Hit a Hump?
Don’t Let It Slow You Down!
We’ve reached the halfway point of the BeUpstanding program, a time when motivation often dips, and you may start to feel the natural slowdown in momentum.
It’s completely normal to feel like you’re losing steam, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop!
Weeks 4 and 7 are designed to keep things fresh and help you push through the mid-program hump by introducing new moves and strategies.
But what makes these messages effective?
It’s all down to the behavioural change theories that shape them, ensuring that the program is based on evidence and proven strategies to combat these hurdles.
Let’s break down how this messaging works, using two key frameworks: the Capacity, Opportunity. Motivation (COM-B) model and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). These theories explain why we behave the way we do and how to change that behaviour.
Capability
As we hit the mid-program stage, it’s crucial to focus on the ability to maintain momentum and avoid slipping back into old habits. One of the biggest challenges at this point is being aware of how often you’re sitting and standing. Messages like “Identify your danger zones” encourage workers to actively self-monitor their behaviour, helping them pinpoint where they might be falling back into sedentary patterns. This strategy is supported by the TDF, which highlights behaviour regulation as a key factor in maintaining change and taking action.
The program also encourages workers to develop novel strategies to keep moving. This is where knowledge comes into play—understanding that small changes like standing during meetings or using prompts to remind you to stand can make a big difference. By practising these strategies (a technique called behavioural rehearsal) and swapping out sitting with standing (known as behaviour substitution), workers can form new habits to combat the monotony that often sets in by this point.
Opportunity
A key aspect of weeks 4 and 7 is the focus on making sure workers can adapt their sitting and standing habits to different environments. With many people working from home, the lines between work and personal space can blur, making it harder to maintain healthy movement habits.
The messaging during these weeks prompts workers to think about how they can apply strategies to different contexts. This addresses the TDF domain of environmental context and resources, encouraging workers to consider the physical and social factors that impact their behaviour. By using reminders and action planning, workers are better equipped to overcome environmental challenges and maintain their progress.
Motivation
Maintaining motivation is one of the biggest hurdles as the program progresses. Weeks 4 and 7 focus heavily on this by reinforcing workers belief that they can continue to break up sitting time. Messages like “Push through and keep moving” and “We’ve made it halfway!” encourage workers to believe in their ability to succeed, targeting the TDF domain of beliefs about capabilities.
The program also acknowledges that self-discipline is crucial at this stage. Techniques like habit formation, verbal persuasion about capability, and mental rehearsal of successful performance are employed to reinforce motivation. By encouraging workers to visualise their success and focus on small wins, the messaging helps them stay committed to breaking up sitting time.
Further, the messages guide workers to move from just thinking about reducing sitting to actively committing to it. This targets intention, an important aspect of motivation, and uses action planning to help workers solidify their plans for staying active.
How Theory Supports the Messaging
By focusing on Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation, the messaging of weeks 4 and 7 of BeUpstanding target three of the Behaviour Change Wheel’s (BCW) key intervention functions:
- Education: Providing information on self-monitoring and strategies to break up sitting.
- Enablement: Offering tools and ideas for adapting standing and movement habits across different contexts.
- Persuasion: Reinforcing workers belief in their ability to succeed and encouraging them to keep moving.
These functions are delivered through Communication/Marketing and Environmental/Social planning, using the channels of emails, posters, and videos to keep workers engaged and on track.
By combining theory with practical strategies, BeUpstanding messaging helps workers push through mid-program hurdles, maintain motivation, and continue making progress toward a healthier, more active work life.
So, let’s identify our danger zones and plan our route forward!
This blog was written by Sophie Caruana as part of a fourth-year Psychology placement with the BeUpstanding team.