If you spend most of your day in an office, it can be easy to slip into a sedentary routine. Between sitting all day, taking frequent breaks to the vending machine and enjoying donut Fridays, desk jobs can take a serious toll on your well-being. If your 9-to-5 is leaving you drained, here are seven ways to improve your health at work energy, productivity and health at work.
1. Drink Plenty of Water
Staying well-hydrated is crucial for productivity, energy and health. Water enables you to stay refreshed, alert and promotes clear thinking. It can also help keep mid-day headaches at bay. Consider buying a large water bottle to keep at your desk and refill throughout the workday.
2. Keep Your Workstation Clean
The average desk can harbor 400 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Viruses can also survive for hours — even days — on hard surfaces. Try to disinfect your workstation often to protect yourself from getting ill. Don’t forget to clean your keyboard, mouse and phone with a disinfectant wipe.
3. Maintain Good Posture
Spending eight hours in front of a computer, five days a week, can take a toll on the body. Slouching or sitting in an awkward position looks unprofessional and can place pressure on the neck, spine and shoulders.
While maintaining good posture all day requires conscious effort, sitting up straight relieves pressure from your back and spine, reduces stress, increases lung capacity, and improves circulation. Make sure you’re sitting upright at an arm’s length from the computer and adjust your chair so that your lower back is supported. This should be considered as one of the most important ways to improve your health at work.
4. Avoid Mingling With Sick Employees
Working in close quarters with colleagues every day can make you susceptible to illness. Avoid close contact with co-workers who may be sick or show symptoms of illness. Be sure to wash your hands if you’ve been near their workstation. You may even want to consider working from home to avoid getting sick or spreading infection to others if you are ill.
5. Prepare for a Snack Attack
Snacks that are stocked in the office kitchen and vending machine can add a few hundred calories to your daily diet if you’re not careful. Keep healthy snacks on hand, and you’ll be less likely to look for chips or cookies when hunger strikes. For optimum health and energy, opt for smart staples such as nuts, veggies and hummus.
Going several hours between meals can also cause your blood sugar to drop, which can make you reach for the nearest sugary treat available. Instead, try snacking every two to three hours on healthy eats to keep energy levels up and blood sugar levels steady throughout the day.
6. Limit Caffeine Intake
A good cup of java in the morning can provide energy to start the workday. However, it’s best to drink caffeinated beverages in moderation, as too much of it can increase fatigue, anxiety and digestive issues. Consider reducing your intake to one cup each morning to avoid having a caffeine crash. You can also try switching to de-caffeinated tea or chewing sugar-free gum to help curb cravings.
7. Schedule Walking Meetings
Instead of gathering around a conference table, head outdoors for a meeting. That way, you can walk while you talk. Taking a brisk walk around the office building can help get your creative juices flowing, calm your nerves and boost your mood. Getting a daily dose of vitamin D can also help reduce your risk of infectious disease by strengthening your immune system. If you can’t get outside, walk laps in the office.
There are many ways to improve your health at work and some quick and easy changes you can make in the workplace that can have a lasting impact on the betterment of your health. By following these tips and increasing your physical activity throughout the workday, you can jumpstart your workplace wellness journey.
Author bio: Dr. Myur S. Srikanth is a board-certified bariatric and cosmetic surgeon at the Center for Weight Loss Surgery. He has been performing bariatric surgery exclusively since 2000 and has performed over 3,500 weight loss surgeries. Dr. Srikanth performs nearly every operation that is currently available to treat obesity.
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Doing job in the office from 9 to 5 is difficult. Because we feel stress, headache and tire etc. But you written the very good ideas, by following these we can stay active and healthy during working hours. I think these tips will definitely work. Thanks very much.
Gurlal singh recently posted…VITAMIN B FOODS
[…] Every workplace has some kind of health risk. Offices are often fitted with chairs and desks that are not ergonomic, leading to long-term back and neck pain for employees. Other workplaces might not allow for enough breaks, causing employees to get exhausted, and leading to accidents. It’s crucial that you look out for employees’ health and introduce measures to make your workplace healthier for them. […]
I guess working at home will be the new normal now for the moment, until this pandemic is over. Thanks for the tips on staying healthy
Maintaining a correct posture in long hours is difficult!!
First of all sitting in one place for hours and hours make you sick. So sit work and take a round of a place eat something and come back it will increase your efficiency