It’s hard to imagine that sitting can be harmful to your health, but prolonged periods of sitting have turned into a silent epidemic. Nearly 1 in 3 adults do not get enough physical activity, and the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that levels of inactivity are expected to continue rising in the coming years.

Sitting is the new smoking

A sedentary lifestyle can increase the risk of developing chronic long-term conditions like cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders (e.g., type 2 diabetes), obesity, musculoskeletal issues, mental health disorders and certain cancers. Interventions are required to reverse the dangers of prolonged inactivity, and experts increasingly agree that we need to treat this issue as we have other widespread health risks like smoking.

“We need to find innovative ways to motivate people to be more active, considering factors like age, environment, and cultural background. By making physical activity accessible, affordable, and enjoyable for all, we can significantly reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases and create a population that is healthier and more productive,” said Dr. Rüdiger Krech, Director of Health Promotion at WHO.

The solution

Adults are recommended to do a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. Don’t worry, that sounds a lot more rigorous than it is. The criteria to reach moderate-intensity when it comes to physical activity are:

• You break a sweat
• It becomes harder to breathe
• Your heart rate is elevated
• While you’ll still be able to talk, singing is more difficult

One easy way to achieve this moderate-intensity physical activity is to participate in National Walking Day, held annually on April 1. The American Heart Association established this national day to promote heart health and combat sedentary lifestyles. Many people do not consider walking to be true exercise because it’s low-intensity, low-impact and low on the excuses you can make not to do it. However, it’s a great way to push back against the effects of being sedentary.

Walking is something you can do every day—you don’t need a gym membership. If outdoor conditions are not conducive to walking, you can do it in a public space like a mall or sports arena. It requires no equipment aside from a decent pair of shoes. And walking can fit into almost anyone’s daily schedule.

Create a walking habit

Use April 1 as an opportunity to start a new walking habit. A brisk walk for 30-minutes a day, five days a week, will achieve the minimum recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity.

When creating a habit, repetition is key. Choose the same time for your walk every day, such as before work or at lunch time, and make it a non-negotiable. You can also add it to your calendar to help you stick to your commitment to walk.

Here are a few other things you can do to develop a workplace walking habit.

1. Don’t walk alone

Involving other people in your walking habit turns it from a chore into a fun activity with friends. Walking with someone else increases the likelihood that it will become a regular habit, and it’s great for motivation and accountability—you’re less likely to skip out on a walk if you think someone else is counting on you to do it. Having another person join you on your walk also ensures that you maintain the speed required to make it a moderate-intensity physical activity.

2. Break it up

If you can’t find a 30-minute block to get a walk in, break it up into smaller time frames. The recommended 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity does not have to happen all at once. Three 10-minute walks or two 15-minute walks can be just as effective as one 30-minute walk. The key to successful habit building is to eliminate the potential excuses that will stand in your way, so structure your walks in whatever way will allow them to fit into your schedule.

3. Create posters

Advertise the benefits of walking or walking groups throughout your facility—make it something to talk about. Posters could invite people to join a regularly scheduled walking group. Or they could be educational and reiterate the benefits of walking. You can also include the importance of walking in a safety meeting or toolbox talk. Incentivize people to start walking by introducing pedometers and offering prizes for step challenges.

4. Keep human factors in mind

Don’t let complacency cause people to overlook the risks of being sedentary—walking can be dangerous. After talking about the benefits of creating a walking habit (which includes reducing fatigue and stress), another toolbox topic could discuss walking safety, which will help people stay safe as they become more active. 

Building a habit of walking with purpose is one of the easiest ways for people to mitigate the effects of prolonged inactivity. Encouraging workers to get active and start walking will improve their health, and it can have all sorts of benefits in the workplace too. So incorporate walking into your safety messaging and take the first steps toward getting people moving with regularity.