The team at Preston Russell Law in Invercargill know a thing or two about challenges.

While their everyday working life is full of them, the team have added a more social challenge to the repertoire.

Taking part in the Vodafone Workplace Challenge, a four week challenge designed to get workplaces more active, spurred them into action.

Preston Russell Law partner and Healthy Families Invercargill Leadership Group member Mike Mika said the Workplace Challenge had worked so well for the team, adding not only significant health benefits, but also lifting the collegial feeling in the workplace, that they had decided to not only take part in the challenge again this year, but also add their own regular challenges.

A regular challenge has now been set up in the offices.

Organiser Michelle Russell said the idea was initially about helping people that wanted to be involved, to lose weight, but it had grown to become more about implementing healthy lifestyle changes.

The challenges run across 10 weeks, and include a range of weekly ‘’mini challenges’’ such as cutting out snacks after dinner for a week, doing at least 30 minutes of physical activity five times a week, or no takeaways for a week.

Seventeen people had signed up for the latest challenge, which was due to finish next month, she said.

Monetary incentives had been added for extra motivation and weekly weigh ins kept people accountable for their actions, she said.

Since taking part in the Vodafone Workplace Challenge last year, Preston Russell team members had also started things such as taking daily lunchtime walks, or joining in the likes of spin classes.

The changes didn’t take a lot effort, but had made a big difference, Mike said.

‘’It was just about people realising they could be a bit healthier.’’

Caption: Some of the team from Preston Russell Law get active during a lunch break. Photo: Healthy Families Invercargill