Staying in doesn't have to mean staying still

We've launched a special edition of our Step Count Challenge for teams of workmates to keep them moving and motivated while at home and to keep them connected with each other in a fun way throughout May.

Our 2020 spring Step Count Challenge starts on Monday, 4 May and invites five workmates to get together as a virtual team to encourage and support each other to move more in any way they can.

Home-based activities like gardening, housework, kitchen dancing and workouts with the kids can all be tracked and recorded on a new and improved Step Count Challenge website as can once-a-day outdoor exercise like walking and cycling.

Colleagues can sync their activity trackers to the platform and will be motivated throughout the four weeks by our blogs, tips, emails and a calendar of 28 daily mini challenges.

The challenge is free to everyone, including homeworkers, furloughed staff and key workers, and all those taking part are in for a chance of winning hundreds of pounds worth of prizes each week.

Ian Findlay CBE, our Chief Officer said

It really is more important than ever to look after our health and wellbeing in any way we can.

We know how tough social distancing is, but staying home doesn’t have to mean staying still and being apart doesn’t mean we can’t keep connected with each other.

Our Step Count Challenge has been running twice a year for a long time now and has always been a fun way for work colleagues to motivate each other to walk more. But, in these exceptional times, we’re shifting the focus from step counting to motivating everyone to move more either at home or during outdoor exercise once a day.

In the past few weeks, more of us have been keeping in touch with friends and colleagues on things like WhatsApp, Zoom, Teams or even just texts and phone calls. So, although we're not face-to-face, there’s lots of ways to connect with each other and keep each other going.

We think this is a great opportunity for workplaces to keep moving, stay motivated, keep connected and help each other be happier and healthier.

To register your team for free, visit www.stepcount.org.uk