Have you spotted wall bars, an exercise stick, or a table football game on campus? Perhaps you have already tried a few resistance band exercises or played a round of Subsoccer with a friend?
Especially for office workers and students, movement breaks are one of the easiest ways to improve well-being without setting aside time for a separate workout. Small, regular breaks are often more effective than taking one long break during the day. There is no right or wrong way to take a movement break. Any movement of the body, or even a single body part, is beneficial. Just a few minutes of regular activity can provide significant benefits, such as:
- Reducing neck, shoulder, and back discomfort
- Improving alertness and concentration
- Preventing the negative effects of prolonged sitting
- Increasing productivity in work and studies
- Reducing stress
- Improving mood
A simple guideline is to stand up and move for 1 to 3 minutes at least once every hour. Movement break can be for example:
- Shoulder rolls
- Neck stretches
- Calf raises
- Squats
- Shaking out the body
- Walking up and down stairs
- Taking a short walk in the hallway or outdoors
As you can see, movement breaks do not necessarily require a dedicated space or equipment. However, as a Physically Active University Community, we want to highlight the importance of movement breaks and encourage them through practical initiatives. The campus activation spots, complete with exercise instructions, are one such initiative. The activation spots include equipment such as wall bars/pull-up bars, resistance bands, exercise sticks, gym balls, as well as Subsoccer (seated football) and table football games. You can find activation spots in the common areas of all campuses within the Tampere University community. You can view the locations and available equipment of the activation spots on each campus on the SportUni website:
Activation spots in campuses | SportUni | Tampere Universities
In collaboration with SportUni, Facility Services, the Campus Development Team, Communications, and SYK, we continuously work to develop campus environments that support physical activity and regular movement breaks. Current projects include for example campus walking routes and stair-use encouragement initiatives.
Try the activation spots, or simply get moving in your office, meeting room, classroom, hallway, or outdoors!
Moving for Work Ability Now is a joint work ability promotion theme week organized by Liikkuva Opiskelu (Active Campus) and its partners, taking place from 28 September to 2 October 2026. Throughout the week, tips and practical tools for improving work ability and well-being will be shared.