Walk at Work Step Count Challenge
YOUR TOP TIPS
Getting to Work
I normally get two buses to work - but instead of going straight to the second
bus stop, I now walk down the road for 5/6 bus stops. Adds a fair few hundred
steps. Graham Robinson, Scottish Government
Instead of waiting at home to be picked up for work start walking towards the
person who is giving you a lift. Linda Stark
I leave home 10 minutes earlier in the morning and take alternative routes to
the rail station. I've also stopped standing on the station platform in the
morning, I stroll up and down the platform (keeping a safe distance from the
edge) until the train comes. Jim Nicol, First ScotRail
If you're a public transport commuter like me take advantage of the stairs!
There are 87 steps in Glasgow Central station from low level to upper level
and I've been going up and down them every day! I find that using public
transport increases my step count as I have to walk further to the train station
or bus stop, perhaps car drivers could try getting the train to work occasionally
and may notice a difference in step count. Carol Wright
At Work
We don't have a photocopier in our work area, therefore normally
photocopying is done in an area where you can't take your other work.
Therefore I started marching and then walking around the room.
To help keep up our step counts at Dunfermline Carnegie Library, we are
putting our returned books at the opposite side of the library to where they are
actually shelved. This means we have to walk much further to put the books
away (see photo)! Joanna Higgins, Fife Council
I managed to clock up just over a thousand steps in the time it took the
photocopier to do 100 copies; don't know if that means that the photocopier is
really slow and inefficient. Sue Kydd, NHS GGC, Vale of Leven Hospital
Get a reliable walking buddy for lunchtime. You will not want to let each other
down, motivate each other and be more likely to stretch your legs in
lunchtime, particularly in the busier work days or poorer weather. Plan
different routes for each day, if you can. Stewart A Barr, First ScotRail Limited
My top tip is to have only one waste paper bin in the office and get up and
walk to it ….don't have one at each desk. Better for you and better for the
domestic staff. Donna McColl, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
When you are literally just having a think about something, have a walk
around rather than sit at your desk and waste any opportunity for steps. Elaine
Marsh
When going out to buy a lunchtime sandwich, use the opportunity to walk a
little further. I walked up to the next street and round an extra block to the
sandwich shop. It's easy. Irene
How about creating an exercise routine for your office and get others to
participate as well. For example:
Mondays - Park your car further away from your office or take the bus.(This
has fairly upped our totals)
Tuesdays - Lunch time walk either to the local park or around the office block
a couple of times.
Wednesdays - Stairs only day....no lifts.
Thursday - Have a simple exercise class at lunchtime for 10 minutes (we are
thinking Hula Hoops!)
Friday - Have a treat - walk to the canteen or shop nearby for a Friday treat
for the team.
Pauline Mcewan
Walk steadily. On stairs take one step at a time. Francis Brewis, Scottish
Government
We have a lift in one of our offices which we usually use for deliveries or when
carrying multiple/heavy things. Instead of taking the lift I just put the items in
the lift and then use the stairs and then just call the lift up when am on the
floor.
So simply put even if you have to use a lift take the stairs; just put the items in
the lift, take the stairs and call them up when you get to your floor. Chato
Mashimango, Clydebank Housing Association Ltd
We’re customer service telephony agents and we really are going the extra
mile for our customers!! Rather than sit all day we’re moving and stepping
while answering enquiries, it’s a talking point with our colleagues who have
been encouraging us all the way. Keep the challenges coming!! Laura Paterson,
Job Centre Plus
Family Time
Every step counts: map your daily step count on a map this way you can
relate to friends and family how far you have walked. Ethel-May Abel, Glasgow
City Council
Involve the kids and make them walk with you - maybe walk to school instead
of driving them to the school gates. Jo Burton
Have Fun! I was out with my cousins children at the weekend and we played
tig, rounders and curby - what a laugh and I didn't even realise I was keeping
fit! Jacqueline Norval, Glasgow City Council
Take the dog an extra walk or change your route to a longer one. Amanda
Kelso
Get the whole family involved, buy them pedometers and set a home
challenge this encourages you to walk that little extra while enjoying the
company of your loved ones, they also get active too especially the kids who
think it’s a great game. Joanne England, NHS Fife
I take my granddaughter out for a walk 3 or 4 times a week, gives me exercise
and gives her fresh air, as she is only 4 months old.
Stewart, Shin-Etsu Handotai
Waiting Time
Mine is basically this: whenever you are waiting for something, walk some
steps, or do some stepping dance moves e.g. when you are waiting for the
kettle to boil at work, walk up and down your office, or waiting for something to
come out of the microwave at home, do some salsa dancing – the basic
mambo step in salsa is just a forward/backward step with extra hip shimmy!
