the Workplace?
February 6, 2008 by Marcus Grimm
Dave Pollard looks at the coming business trends from the Harvard Business Review and adds his own insight into the likelihood of their implementation. With the World Media Run just a few weeks away, this one caught our eye:
The Brain-Friendly Workplace:
We are meant to be constantly on the move, standing, walking, running,
fit. I’ve been working standing up for the last two years and it’s
improved my productivity and stamina. HBR goes a step further, saying
that treadmills in the workplace and constant movement would make us
all more productive.
I actually would go for a nice elliptical machine in the office. Costco had one for like $350.
Great for rainy days…
What a great idea! Exercise machines would be beneficial for those of us whose jobs leave us basically sedentary. Exercise reduces stress and illness, and makes for a mentally and physically healthier work force.
I think the problem is with jobs that are configured as “basically sedentary.” I’m enough of a realist to understand this isn’t likely to change soon. Many people in “sedentary” jobs aren’t sedentary if they work in private. When I freelance from home, I write in two-hour bursts, with long physical breaks of varying intensity in between.