Alex Marshall, Communications Strategist, on how the Orchestras Live team is prioritising health and wellbeing through more intentional physical activity this January.

January is here again, which means it's cold, dark and a little bit bleak with the warmth and fun of the festive period fading away.

One of our team priorities over the last year is to be more aware of our physical well-being throughout the working day. This feels more important than ever in the winter months.

We decided as a team to sign up for RED January - a month-long challenge to get active – as a way to motivate us to prioritise our physical wellbeing post-Christmas.

RED stands for Run Every Day, but you don't have to run every day. The point is to do some form of physical activity for at least 15 minutes per day in January. Our team are doing a mixture of cycling, walking and stretching and we’re logging our progress against our target on the handy RED dashboard.

For many of our team we can spend a lot of time sitting at a desk each day, and RED January is a great reminder of the benefits movement can have:

• Improved concentration and productivity: physical activity increases blood flow to the brain, resulting in better focus and cognitive function. Teams that take regular exercise breaks report higher energy levels and productivity.
• Reduced stress and anxiety: exercise helps manage cortisol levels and release endorphins, leading to better moods and lower stress. This can boost team morale and relationships.
• Increased creativity: moving the body seems to activate creative thinking. Taking a walk or doing stretches gets the blood pumping, sparking those "aha" moments that are invaluable in the workplace.
• Better sleep: physical exertion followed by recovery helps regulate sleep cycles, allowing for higher quality rest. Proper sleep maximises daytime effectiveness.

We’re looking forward to reaping the rewards of our month of movement and bouncing into February feeling revitalised, re-energised and full of creativity!

You can find out more about using RED January as motivation to make physical wellbeing a priority in 2024 and beyond on their website.