Ways to stay healthy at work

When at work, lots of us tend to throw out the window many of our healthy habits. Temptations like vending machines, which almost all offices now have, or the doughnuts, crisps and chocolates your colleagues are buying and munching on are hard to resist, aren’t they? It is easy to overlook how just a few small changes to your working day can have a huge impact on your output. Sitting for long hours without taking a break or drinking too much coffee and not enough water are just a few more mindless workplace habits which are not really helping us stay healthy and productive at work.

Unhealthy eating: Eating a nutritious breakfast will kick-start your metabolism and help increase your energy so you won’t feel sluggish later on. Also, having a stash of healthy snacks around is always a good idea. Replacing sugary or salted snacks with fruits and nuts will satisfy your taste buds and will give you energy. Ideally, try to eat something every two to three hours to keep your blood sugar steady.

Not taking lunch breaks: Even on a very busy day, leaving the office for a short break to get some fresh air will increase your Vitamin D and oxygen levels which will bring clarity to your brain and boost your immune system. As much as possible try to avoid eating lunch at your desk as, without a lunch break, your productivity and energy levels will be very low in the afternoon so you will most probably not be very productive anyway.

Not drinking enough water: Drinking lots of water is also crucial to your productivity, energy levels and overall health. Being hydrated promotes clear thinking, better cognition and mental performance and helps combat tiredness and fatigue. Dehydration on the other hand, can cause ill effects such as drowsiness and sluggishness.

Sitting for too many hours: Sitting down for eight or even more hours every day will most definitely have a negative impact on your overall health by increasing the risk of obesity and chronic diseases. Some of the problems associated with sitting for most of the day are:

• Obesity and metabolic syndrome

• Increased blood pressure

• High blood sugar

• Excess body fat around the waist

• Abnormal cholesterol levels

You could easily counter all these negative health impacts with at least one hour of physical activity per day like cycling to work, getting off the tube or bus a stop earlier, taking the stairs instead of the lifts, or working from a stand-up desk which will promote calorie burning, muscle toning, an improved posture and blood flow.

Healthy habits are hard to develop and often require a change of mindset. But, if you’re willing to try, your productivity will increase and you will also have an improved morale and job satisfaction as well as an improved ability to handle stress.