10 Ways to Build Teamwork — and Muscle — in the Office

Teamwork is essential to any workplace having a productive, happy and unified environment. (If you’ve ever worked in a place without it, you sooo know how true that is!) And couple that teamwork with some fitness, and you’ve really got a win-win! We recently got these 10 tips on how to build teamwork and boost fitness from Shana Schneider, fitness expert and founder of FITWEEK, and had to share them for Work It Week! After all, you probably spend more time with your co-workers than anyone else — so you might as well make them fitness buds, too …

10 Ways to Build Teamwork — and Muscle! — in the Workplace

1. Conduct a group staff meeting standing up. You’ll be surprised how much more engaged people are in the meeting; there’s no way to hide behind a laptop or slouch to check your phone either!

2. Replace the birthday cake celebration with strawberries and cream — and have everyone in the office participate in whipping the cream! It doesn’t take nearly as long as you think, and this also gives people the option to just eat the fruit or both and more easily control the quantity!

3. Before you press that send button, consider if it could easily be answered in person. Designate one day a week where you and your colleagues agree to walk over to the other’s desk to talk in person rather than sending that email.

4. Put one of those random heavy paperweights to good use and designate it as the office hand weight. Start the workout chain by doing 3 sets of 12 bicep curls, and then pass it on to the next person. See how many times you can circulate it throughout the office.

5. If your office goes on retreat, make one of the sessions a fitness activity. You could bring in a fitness instructor and do a group Zumba class or a yoga class. Just have everyone promise not to take photos!

6. Schedule a “Walk Talk” with your colleagues. Pick a project you’re working on and use the time to brainstorm and throw out different ideas to move the project forward. Turns out that walking can help you be more creative, too!

7. Really get a team together. If your company offers any wellness activities or programs, create an office team and participate together.

8. Put up a sign on the elevator encouraging everyone to take the stairs if they can. It’ll be good for you and the environment.

9. Whenever someone comes into your office or to your desk, stand up to talk with them. Take the time to stretch those legs and avoid the awkward eye contact by having to look up at them from your chair.

10. Post this series of easy exercises on the office microwave or water cooler: “If you’re reading this, then try one of the following exercises while you’re waiting: balance on one foot for 30-seconds or do 10 to 20 calf raises or do 10 to 20 leg lifts to the side.”

Number 10 is totally our favorite. Love it! Does your workplace build teamwork and encourage you to be fitter? —Jenn