Many working professionals struggle to stay in shape. Many of them blame the nature of their work, responsibilities, and not having time to focus on staying healthy. You, however, don’t need any extra time or a day off to take proper care of your health and body. Outlined below are ten things to do for a healthier you.
10 Things To Stay Awesome While At Work
Eat Responsibly
Proper nutrition is the first, and most important step to maintaining good health and shape. Instead of munching on everything that comes your way, try limiting calorie intake, and especially junk and processed foods. You can still have a taste of foods that your colleagues bring to the office, though you need to do it in moderation. Some self-control is required to stay away from most calorie-dense, mouthwatering foods out there.
Pay particular attention to foods you have for main meals as well. To be on the safe side, consider filling fiber-rich foods for breakfast and fruits/salads for lunch. Avoid deep fried foods or greasy foods as much as possible. You also ought to consider having your lunch away from your office desk as well. Eating from your desk will tempt you to eat more than you need, and especially if there are snacks lying around. Stay away from chocolate, French fries, and bites as they are a recipe for disaster.
If possible, create a healthy eating schedule for your supper. This way, you’ll be able to monitor the foods you have, and even know what to include and what to avoid. Going for healthy snack alternatives such as nuts, fruits, healthy smoothies, and granola bars should keep you feeling full and satisfied for longer. Having these for snacks will help prevent sugar spikes in your system, hence fewer chances of feeling sluggish especially after lunch.
Drink Lots of Water
Your body loses a lot of water during the day, and especially when you work on challenging assignments. Dehydration can lead to fatigue and reduced performance over time. Nevertheless, staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water helps keep body cells turgid for longer. Drinking pure water, eating fresh fruits, or even a smoothie helps beat dehydration which again keeps cells active and your brain alert. This is essential especially for those that spend hours on their feet or indulged in lots of physical activity.
Reduce your Caffeine Intake
Coffee is a must-have for many office dwellers. Many people take caffeinated drinks to give their brains a boost and remain alert for longer. Although coffee and other caffeinated beverages can help you stay alert, having too much of it can cause caffeine crash after a few hours. Restricting your caffeine intake to just one cup in the morning can, however, help prevent this. Consider omitting cream and sugar in your coffee to cut down on calorie intake.
Maintain Good Posture
Much of the office work today entails working from a computer. Working on a computer puts lots of strain on your muscles and eyes. It also becomes almost impossible for one to maintain good posture all day without stretching out some of your muscles, the spine, and neck. Investing in a good chair and taking on certain desk exercises can help you maintain good posture. For instance, making a fake double chin, or chin retractions can help support the upper back and neck.
Take Breaks, Frequently
Although you may be on a deadline, taking a five-minute break can help you work even faster, and also relieve stress on your muscles and brain. Sitting in front of a computer for hours will only hurt your body. Plan your day such that you can have at least 5-minute breaks between tasks to relax your muscles. Walk around the office then resume your work. Taking breaks will not only help reduce anxiety but also improve your productivity.
Lack of regular breaks in the workplace often leads to reduced creativity due to mental lethargy. Simply getting away from your desk for a few minutes helps the body rejuvenate, thus better performance.
Clean Your Workstation
Keeping your workstation clean and tidy can help prevent common health conditions in the workplace. For instance, using sanitizing wipes to clean everything from the desk to file holders and computer screen keeps the station clear of dust mites. Working from a clean workstation is encouraging too. Take at least 5 minutes of your time to clean everything up. This best works early in the morning or when you leave the office for the day.
Practice Personal Hygiene
Practicing personal hygiene in the workplace can help prevent the spread of infections in the workplace. Washing your hands after visiting the toilet, using a hand sanitizer often, and wiping off surfaces on your desk will help keep germs at bay. Practicing good personal hygiene also means you never have to call for sick leave. You may, however, have to keep your distance from individuals with flu or cold, or even cough – these are highly contagious.
Avoid Sick Employees
Mingling with sick people in the workplace increases your chances of contracting an infection as well. Although this is common sense, it would be best for you to stay away from anyone with an infection, and particularly flu, cold, cough, etc. Ask the sick persons to alert the management, or even ask for sick leave. It would also be advisable to stay at home if you don’t feel so well yourself.
Learn to Manage Stress
Juggling through various responsibilities and roles can be stressing at times. Most of us leave our workplaces feeling exhausted or stressed. While stress may be a regular thing today, don’t let it take a toll on your life and health. Learn to keep stress in check, and even find ways to beat it. One of the best ways to overcome stress is by spending time in the company of loved ones and family. Listening to your favorite music, watching movies, or going for a swim may help as well. The idea is to keep your brain relaxed.
No Breaks
If you are one of those people who love to go out for a smoke during the day and hang out with the naughty group then stop. Smoking is needless to say bad for your health. A lot of people find that taking up vaping can make a big difference and fruit juice can help you quit.
