June Fitness Challenge

It’s interesting to see family culture seep into the workplace. With my older brother Spencer being the founder of sota clothing, and my older sister Lauren the CFO, it’s inevitable that we will bring some family dynamics to the office.

Growing up, we vacillated between being moderately and extremely competitive with each other. Our dad would instigate push-up contests during commercial breaks, and family reunions called for ping-pong tournaments with a substantial pot of cash on the line. If we weren’t playing for money, we were playing for “double-or-nothing” back-rubs. Aside from the thrill of it, competition seemed to be a primary means for relating to each other.

Fortunately for us Johnsons, the sota clothing team has embraced this competitive nature as it surfaces in the office.

This June will be our second staff fitness challenge. It’s based on a point scale that will be tallied at the end of the month. Points can be gained by lunging down the hallway, parking your car a few blocks away from work, planking at your desk, and unloading the office dishwasher. Five points are deducted from your score if you bring an unhealthy treat to share, but those points can be gained back if you bring something healthy.

The one disclaimer to this challenge is that all exercises must be done at work. Any morning or evening work-outs count for nothing. One would think that Spencer would want these exercises to happen outside of the 9am to 5pm, to optimize workday hours and productivity, but he knows that would really carve out half the fun. What we learned growing up, is that it’s best to find ways to play as you work. In playing together, we pave the way for deeper connections, creative thinking, and the kinds of laughs that make your load feel a little lighter.

With that, we want to encourage you to turn up the play in your own circles. Whether it’s a fitbit challenge, or implementing silly exercises in the workplace, consider getting this kind of momentum going and see where it takes you. If you need some ideas, feel free to borrow from our list!

1. 1 minute plank (up to 5X per day) : 1pt each
2. Walking on treadmill while work 20min: 1pts (1X per day)
3. Biking to work 1pts one way- 2 pts round trip 
4. Drinking 32oz water bottle:1 pts (5X per day)
5. Bringing in a healthy treat to share- 5 pts
   1. Brining in an unhealthy treat to share- -5 pts (i.e. baked goods, cookies, sugar)
6. Bringing a healthy lunch: 1 pts
7. Buying a healthy lunch: 1 pt
8. Unloading Dishwasher: 1 pts
9. Lunging down hallway and back: 1 pts  (5X per day)
10. Working while standing at the bar 1 hr: 1 pts (5X per day)
11. Vacuuming upright vacuum (carpeted areas): 1 pts
    1. must empty the bin at the end of vaccuming
12. Brining overflow inventory up or down stairs: 1 pt per box. (5X per day)
13. Taking out garbage at end of day: 1 pts
    1. Must put a liner back in garbage cans
14. 10 push ups: 1pt (up to X5 per day)
15. Parking your car at banners to go: 1pt
16. Yoga with Lauren (i.e. youtube) 8:30am - 1pt
17. Wall Sits 1 min- 1pt  (5X per day)
18. Jump roping- 1min- 1pt  (5X per day)
19. Moping the floors- 1pt (1 pt per day)
20. Find Muffy to earn bonus points, she’s only allowed to give out 10 throughout the month.
21. Jumping Jacks 1min- 1pt (5X per day)
22. Sizzor kicks 1min - 1pt (5X per day)
23. Holding feet 6” off ground on back (core work) 1 min- 1pt (5X per day)
24. Running an organized 5K- 1pt