Leila Ahonen, Personnel and Finance Administrator for the Communications Office, arranges Tisdagsfys (Tuesday exercice), digital sessions with a focus on strength and conditioning training. Before the pandemic, she did physical workouts on campus, making Tisdagsfys something of an institution every Tuesday. Some colleagues who have left the University sill continue to participate!
What's happening at Tisdagsfys?
”We do exercises based on daily form to music, with a connection to current events. If it’s Eurovision season, we use that as a theme. If it’s International Women's Day, I choose music related to that.”
How do you get the energy?
”It gives me so much energy to meet colleagues this way – to be able to do things together. We train to become stronger, more flexible and ”more resilient” to stress. There are participants from beginners to very experienced athletes in the group. Following each person's development provides proof that what we do together produces results.”
How do you get people to continue year after year?
”I make sure anyone can participate based on their level – and we laugh a lot. In the summer we visit Brunnsviken to do some water aerobics. The sessions usually end with a joint bathing session and lunch on the jetty. Join in and you'll see!”
- If you want to join Tisdagsfys, contact Leila at: leila.ahonen@su.se
Annica Cerutti, who works as an administrator with the ULV project for foreign teachers, runs digital Kundalini Yoga with meditation most Friday mornings at 7.20.
Why did you start arranging yoga for colleagues?
”It is the feel-good factor that is my driving force. I like to share what I learn. Right now, I am training to be a Kundalini yoga teacher, and then I pass it on to my colleagues. In addition to Fridays at work, I lead cycling sessions at SATS, am a trained instructor in Core and have participated in many Soma-moves sessions, a movement training that is basically like yoga, but more dynamic.”
Why Kundalini Yoga?
”It is based entirely on the individual's own level and is good for both the mind and the body. It is not a difficult yoga, does not contain acrobatics, and is also completely non-result-oriented.”
- If you want to participate in Friday yoga, contact Annica at: annica.cerutti@su.se
Hans Rosenberg, recruitment manager at Stockholm University (responsible for the employment of senior lecturers and professors), is an outdoor person, participates in the Swedish military reserve force, and is passionate about timeless clothing fashion, hence the stylish ski style. In the winter of 2020, he skied on campus on Fridays when the opportunity arose, an activity that was open to anyone who wanted to come along.
How did you start skiing on campus?
”It was actually my boss who asked me if I could encourage my colleagues to get a bit more physically active. I used to work out at the gym at Stockholm University on Fridays, but when it closed down, I took the skis to work on some snowy Fridays and skied from A-huset to Stora Skuggan.”
Will there be more campus activity?
”Yes, that's the idea. During the ski trips, I realized what beautiful natural areas there are to visit around campus, if you get a little bit further away. If we are back on campus soon, we will get started with nature walks around campus.”
Anna Carlstedt (photographer of the ski picture), has a PhD in French, and is the faculty programme director at the Office of Human Science.
Why are you so good at encouraging each other to move at your department?
”There is a nice culture here, that existed even before the pandemic. If someone is going for a walk, he or she says "Hi, do you want to join?". It has been a terribly stressful year and we work with difficult issues, many times under heavy pressure. This means it is even more important to be extra kind and generous.”
How does such a culture arise?
”I think it's about having good managers who say "go home", "take a break" and who encourage you to use the fantastic surroundings we have on campus. Just because you take a break and go for a walk, you don’t get worse results – quite the opposite. It does not have to be that complicated.”
- If you are interested in joining Hans and Anna on nature walks on campus, contact Hans at: hans.rosenberg@su.se
Do you want to activate your colleagues?
- Contact us at redaktion@su.se and we will add you to the list of voluntary staff training activities.