Working out during office hours required more than I bargained for, but it was all worth it...
Anyone who knows me will tell you that I’m a bit of a health nut, and generally love leading a healthy lifestyle. In the last months, I’ve visited a few gyms looking for a deal that would fit my less-than-appealing bank balance, but none has been satisfactory. So when an email popped into my inbox inviting the company’s employees to take part in Virgin Active’s TwentyFour Challenge I was in – no questions asked.
Now, I’ll also tell you that at the moment I am in no position to take on any extra commitments. Between managing a full time job, full time studies and full time home commitments, bagging five hours of sleep per night has pretty much become a good night’s rest in my books. But potentially winning a full year’s free gym membership sounded like a deal too good to forgo and worth every extra hour I vowed to spend in the office and late nights dedicated towards my studies. Plus, the competition rules were pretty straight forward:
Easy stuff!
That’s not to say that I didn’t have any concerns. But while most people would probably be worried about making sure that they made it to every class in time, my greatest concern was the how I’d arrange my work schedule so that my work was not affected. See, the thing is I’m that colleague who experiences bouts of uneasiness every time I’m away from my desk for too long. In fact, I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed a full hour’s lunch break without thinking “how much I still have to do” – so breaking away for 1-2 hours was unimaginable. But having the support of my team was great, even my manager and boss were in on it - you could call them my very own cheerleaders. And it did help that the gym is within walking distance.
The first class was at 16h30, and I arrived at the office at my usual time. Knowing that I’d have to leave the office an hour early, I got stuck right into my work and opted to eat lunch at my desk. By the time it was 16h00, my productivity levels were just about depleted, so it made it easy to log my PC off and make my way to the gym. At first, I couldn’t get into the swing of things. My mind was caught in between wondering if I was doing the right thing (tricep dips were more of a pain on the wrists than the triceps), catching my breath and vigorously trying to wipe away the perspiration.
I’d always heard of high intensity interval training (HIIT), but hadn’t imagined what an intense, heart-pumping 30-minutes it would be. Needless to say, by the end of the session I was kaput and ready to be airlifted back home!
But because I had promised to squeeze in that extra hour of work, I had to drag myself off the floor, clean myself up and race back into the office – something I soon learnt was never going to work.
HIIT is a type of workout where you give maximum effort through quick, intense bursts of exercise followed by short recovery periods. In no time, your heart rate shoots up and stays up post your workout. What that translates to is more sweating even after your workout. So after the afternoon’s session, not only was I exhausted, but I had to cool myself down, even as I tried to wrap up the day’s work. Morning sessions weren’t any better. Because I was studying till the early hours of the morning, to get any work done in the office in the morning, I had to up my caffeine dosage.
Half way through my passport, my determination was still at its peak, but my legs could barely carry me. Jogging around the block two times a week was nothing compared to lunges, inch worms, squats, push-ups, jumping jacks and high knees all cramped into one session for 5 consecutive days. I was exhausted. But the competition had become more aggressive, and there was little time for a full recovery. Skipping two sessions in the first week gave me time to rest and I make up for lost time in the office. However, it also meant attending more classes in the second week to catch up. Fortunately, by then, my body had adjusted quite well, which meant I could push it to its very limits. Also, because I wasn’t so tired, I could also focus more at work. I had also decided to swap out the afternoon rushes back into the office, for early mornings in.
Into the second week, word had spread about who was leading, and a few days later the winner had emerged, and in true social media style, rung the alarm for everyone concerned to know…
Yes! I won the challenge and am chuffed with myself… so was my team.
Working towards a goal and the feeling that comes with inching closer to the end is a thrilling experience. At the end, I definitely felt a lot stronger, and could carry over that feeling throughout my work day. However, with that said, it’s important to find a routine that works for you. Going in guns blazing can take a toll on you, especially if you’re a beginner. Easing yourself into the process will give your body enough time to adjust to the change, while improving your performance at work.
Portia Mthembu is a writer at Careers24. She started her career in print media, writing about health and fitness, before specialising in career advice at Who’s Who SA and Careers24. Portia is currently completing her studies. On her days off, she enjoys exploring new eateries and can almost never say no to a good cup of coffee. Say hello @portia_mthembu.
