People are finding creative ways to participate in wellness programs without losing productivity at work. But is that a good thing?

A report in Medical News Today found that about 10% of people who use treadmills (either onsite at their jobs or at a gym) do work-related activities — such as making business calls or checking work E-mail — during their workouts.

I’ve noticed the same thing at the office where I work. We have an onsite fitness room, where my co-workers often take work materials to proofread as they pedal an exercise bike or walk on a treadmill. While I have never done that, I have taken work materials along during a long walk.

On the flip side, it’s also possible to exercise while sitting at your computer or doing other work actitivities.

But some experts say that this sort of multi-tasking isn’t necessarily something employers should encourage. It can serve to increase the risk of injury during exercise and also increase the stress exercise is supposed to relieve.

Of course, these experts aren’t balancing the demands of deadlines, meetings and home life with the need to create a little time to exercise — nor do they offer practical solutions other than platitudes such as “work smarter, not harder.” As a matter of fact, done properly, I’d argue that recognizing the inter-connected relationship between work and wellness goals is a step towards accomplishing both.