It’s just adding some steps when you wouldn’t normally. I’ve managed nearly
15k steps a day over the weekend doing this. Judy Hunter, Glasgow City Council
‘The Big Shop’
I was amazed at the amount of steps I did just walking around ASDA, I
clocked up over 9,000 doing my weekly shop and that was before I went out
for my planned walk that day. Anything that you can incorporate into your
daily routine will become a 'habit' and therefore a sustainable legacy long after
the 'novelty' of the organised challenge has finished. Heather Sloan
My idea for a walking tip would be to offer to go to the shops for family
members or elderly relatives/neighbours. Scott McCaskell, Scottish Government
Look out a backpack and walk to the shops. Not only will you increase your
step count but you’ll save money, as you’ll only be able to buy what you can
carry! Sandra Reid, Scottish Government
Around the House
When doing your ironing after ever item that you iron instead of having a pile
close by make your pile in another room or hang up right away, going back
and forward will be good for the pedometer (may take you longer to do the
ironing mind you). Heather Rae, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
I found a way of upping my steps this weekend. I did some weeding in the
garden yesterday, and my garden has a lot of weeds, but left the brown
wheelie bin at the edge of the garden. So, every time I had a pile of weeds to
throw in, I had to walk to the bin and back. Lord knows how many times I must
have done that but I felt like I'd walked all day. I was totally sick and tired of it
at the end and had a slightly sore back, but I walked about 16,000 steps.
Catharine Idle, Paths for All
Do you have a favourite trashy TV show which you don’t really need to pay
much attention too to watch?
If so, why not walk round your living room, or if you have one, jump on your
running machine whilst it’s on and plug away at those steps. A brisk walk
during a ½ hour of Come Dine With Me, can get you a decent number of
steps and if you don’t forward through the adverts, you can count some more.
Jacqui Milne, Aker Solutions
If you are tidying up at home or at work, don't bundle up a few jobs at once,
walk briskly back and forth to complete your tidying.
Need to go to the post office and the corner shop? Make two separate, brisk
journeys instead of one. Gail Stirling, Dundee City Council
Dancing, and I use the term loosely, whilst standing at the kitchen sink doing
the dishes. Moving from foot to foot, again, a little extra exercise and keeps
the step count up. Every little helps! Pauline, Inverclyde Council
Leisure Time
I’ve bought a book of local walks and have planned where I will enjoy walking
most. These are coastal paths with amazing scenery. Alice MacGillivray
Go night walking! Get a head torch and a friend (also some refreshments
might be advisable) and off you go. You can clock up thousands of steps
going for a 2 hour walk in the woods/along the cycle path etc. Sally-Ann Mair,
EctoPharma Ltd
Don't sit down in front of the TV once you've had your tea as invariably you
won't move for the rest of the night. Try and go for a walk instead then on
your return you feel you've earned the rest. Caroline Shaw, Inverclyde Council
At weekends, try and plan a minimum of a dedicated walk, if only around local
park, river or canal bank, or some other specific destination. If you plan this in
to your weekend then it can easily be done no matter how busy your weekend
is. If you can, set a time each day to do this and plan the rest of your day
around it. Steven Daire, NHS Health Scotland
Get Motivated
I’m a big fan of “Infographics” and came across this which I thought you might
like to share with our fellow walkers. Edmund McKay, East Renfrewshire Council
Our team Road Runners are raising money for McMillen charity as they are
doing a smashing job of supporting one of our walker’s family members at the
moment. It is motivation for us to show support to one of our colleagues and
keeping fit at the same time. So our top tip would be to look at something
close to your teams’ heart and pick a charity to motivate you. Coreen
McKechnie, Glasgow NHS
I’ve joined a regular exercise class – Boot Camp – at Bellahouston Sports
Centre in Glasgow, and go three times a week. What with all the running,
exercises and what not, I now easily reach 10,000 steps on the days that I go.
Not something I’ve done for more than a decade or so. Plus it’s fun and I’m
improving my fitness. Dr Jeremy Bass, Renewable Energy Systems Ltd
Sign up for a short (or long) run like a 5k within the next 6 weeks (details of all
races can be found on the Scottish Athletic website then all the steps you are
putting into your training will increase your total as well as the actual steps on
the day of the race. Michelle Campbell, Transport Scotland
If I’m walking on my own, I always use my ipod to keep the momentum going.
Those albums for running that you can get in the shops are also perfect for
walking too. Jessica Livingstone, Shell
Socialising
Our tip for the weekend was that we were attending the Wedding Reception of
a colleague so we arranged to get the table furthest from the bar and agreed
to dance as many times as possible to increase our steps whilst still enjoying
the night. Raymond Stark, Glasgow City Council
Take your pedometer with you when you go clubbing at the weekend! Grainne
Lennon, Scottish Government