Thought Succession’s Logan Roy was a daunting character? Brian Cox is now the world’s scariest boss. Sports brand, ASICS, has enlisted Cox to deliver a frightening message. Your office desk is a mental health killer.
ASICS’ global State of Mind study shows that our mental state starts to decline after only two hours of continuous desk-based working, with stress levels rising significantly after four hours.
Brian Cox commented, “I’ve played some pretty intimidating characters in my time but who would have thought a desk could be scarier? It’s great to see ASICS try and do something about this and encourage people to support their mental health through exercise. As I say in the film, run, jump, roller skate. I don’t care. Just move for your mind.”
The PSA launches ahead of World Mental Health Day on October 10. ASICS’ global State of Mind study, involved 26,000 participants, across 22 markets including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, UAE, the UK and the US.
It revealed a strong connection between sedentary behaviour and mental wellbeing with State of Mind scores declining the longer individuals remain inactive1 (Australians who are sedentary for 10 to 12 hours a day reported a significantly lower State of Mind score of 45/100 versus those who were sedentary for only 4 to 6 hours a day 63/100).
Further research into desk-based working found that after just two hours of continuous desk work State of Mind scores begin to drop and stress levels rise. After four hours of uninterrupted desk time, workers’ stress levels increased significantly by 18%. However, a new Desk Break experiment shows that just 15 minutes of movement can help to reverse the effects.
The Desk Break experiment, overseen by Dr Brendon Stubbs from King’s College London, found that when office workers added just 15 minutes of movement into their working day, their mental state improved by 22.5% with participants’ overall State of Mind scores increasing from 62/100 to 76/100. The experiment showed that taking a daily Desk Break for just one week lowered stress levels by 14.7%, boosted productivity by 33.2% and improved focus by 28.6%. Participants reported feeling 33.3% more relaxed and 28.6% more calm and resilient. 79.2% of participants said they would be more loyal to their employers if offered regular movement breaks.
Tara Haubert, ASICS Oceania’s general manager of people and culture, stated, “At ASICS Oceania, the support office team is encouraged to maximise its ongoing Moments That Matter policy, allowing team members to manage their time, priorities and outcomes in a way that suits their individual needs and those of the team around them. Some opt for longer lunch breaks, earlier or later starts, or split ‘shifts’ to ensure they incorporate movement into their working days. Whether opting for a free lunch-time personal training session, game of ping-pong, run club, or team yoga session, the ASICS team are encouraged to move in a way that feels best for them, ensuring they feel the mental benefits in both their personal and professional lives.”
On World Mental Health Day, ASICS is inviting office workers to join the #DeskBreak movement and feel the mental benefits. Office workers who are able to take a 15-minute Desk Break* are encouraged to share an image of their empty desk, with images shared raising funds for mental health charities around the world.
Mark Brunton, manager director at ASICS Oceania, commented, “At ASICS, we champion the power of movement, not just for the body, but also for the mind. It’s why we’re called ASICS – an acronym for the Latin ‘Anima Sana in Corpore Sano’ or ‘Sound Mind in a Sound Body’. Our global study revealed that the hours spent at your desk for hours on end are having a real and scary impact on our minds. That’s why we wanted to deliver a powerful message from the world’s scariest boss to inspire people to move their minds.
“We hope to encourage office workers around the world to move and feel the mental benefits. We look forward to seeing the empty desk images on World Mental Health Day.”
