CEO blog: the importance of movement for our mental health

As you’ve likely seen from both mainstream and social media, this week (13-19 May) is Mental Health Awareness Week, and I’m delighted that the theme this year is movement, and how we should move more for our mental health.

One of our six key priorities in our ten-year strategy here at Rise is ‘healthy minds for healthy lives’, as the role of movement and physical activity in supporting mental wellbeing is absolutely critical. 

The benefits of being physically active for mental wellbeing are often overlooked in favour of the physical wellbeing benefits. But the facts are that both our physical and mental wellbeing can benefit significantly from moving more.

Whilst we deliver a range of programmes across our workstreams that support the mental wellbeing of residents in Northumberland and Tyne & Wear, such as our work with young men in Berwick, movement doesn’t have to be part of structured programmes or sessions to support our wellbeing.

Indeed, the Mental Health Foundation is encouraging the nation to build in moments for movement throughout our normal days as part of their campaign this year.

This got me to thinking about all the ways in which we seek to support moving for our colleagues here at Rise, and the list is actually longer than I initially thought it would be!

Having a walking meeting is nothing out of the ordinary for colleagues across the team; we encourage the use of ‘time out’ entries in our Outlook calendars to enable people to get away from their screens (to walk the dog or have a stretch etc); a lunchtime walk around the Royal Quays marina close to our office is a standard practice; we have two e-bikes in the office that any member of the team can use, as well as offering a bike to work scheme to encourage and support colleagues to actively travel; and there’s also a standing desk in the office.

In addition to these day-to-day moments for movement that are built into how we work, our wonderful volunteer Health Champions who support us through our Better Health at Work Award have laid down a steps challenge to the team this May for National Walking Month, and they’re also looking at options for some Pilates sessions in the office.

Combined with trying to ensure that when we get together as a team for away days, we build some movement into the agenda (in recent memory we’ve had Crown Green Bowls, litter picks and axe throwing!) then I feel we do pretty well to facilitate movement as an important part of the work day, rather than something we should only be doing at the crack of dawn before work, or squeezing around other commitments in the evenings and weekends.

To help other employers in the region on this journey of facilitating movement into the work day, we’re excited to be launching some brand new workplace health products later this year, so keep your eyes peeled for those!

As the role of movement to maintain good mental wellbeing, it’s preventative impact as well as its restorative one, cannot be overlooked, what are you doing to build in moments for movement into your everyday, and the everyday of those around you?