Johnson Joseph’s journey at WeWork began with a single tweet.
The personal trainer was looking for an internship one summer and, on a whim, tweeted back at WeWork when it published a post calling for resumes. This was more than three years ago. The WeWork veteran is now a beloved Community Manager at the Soho West location, albeit he’s more famous around the offices as a fitness guru.
Joseph’s Fitness Bootcamps are now incredibly popular. Held at Pier 40, they are frequented by regulars and new faces alike. In the beginning, however, they were born out of a simple need to feel more energized throughout the workday.
“It started just doing stairs workouts in the office, when I grabbed four to five members to do exercises up and down the stairwell. On every flight, there was a new movement challenge, and then we repeated it on the way down,” says Joseph. “Eventually, it got too crowded, and we ended up blocking the whole stairwell.”
Joseph says he came to WeWork management with an idea to expand the workout to a more regular space and time, and was met with enthusiasm right away.
“I basically just spoke to my team, we did one trial session, and then we just ran with it,” says Joseph. The loyal following has been growing ever since.
“As a community manager, I’m always interacting with members. I’m here for their well-being—to help them grow as a person and to help them grow their business as well,” he explains. “Health is 100 percent essential to growing your startup. Getting active can be very beneficial, especially for people just starting their own companies who are often putting in 12 to 15 hours per day. Being at your desk for that long period of time is very draining.”
We sat down with Joseph to discuss his top five tips for staying healthier in the workplace. Check out the directives below to energize your mind and body for your best work yet.
![Fitness Guru Johnson Joseph’s 5 Healthy Workplace Habits]()
1. Take walking meetings
“It doesn’t always have to be in a conference room setting,” says Joseph. “Sometimes, active meetings can be even more productive.”
By moving around with a client or colleague, you can collaborate successfully while also energizing your body.
“Get outside and get some Vitamin D in your system,” says Joseph. An added plus: walking meetings require you to pay attention, both to where you’re going and what your partner is saying.
2. Get up
According to Joseph, you should get up and move around at least three times per hour. While getting work tunnel vision and sitting still for hours may feel productive, in reality, the body and mind need a break every once in a while. Instead of taking a Facebook break every 20 minutes, get up and walk around, whether it’s to get coffee, water, a snack, or just to make quick rounds around the office.
3. Mix up lunch
Joseph recommends a BYOL rather than ordering take-out every day. It’s a move that cuts down both cost and calories, since you can control the ingredients of a homemade meal.
“You should switch it up from time to time, though,” says Joseph, “to keep it fun.”
If you make a chicken salad one day, repurpose the extra ingredients into a wrap the next day. The key to keeping healthy eating enjoyable is variety. If you forget to prepare a meal in advance, Joseph recommends walking a few more blocks than usual to explore a new spot rather than defaulting to the cafe next door.
4. Get creative with your surroundings
“Sitting at a desk all day isn’t an excuse not to exercise,” says Joseph. “There’s always a way to use your surroundings. Use your desk to do incline pushups, or do leg lifts over a file cabinet — there’s a million ways to be active even just at your desk.”
The benefits of working your body as well as your mind throughout the day will be evident in your work. Getting active will feed back positively into your mindset, and energize you to do your best work.
5. Get social
“Mental health in the workplace is just as important as physical health,” says Johnson. “As a community manager, I see my job as helping to foster an all-around healthy workplace lifestyle for our members, and that includes their mood.”
Johnson encourages members to chat with each other at mealtime, or take a trip around the office to check in with workplace buddies. Getting a little human contact in can lift your spirits when you’re facing a stressful day.
“If you’re really feeling overwhelmed, call a friend,” says Joseph. “Just hearing a friendly voice can give you a real pick-me-up.”
Feeding off the energy he gets from interacting with WeWork members, Joseph has been inspired to start a business himself.
“It’s a platform that allows users to train with trainers remotely, anywhere—whether it’s an office space, a home, or if they’re traveling in a hotel,” he says.
The nascent startup, called WeHERE Fitness, is dedicated to the lessons Joseph has learned being surrounded by entrepreneurs.
“I love coming to work every day, and I’m really motivated by the energy here,” says Joseph. “Being at WeWork, it’s hard not to get inspired by the energy. People are building their futures here”.
Photo credit: Lauren Kallen