When it’s sunny outside, the last thing you want is to be tied to a desk in your office. Unfortunately, we all have to get our work done. Besides, you enjoy your career and being indoors is definitely better when it’s raining or cold. Office work isn’t necessarily the best choice if you want to stay healthy, though. Sitting down all day and staring at a screen can affect your health negatively. And that’s before you consider things like drinking coffee and eating the donuts that someone left in the staffroom. If you feel like your office life isn’t particularly healthy, try these tips for staying healthy.
Get a Comfortable Chair
Most office workers spent a large part of their day sitting down. You might move around a bit, but you usually need to be at your desk to get your work done. A good chair is vital for anyone who works in an office. You need to support your back and make sure that you’re sitting in a comfortable position. Getting a chair that’s supportive enough for you might mean some negotiating with your boss or whoever is in charge of office supplies. If your boss isn’t keen on improving everyone’s chairs, consider asking if you can bring in your own.
Take Your Breaks
When you get into the groove of doing your work, it’s not always easy to remember to stop. Sometimes it feels like you can’t afford to stop because there’s so much that you need to do. But taking breaks is essential, to give you time to refresh your mind and move around a bit too. If you take your breaks when they’re available, you can return to your desk ready to concentrate on what you need to do. Instead of wasting time procrastinating, you can stay focused while you’re working and relax when it’s break time. You can spend your break going for a walk, getting a snack, or just checking in on social media.
Stand Up and Stretch
Even with a good desk chair, sitting down all day can have negative effects on your health. It can be bad for your back and joints, and being sedentary can make you more at risk for a range of health problems. If you find yourself feeling cramped and restless at your desk, make sure you stand up and stretch now and then. Try going for a short walk, even if it’s just to the bathroom and back. You don’t have to be that person doing yoga in their cubicle. Just have a quick but satisfying stretch to re-energize and loosen up.
Pack Healthy Food
There are so many ways you can be tempted to eat convenient but less than healthy food while in the office. Unhealthy snacks and going out at lunch can lead to your work diet being less healthy than you want it to be. Fortunately, it’s not too difficult to eat more healthily while you’re at work. The best thing you can do is bring food from home. You can prepare a healthy lunch and keep healthy snacks in your desk. The hardest thing to do is resist any snacks that other people bring in, especially if you have a birthday cake tradition.
Take a Water Bottle
Drinking is always something to think about if you’re trying to be healthy. A lot of office workers survive on coffee, but it’s not great to be chugging caffeine all day. If you want to be healthier, get yourself a water bottle that you can refill and take it to work every day. There are ways to make water more exciting, such as infusing it with fruit. Or, if you want a hot drink, you might prefer to make tea instead of having coffee. You could also occasionally have fruit juice, but it’s important not to drink too much of it.
Protect Your Eyes
Staring at a screen all day can have negative effects on your vision and could give you headaches too. Another consequence that you might not be aware of is that blue light from computer screens can affect your ability to sleep. If you’re worried about your eyes at work, one possible solution is to get some blue light blocking glasses. Shop spektrumglasses.com now to find out more about them. They’re available and non-prescription or prescription glasses. Blocking out the blue light can prevent eye strain and sleeplessness. You can choose glasses that block out almost all blue light or just the most harmful light.
Get Outside at Lunch
Using your lunch break wisely is important. You could spend it sitting at your desk, eating your lunch alone. You might cross the office to talk to someone or go and sit in the break room. However, one of the best ways to use your break is to get outside. You should have enough time for a quick walk or you could just find somewhere to sit while you eat. It gives you a chance to get some fresh air, enjoy the sun (if it’s out) and perhaps get in some exercise.
Prevent Germs Spreading
Offices can be hotbeds for illness. If someone in the office has a cough or cold, you’ll be lucky if you don’t get it eventually. You can do your best to protect yourself though, and you can help by not spreading germs to everyone else. Wash your hands often, especially during the winter. Keep your immune system in good health by enjoying a diet with all the right nutrients and making sure you get enough sleep. If you do get ill, try not to go to work if you’re really sick, and keep your coughs and sneezes to yourself.
Brighten Up Your Work Environment
Your mood can make a big difference to your health at work too. Try brightening up your workplace with some personal items. Bring in a plant or two for a natural touch and make sure you have enough light to see by.
It’s not always easy to stay healthy at work, but it can be done. Make some changes to your habits for a healthier office lifestyle.
Mia Guerra
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