Anyone who has worked in an office environment for anything more than a few months will tell you one thing - it is super easy to become unhealthy by sitting still for a long periods of time! From snacking due to boredom, not sitting correctly and ending up with aches and pains, and falling foul of desk-based lunch temptation - the office is a veritable hotbed of unhealthy habits!
The problem is, if you allow yourself to develop unhealthy work habits, it is certainly going to extend into your home life too. It’s no good snacking throughout the day, simply because it’s easy to do, and then having to run on the treadmill at the gym for hours on end to counteract it! Similarly, it’s no good sitting slouched over your desk, and then wondering why your back is hurting.
If you want to stay healthy overall, you need to make health and wellbeing a priority, even during your working hours. This encompasses a wide range of different subject areas, and it can be quite overwhelming when you first think about it. Don’t worry however, as we’ve put together a quick list to get you started towards ultimate work-based health and wellbeing!
Avoid The Deli Lunch Run
Your colleagues might be asking who wants what from the local deli over the road, but it’s time to say ‘no’! Packing your own lunch is a great way to be in control of what you’re eating, and also a great way to save cash too. Treats from the deli can be costly, and over the course of just a week, you might not realise just how much you’re spending. In addition, they’re likely to be packed with hidden calories that are contributing to your possible work-related weight gain.
Packed lunches don’t have to be boring, and you can mix up your routine by taking soup, sandwiches, even left overs from your delicious meal the night before! If you have a microwave or oven in the canteen, make use of it, and you’ll have much more control over your nutrition requirements. You’re allowed a treat, of course, but make it a once per week thing, and not every day!
Get in Some Sneaky Exercise
If you feel a little embarrassed getting up and doing your stretches in the middle of the office, you can fit in some desk-related exercises quite sneakily! Office chairs are great tools for exercise, so whilst you’re sitting, stretch out your legs, circle your ankles, and bend your knees back and forth. Stand up and move your hips from side to side (you can always say you have cramp), go for regular walks around the office, to collect something perhaps, and make sure that you roll your shoulders and move your neck from side to side on a regular basis.
These quick and easy exercises don’t require a gym ball, nobody needs to know you’re doing them, and they’ll keep your body in much better health.
Sitting in one position can be quite detrimental to your health, and it does nothing for your circulation either. By moving around as much as possible, you’re giving your eyes a break, you’re boosting your focus because you’re not staring aimlessly at the screen, waiting for new ideas to come, and you’re giving that concentration a boost too, which is wonderful for your health.
Why not ask your manager about height adjustable desks, as these have been found to be ideal for health in the workplace. With this type of office furniture choice, you can stand up and sit down whenever you please, giving your body a stretch at the same time. Combining standing and sitting has also been shown to increase productivity, because it helps with focus and delivers fresh oxygen and blood to the brain. Give it a try! There are countless desks, which are adjustable on the market, with many office furniture in Manchester options if your office is within the area.
Cut Down on Sugar
Sugar can be one of the biggest pitfalls for the office worker. You might be craving a ‘pick me up’, so you go for a sugary snack. You get a quick boost, but then you crash soon after it, and need another. Can you see the pattern emerging? It’s much better to snack on something healthy and sustainable, such as fruit or nuts, which will keep your focus and momentum going for much longer. These are slow release and therefore keep you fuller for longer.
Constant snacking will not only give you sugar highs and lows, but it will quickly pack on the pounds too, especially if you’re sitting for long periods of time without exercise. For that reason alone, keep healthy snacks in your drawer and graze on those if you need a quick boost, or you’re feeling a little hungry before lunch.
Drink Plenty of Water
Hydration is key! A lot of the time, when you think you’re feeling hungry, you’re actually thirsty instead. Drinking water at this time will tell you whether it is true hunger, you’re feeling, and helps avoid snacking when there was no need! Hydration will improve your focus, keep you coming up with great work-related ideas, and will stop you from reaching for those aforementioned sugary snacks too.
It’s likely that during the mid-afternoon or mid-morning, you might suffer from an energy low, and drinking water at that time can be enough to overcome that low and push you onwards. Keep a water bottle on your desk and keep filling it up. This is also a great way to get exercise, because you’ll not only be walking over to the water fountain to fill it up regularly, but you’ll probably also need to make a few trips to the bathroom. All that exercise counts!
Always Take Your Breaks & Eat Away From Your Desk
Taking regular breaks is key for overall health and wellbeing, as well as your focus and ability to work without having major crashes in energy and lethargy. You might think that coffee is bad for you, and too much of it certainly is, but if you drink coffee in moderation, it will give you a boost, and it will also give you a great excuse to leave your desk and go for a break!
Regular breaks not only break up the day and give you a boost in concentration and focus, but they can also be great opportunities to stretch your legs, back, and neck, and avoid chronic pain conditions from developing in the future. Sitting in one position all day long, whether it is the right position or the wrong one, is not a good thing. Having regular breaks allows you to stretch out your muscles and gets the blood flowing to where it needs to go.
In addition, you should also never eat your lunch at your desk. You might be tempted just to stay where you are and eat away, but firstly, it’s unhygienic - do you know where all those crumbs go? Secondly, it doesn’t give your mind the break it needs. You are in the same spot where your work happens, and that means your mind, whether you want it to be or not, is always in work-mode. Change the scenery, go and sit with a colleague in the canteen, or go for a walk outside and get some fresh air.
Fresh air and nature are fantastic for your overall health and wellbeing, as well as your focus and productivity. A lunchtime walk around the block is good exercise, it blows away the cobwebs, and it focuses your mind for the rest of the day’s work.
Stress Matters
Stress is one of the most dangerous issues we face at work. If you feel like you are under too much pressure or there is something which is causing you stress, be sure to speak to your manager and put into place some stress management techniques. Breathing exercises, mindful thinking, meditation, and simply looking after yourself are great ways to banish stress, but if you really feel like you need to talk about an issue, never be afraid to do so.
Of course, the number one way to ensure you stay healthy in the workplace is to be comfortable too. If your desk set up doesn’t feel right, or it is simply uncomfortable, raise the issue with your manager. There are many office furniture in London options, and a workstation can always be adjusted to an individual user. This could be all you need to feel better at the end of the day, than you did at the start!
Do you have any other suggestions for staying healthy in an office environment? We all know that sitting in one position can be damaging for health, but there are other aspects, such as the temptation to snack etc. Share your ideas and let’s build up a list of healthy habits for office workers to try!