When you’re at the office you may find that you often don’t think much about your health. You sit for hours at a desk, slumped over a computer, and you get junk food out of vending machines to snack on while sipping a soda. You could be ruining all of the work you put into good health when you are home by not working on being healthy at the office.
You can be healthy at work. It’s not really that difficult of a thing to do. Here are some tips that should help.
Sit Better
One thing you may be doing at work that is really damaging your health is sitting. Sitting is just as bad for you as smoking, or so all of the articles say. You can try to help counteract some of the unhealthy habits by getting up every hour and taking a short walk. Also, consider using part of your lunch break as a chance to walk or workout.
Sitting can cause neck and back pain, especially if you aren’t sitting with proper posture. Invest in a better work chair that promotes healthy posture. You may also want to visit a chiropractor on a regular basis to keep your spine in alignment and even get a massage once a month (or once a week, depending on how stressful your job is).
Eat Better
Skip the snack machine if you want to be healthier while you are at work. Take snacks with you that are healthier options. You can even create a trail mix to keep in your desk, using dried fruits, nuts, and even dark chocolate chip or yogurt chips.
If you have a refrigerator in the break room you could bring fresh fruit or vegetables for snacks. Your trail mix will give you an energy boost. Your fruits and vegetables will help give you a daily vitamin and nutrient boost.
Use Breaks More Wisely
Instead of simply eating or smoking on your work breaks, take that time to do something healthier and wiser. If your work entails looking at a computer screen for long hours, take regular screen breaks. Eye strain is not linked to vision impairment; however, it won’t hurt to do regular eye checkups. In case you have vision reduction, you might need glasses or laser surgery (click for info on the latter). Besides screen breaks, try to walk around a bit, preferably when the sun is shining. That way, you’ll help ensure you get your proper daily dose of vitamin D.
If you don’t have time to walk, consider at least doing some wall pushups or desk pushups. Don’t eat a huge, heavy lunch. Eat something light and healthy, with protein to boost your energy, and then use the rest of your lunch break to get some physical activity.
Work is a good thing, it pays your bills and gets you out of the house. But don’t use it as an excuse to not be healthy. Be more aware of your diet and your posture at the office and you’ll start to feel healthier and have more energy.