Health and self-care should be a priority at work because feeling your best can actually make you better at your job and with your job search. When you practice healthy habits inside and outside of the office, you can feel energized, productive, and positive. Besides eating well, exercising, and any other healthy habits you have, here are some small changes you can make to your workday (whether you are working or looking for a job) to ensure that you are producing your best work and enjoy your time spent at work:
Drink a lot of water:
Drinking a lot of fluids throughout the day can have many benefits. Water helps keep headaches at bay, your digestive system regular, and your energy consistent throughout the day.
Additionally, dehydration can sometimes feel like hunger sometimes so keep that in mind when you’re craving a midday snack and try to drink a full glass of water before reaching for food. If you drink a lot of coffee, tea, or soda, consider switching out your afternoon beverages for water or seltzer. This is a great way to cut back on sugar and caffeine, which can contribute to insomnia.
Protect yourself from your computer:
If you spend the majority of your day in front of a computer screen, it’s important to protect yourself from the blue light that the screen gives off. If you’ve ever experienced headaches, migraines, or spotty vision while working at your computer, the cause is likely blue light. This happens when there’s a big difference in the light coming off your computer and the light in the surrounding room (like when it’s dark out) or if you’ve been working at your computer for hours on end.
The best way to prevent the symptoms blue light can cause is by wearing glasses with lenses that filter blue light.
Pay attention to posture:
As someone who spends hours glued to the computer screen, I have experienced the worst kind of back pains. Bad posture can make your back hurt and cause tension headaches. These stress-related pains can be detrimental to staying in a good headspace to get your work done.
Personalize your office or cubicle so you can keep your posture pristine and feel your best at work. If you get lower back pain, then make sure your feet or lower back are supported while you sit with either a footrest or a lumbar pillow.
If you hunch over, then leave yourself a little note on your desk with a gentle reminder to sit up straight or you can consider switching to a standing desk for some part of your workday. Going between standing and sitting has been proven to help posture and productivity.
My Pilates instructor quite literally changed my life when she instructed me to always envision that both of my shoulders are reaching for opposite ends of the room. My shoulders hurt like crazy for a week while I adjusted to this, but after that, my posture was completely improved, my back pain vanished, and my regular exercise routine was no longer straining my back.
Start a healthy office activity:
Befriend the health nuts in your office and group together to bond over a mutual interest in wellness! You can gauge interest by blasting out an email or going around the office with fliers advertising an activity you’re interested in. This could be a running club, a cooking club, or even just walking with a group on your lunch breaks. Making new friends at work will also have a positive effect on your mental health.
Stretching, anyone?
Well, this might not be it but it’s a start.
No matter how small the health changes you decide to make are, know that they can make a big difference in your work life. Lifestyle changes like these can help you be happier and more productive while at work, and that’s why they should be prioritized. You don’t have to make a dramatic change overnight. Try one of these activities for just two weeks. By giving yourself a timeline, you’ll find that your goals will become more achievable and that you’ll want to continue beyond the two-week timeline.
You may also want to check these tips I wrote on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
What are your favorite ways to stay healthy while at work? Let me know in the comments below.
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