We spend a vast percentage of our lives at work, so it makes perfect sense to try and ensure that we look after our health as much as possible whilst doing our jobs. If you work in an office the chances are that you suffer from some sort of muscle pain, especially in your back area. Workers also snack a lot more than they normally would do at home. After all, if you are in the midst of a hectic working day there isn’t always time to sit down and eat a wholesome meal. This does not add up to a particularly healthy lifestyle. However, there are a few things that you can do in order to improve your health whilst at work, so here are our top five tips.
1. Invest in Decent Office Furniture
Statistics show that from 2010 to 2011 approximately 26.4 million working days were lost at work due to ill health, and that stress and back pain were two of the biggest culprits for people to be absent from their jobs. Finding a comfortable chair which gives your back the right type of support is a simple method of helping to ease your back pain. A lot of modern office furniture is designed to give greater support to your spine. Talk to your bosses about updating your executive office furniture to ensure that every member of staff has access to properly designed chairs and desks.
2. Take Breaks on a Regular Basis
Many workers complain of suffering from repetitive strain injuries (RSI) whilst at work. RSI is often caused by doing a particular activity on a repetitive basis for a long period of time, and mainly affects people who work with computers or manual workers. RSI can be incredibly painful and usually affects upper body parts such as the elbow, wrist, shoulders and neck. Taking short breaks on a regular basis will give your muscles a chance to relax and ease the tension on your body. This will help to boost your productivity and concentration levels when you return to your tasks after the short break.
3. Eat Healthily
The very nature of junk or fast food entails that it is not always the healthiest option for us to eat. But when you are on a deadline people tend to go for what is closest to hand such a chocolate bar from a vending machine or a can of fizzy pop. Prepare packed lunches the night before you go to work and you should be able to enjoy healthier food which makes you feel much better about yourself.
4. Reduce Stress Levels
Stress is one of the biggest threats to your health at work. One way of reducing stress is to ensure that you don’t take on more work than you can handle. Do not be afraid to delegate jobs wherever possible.
5. Smile!
A smile doesn’t cost anything but can make someone feel brilliant. Make your workplace a happier one by smiling every day.