Faculty & Staff Movement Break Challenge
Brought to you by UBC Okanagan Human Resources and Move UBC.
The Move UBC Movement Break Challenge is an engaging and inclusive way to break up stationary time for Faculty and Staff! Small changes can have a big impact when it comes to reducing sedentary (or stationary) behaviour and increasing physical activity. This challenge invites you to integrate more movement into your day, any way you can, to increase your faculty/department/unit’s total movement breaks and impact! The best part? There are some great prizes and its free to participate! Let’s get our campus community moving more.
Congratulations to all who participated in last year’s 2025 Movement Break Challenge. Together, 287 movement breaks were reported by 21 individual’s from 11 units/departments, resulting in 4088 engagements throughout the month of February.
How it works
Open to all UBCO Staff and Faculty to participate from February 1 – 28. You just need to count the number of people (including yourself) that are impacted by the movement breaks that you initiate and report it using the link above!
- Any movement breaks, solo or with other people = 1 entry
- Request a live movement break with the Move U Crew = 5 bonus entries. Learn more
Enter your entries daily, weekly or at the end of the month. Choose the option that works for you. This Fillable Movement Tracker is available to make tracking easier! All entries must be submitted by March 3 at 12 pm PST.
Prizes
Random prize draws for weekly participation (only one entry per person per week for the draw).
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- Weekly prize draws will be: February 10, 17, 24 & March 3
- To be included in the draw, you must submit your numbers at least once to the Qualtrics link above before noon on Friday.
Top 3 individuals who report the most movement breaks will receive one of the following prizes (first place will pick their prize first, then second place):
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- Fitbit
- Hydration pack
- Foot bath and massager
The top Faculty and Staff “Movement Break Champion’s” will each receive a certificate and prize for impacting the most people during February!
Movement Break Ideas
Other Resources:
- Fitting movement into your day
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation Script
- Other Movement Ideas:
- Transition meetings to be ‘walking meetings’
- Sit on a ball chair
- Commute to work at home – go for a walk/bike ride prior to and after work
Selected references and measures
Active Living Research. (2013). Research brief: Building evidence to prevent childhood obesity and support active communities. Retrieved from https://activelivingresearch.org/sites/activelivingresearch.sdsc.edu/files/ALR_Brief_ActivityBreaks_Feb2013.pdf
Gao W, Sanna M, Chen Y, Tsai M, Wen C. (2024). Occupational Sitting Time, Leisure Physical Activity, and All-Cause and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality. JAMA Network Open, 7(1). DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.50680
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2010). The association between school-based physical activity, including physical education, and academic performance. Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/health_and_academics/pdf/pa-pe_paper.pdf
Felez-Nobrega, M., Hillman, C. H., Dowd, K. P., Cirera, E., & Puig-Ribera. A. (2018). ActivPALTM determined sedentary behaviour, physical activity and academic achievement in college students. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(20), 2311-2316, DOI: 10.1080/02640414.2018.1451212 .
Powell, K. E., Paluch, A. E., and Blair, S. N. (2011). Physical activity for health: What kind? How much? How intense? On top of what?. Public Health, 32(1), 349.
Taylor, W. C., King, K. E., Shegog, R., Paxton, R. J., Evans-Hudnall, G. L., Rempel, D. M., … & Yancey, A. K. (2013). Booster Breaks in the workplace: participants’ perspectives on health-promoting work breaks. Health Education Research, 28(3), 414-425.
For further information and questions please contact physicalactivity.ok@ubc.ca
