Revolutionizing Halftime

Hello everyone. I'm Makoto Okumura.
Now, this edition of Office Po takes a slightly different approach than previous columns. We're joined again by Mr. Sato and Mr. Nitta from Body Metrics Japan. This time, while introducing their activities, we'll explore the potential of Office Po.

■Sports Enter an Era of Winning Through Science

If you participate in sports, you're probably aware that recent scientific advances have led to the introduction of increasingly efficient and effective methods.
The more elite the team, the more these methods are being adopted.
However, on the other hand, while it's not exactly a gap, there are many teams that haven't adopted these methods due to various circumstances.
In such circumstances, how is halftime being spent?

■BODYMETRIX Revolutionizes Halftime

Now, a common sight during halftime. Especially for typical teams, it's often like this!?

The reality is that for teams with limited players, trainers, and coaches, there's a hurdle to implementing methods or systems that make the most of the limited halftime break efficiently and effectively.
After the first half, whether winning or losing, the players rest their bodies to prepare for the second half while keeping their spirits high. Yet, it's often the case that they still struggle to perform as intended in the second half.

Amidst this, a potential new savior for halftime has emerged.
Its name is BODYMETRIX.
The Keio High School Athletic Association Soccer Club brought this "unseen machine" onto the field, introducing a new stretching routine that goes beyond simple rest for the players.

Thanks to this machine, the team had no players suffer cramps in the second half, won the regional tournament, and achieved the remarkable feat of qualifying for the national tournament at Hanazono.
BODYMETRIX truly revolutionized halftime.

■Is your brain getting tired from daily work?

Now, what about office work?
With strong demands to improve work quality and efficiency, many may be working nonstop from morning till night. So, just as your legs cramp up during a physical match, doesn't your brain cramp up when you keep pushing it constantly? Of course, I don't think the same physical phenomenon occurs. However, if you experience a decline in thinking ability, a drop in concentration, or various other functional declines, isn't that essentially the same situation as fighting a match every single day?

■Lunchtime is truly halftime. How well can you stretch your brain?

For everyone, lunch break is truly halftime. How well are you preparing during that break to get through the second half? Of course, enjoying a delicious lunch is one approach. But perhaps you could also try stretching your mind in a different way.
One such method is OfficeP.

 

This time, we actually asked about break awareness and behavior at work to about 100 Dentsu Inc. employees.

Sports-loving Dentsu Inc. employees. But how do they use their office halftime?

Hello! I'm Ami Ito.
Many Dentsu Inc. employees were dedicated athletes in their student days or remain active in club activities or corporate sports teams. Even in meetings with external partners, weekend sports talk is a surefire conversation starter.
This time, about 80% of the 100 employees who cooperated with our survey said they "like playing sports," and 60% said they "play sports at least once a week." (Tables 1 and 2) The types of sports they enjoy are diverse, ranging from conditioning activities like gym training, running, and yoga, to golf, surfing, tennis, and beach volleyball.

On the other hand, Dentsu Inc. employees are also hard workers. While some already engage in various activities to relieve office stress, those who haven't yet seem to feel that getting their bodies moving is something they want to do in the future.
When asked about desired future refresh methods in the office, high demand was expressed for "exercising during spare moments," "desk exercises," "using massage devices," and "utilizing the company gym." Current popular refresh methods include "coffee or tea" and "snacks," but it appears physical activity remains limited (Table 3). Dentsu Inc.'s Office Po practice is still developing—stay tuned!

Some employees are already utilizing company half-time breaks to practice Officepo, so here are a few examples:

"I hardly ever sit in my chair. I move my computer to the counter and work standing up." (Male, 30s)
"I sit on a balance ball while working." (Male, 20s)
"I keep a bamboo foot roller at my feet and work while resting my feet on it." (Female, 30s)
"I rotate my neck and ankles, and lightly massage the back of my knees and neck lymph nodes." (Woman in her 20s)
"Maeken exercises!" (Man in his 30s)

Everyone seems to be incorporating little tricks to get through the hard work.
That said, some share opinions like : "I do stretches, but it's embarrassing to do them at my desk, so I sneak them in at the smoking area." (40s, female) If moving your body during breaks becomes more commonplace, office workers' performance could see a significant boost.