BeUpstanding™ Blog

October 2023

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Showing all posts made in the month of October 2023.

Turning that ‘why’ into ACTION

Key resources

If you had a look at our previous post about Finding Your ‘Why’ for reducing your sedentary time at work, you will have seen a bunch of questions asking you about why this change is important to you. In this blog, we’re picking up from that last question – what comes next? ­– and helping you to move from contemplating the ‘why’, to seeing your goals in action. We’ll do this by filling the G.A.P. – using Goal setting, Action planning and Progress evaluation. We have applied some research on goal-setting (explained here) to provide you with some questions that follow this framework. GOAL SETTING The focus here is on identifying where you are now and where you want to be. If there is a gap there, we’re working out what needs to happen to help bridge that gap. Think about where you’re at right now with your sedentary time at work. How do you feel when you think about your current physical activity at work? Next, think about where you want to be with your sedentary time at work. How would you like your physical activity to look throughout your workday? Is there a difference or a gap between where your…

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Optimising working from home – for you and your employer

Latest evidence

Easy traps to fall into Working from home (WFH) became a necessity during the covid pandemic and has persisted since, being the preferred option for many. Previous research on the effects of work relocation to the home environment has demonstrated an increase in sitting time and reduced physical activity for WFH workers1. WFH workers spend more time sedentary, with more bouts of sedentary behaviour (SB) >30 mins per day, and less steps/day than in-office employees2. It is well established that high levels of SB are associated with increased rates of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and all-cause mortality, as well mental health conditions like depression and anxiety3. Sedentary behaviour, and the mental health effects associated, both indirectly and directly reduce work performance and employee productivity3. Where does BeUpstanding come in? Programs like BeUpstanding aim to support workers to be less sedentary and increase their movement through raising awareness and creating a culture where these behaviours are the norm. Research indicates that for desk-based workplaces, approximately 75% of the working day is spent sitting2. For many, office work constitutes a significant portion of their week, this accumulates to a lot of sedentary time. Studies like the Stand More AT (SMArT) Work…

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Why a trip to the park may be your new best friend

Latest evidence

It’s spring-time in Australia, which means more time outdoors. More picnics, more sunset walks, more swooping magpies… Despite the need for anti-histamines and straw-riddled helmets, spring in Australia offers warmth, greenery and beauty that sometimes gets lost among the long winter months of the southern states. So, what if we told you that these green environments not only offer us a pleasing scenery, but also offer a green light for our mental health and wellbeing? Research has suggested that exercise in outdoor green environments has a more positive effect on our mental health than exercising in outdoor urban environments, like a city or town. In fact, time spent in nature, even without the exercise can do us some good. One study found that those who spent over 120 minutes of their week in nature had consistently greater levels of health and wellbeing than those spending under 120 minutes of their week in nature. And this applied across multiple frequencies – whether that be spread out across the week or 120 minutes all at once. It really wasn’t a case of “more is more”, because the benefits peaked around the 120 minute mark, before starting to drop off again. This brings…

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Preventing burnout – UQ medical students aiming to expand research on tools at your disposal

Latest evidence

Burnout: a pervasive and damaging condition Burnout is more than a trivial term to describe how you feel on Friday afternoon. In fact, a growing body of research suggests it is a chronic constellation of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced sense of accomplishment1. Importantly, burnout does not discriminate, and can affect people in all professions. Signs and symptoms of burnout: 2,3 Emotional symptoms Physical symptoms Behavioural signs Helplessness Lack of energy / fatigue Feeling negative or critical about your job Cynicism Change in sleep habits Irritability with colleagues or clients Self-doubt Unexplained physical discomfort such as headaches or bowel issues Reduced productivity Reduced satisfaction Change in appetites Using food, drugs or alcohol to cope Detachment Frequent illness Procrastination Loss of motivation Withdrawal or isolation Is it really that big of a problem? Due to multifactorial components and subjectivity of diagnostic criteria, it is difficult to accurately state how common burnout is in the general working population. Some estimates range up to 20%, but this is dependent on the defined cut off for a burnout diagnosis4. A 2020 report found a rate of burnout in medical physicians of around 43% 4. While burnout rates across various healthcare profession and medical…

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