Beginning late 2014, a group of passionate Camp Fire employees came together to form the Blue Zones Project Workgroup. The purpose? To inspire and empower Camp Fire staff to participate in workplace wellness opportunities and experiences. The vision? To create a healthier, happier, more productive workplace.
What does it mean to be a Blue Zones Approved Worksite?
Blue Zones Project is partnering with employers across Fort Worth to create healthier work environments and empowering employees to be happier, healthier and more productive. The Blue Zones Worksite Pledge promotes evidence-based actions and lifestyle principles to create healthier work environments for employees. Benefits to employers include increased productivity and a potential savings in healthcare costs.
Check out what our employees have to say about the benefits of the Blue Zones Project:
I’m grateful to work for an organization that embraces the Blue Zones principals, like downshift, where I can meditate at work. I meditate because it helps me to self-regulate and destress. During meditation the brain is allowed rest time without overthinking all the time and, in a way, it pushes the restart button. I decided to offer it at work because I could tell our employees were overstressed. After meditating, we noticed we were more productive and focused, so it helped our work life as well as mental health. Every time I offer it at work everyone present always comments on how much more relaxed they feel!
-Prerna Richards
Desk jobs are more often the norm these days and I, of course, have one. Even an active person has trouble remembering to get up every once in a while and move. I have always tried to walk to someone’s office rather than calling them on the phone and now I really have a reason to do so. I hung a sign next to my door to remind me to take micro breaks more often and keep my blood flowing. Blue Zones has helped me keep that a priority.
-Erin McDonald
Since I have been involved in the Blue Zones Project through Camp Fire, one of the benefits I’ve received is the newsletters with healthy living information. From one of these articles, I learned about Dr. John McDougall’s message concerning healthy eating, and I purchased two of his books. While all diet books profess their slant on the best eating options, these books relate you as a person and how what you eat affects weight loss or gain. His books follow the Blue Zones foundation of why certain cultures are healthier and live longer based on their food choices. Blue Zones has helped me to realize that it isn’t about the best diet or best exercise program, it is about food choices and having an active lifestyle. An active lifestyle doesn’t mean you exercise 3 times a week, it means you accept 1 or more of the Power 9 options.
-Susanne Brown
I tried yoga a few times in college and hated it, but decided to give it another try during a Blue Zones Yoga Challenge at Camp Fire. After a few weeks, I’d fallen in love. I never thought I would be the person waking up for 6am yoga, but now I can’t live without it. The Blue Zones Project helped me find an activity that worked for me, and with my yoga practice I have a healthier mind, body, and spirit. My Power 9 helps me downshift – and I found my right tribe at my yoga studio!
-Paige Wilson
