How to Encourage a Co-Worker to Move...

terrier3 · ‎03-10-2010

I work with a woman a few years older than I am. She is an office assistant, and spends the day behind a desk.

She has arthritis, high BP, is on coumadin for an irregular heartbeat, and more. She had back surgery about 10 years ago. She is also at least 100 pounds overweight.

She recently has missed a lot of work due to back pain and numbness in her right leg. The doctor diagnosed sciatica and nerve damage and said she might need another operation. She's now on several pain meds. It's tough to watch her suffer. She says the only time the pain lessens is when she is standing.

I have a FitBit HR (the TSV) which has me get up and walk 250 steps if I've been doing desk work for an hour. I have tried to get her to walk with me to the kitchen to get some water...or at least stand. She sometimes does it - and says it makes her back feel better. But she often won't budge and at the end of the day she needs help to walk to her car. She once fell and it took 3 of us to get her up!!!

Is there a positive way to help?

I'm dreading Monday. It's tough to see someone suffer and not be able to do anything to help...

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

There is not much you can do if she is not willing. She has to want to change. Keep being her friend and inviting her to go get water.

pigletsmom · ‎11-21-2011

Probably tough to get her moving. Maybe your office could look into the standing desks though. I think I would have to use one of those if I had a desk job.

tansy · ‎01-02-2011

Don't laugh, @terrier3, but you might see if there are any seated exercise or yoga classes in your area and then volunteer to attend a few with her. Baby steps...

Plaid Pants2 · ‎03-14-2015

You can not make her do anything that she does not want to do.

The more that you thry to force her to do something, the more that she is going to resist.

Don't keep harping on it.

Nagging and harping won't work.

Don't try and guilt her either.

ALRATIBA · ‎07-15-2016

I'm surprised the doctor didn't send her to physical therapy.

In her condition (as you describe it) .... she should be careful about the types of exercises she does. Yoga could also cause additional problems.

VaBelle35 · ‎03-10-2010

She has to want to help herself. No one can do it for her.

All you can do is live your life and be there if she asks a question. Don't shove your fitbit in her face or make passive aggressive comments about diet and exercise.

People know what they have to do. They have to choose to do it.

===================================
QVC Shopper - 1993

# IAMTEAMWEN

Sooner · ‎03-10-2010

Leave the poor woman alone. It isn't like she doesn't know she has these problems is it? Just be nice and let her be. She obviously has issues she can't or won't cope with--and you probably don't know all the story.

jackthebear · ‎03-11-2010

you can't help her

she has to want it

its hard to watch

SeaMaiden · ‎03-10-2010

@GCR18 wrote:
There is not much you can do if she is not willing. She has to want to change. Keep being her friend and inviting her to go get water.

This is good advise. You can only help her if she wants the help. I am sure she is depressed being in pain and all. If you wanted to gift her with a fit bit type tracker, you could encourage her to start walking with you perhaps.