If you work in a 9 to 5 office job, you’re probably used to sitting in the same place and position for hours on end – with the occasional coffee or toilet break.
Sitting for long period of time is unhealthy for our bodies and can cause some very unwanted symptoms, including chronic pain, weakened muscles and even an increase your risk of depression and anxiety.
It can seem like an uphill battle when it comes to staying happy and healthy at work, but it doesn’t have to be.
With some small, simple changes to your workday, you can beat that 3oclock slump and feel positive all day.
We have put together some of the best ways to improve your health and overall happiness during your working days.
1. Escape the desk
I’m sure you sometimes find yourself be glued to your seat for hours without any break, but this can be detrimental to your health and work output.
Constant sitting can lead to feelings of fatigue and decreased motivation – which is bound to lead to a huge decrease in unproductivity.
Make sure you get up, walk around and stretch at least once an hour.
You could even find yourself a desk stretching routine that targets all the areas affected by prolonged sitting. This will get your circulation going, helping you feel more energized and may even stop you reaching for that fourth or fifth cup of coffee.
Even though it may seem more productive to stay working at your desk for hours on end, taking five minutes to get up and move around will help you get more work done when you return to your desk.
A break helps restore motivation and increases any lost creativity which can help solve any problems you were stuck on.
Top tip: To get your heart pumping and blood flowing we recommend always taking the stairs and maybe even try two at a time.
Another great way is every time you visit the bathroom complete a few repetitions of a bodyweight exercise, for
2. Ditch the junk food
Those leftover cakes and biscuits from this mornings meeting may seem tempting. But food with high sugar contents can cause spikes and drops in blood sugar levels which can make you feel full of energy but then leave you feeling lethargic once your blood sugar levels drop.
In order to ditch the sugary snacks, we recommend bringing in your own healthy, great-tasting snacks.
Some great healthy snacks include:
- Greek yogurt and berries
- Apple and peanut butter
- Protein bars or a protein shake
- Carrots or celery with hummus
- Fresh fruit
- Salted or sweet popcorn
- Nuts
It can also be very tempting to pick your lunch up from the local shop or fast-food chain, which are almost certainly high in calories, unhealthy fats
Bringing in your own food daily can be a great way to cut the calories as well as making sure your eating food that is nutritious. If you shop wisely, it can save you a lot of money, too.
3. Drink more water!
Keeping yourself hydrated throughout the day should be top of your priority list. You will feel happier and healthier when you drink the right amount of water – it’s required for our body and organs to function.
Dehydration can cause you to feel irritated, which means you are less likely to want to complete work or even be at work at all.
Being hydrated can help you feel more positive and happier at work. It’s recommended that everyone should drink at least two
So, to keep the headaches at bay, improve your concentration and feel less sluggish, make sure you are regularly drinking water.
4. Adapt your workstation to suit you
Your workstation can play a big part in your wellness at work.
Staff assessments and education on the topic of ergonomics is required by employers to make sure everyone is as safe and comfortable as possible within their environment.
Ergonomics is the study of how to optimize and improve products and environments to increase comfort, performance, satisfaction and health and safety for their users.
There are many ways you can adapt your workstation to make it more comfortable and help reduce the chance of injury.
The main ways are:
- Choose an adjustable office chair, ensure your feet sit flat on the floor and your back is supported by the back of the chair.
- Position any monitors at eye level, and make sure to look away into the distance every 20 minutes (for 20 seconds) to reduce risk of eyestrain.
- When typing, your keyboard should be positioned so that your elbows are at a right angle.
- Place the monitor at the right angle to light sources to try and reduce glare.
In recent years, sit/stand desks are becoming more and more popular, and for good reason. T
If you do have access to sit/stand desks, you need to make sure you have set them up properly to get the biggest benefit out of them.
Read also: The Power of Success on Your Mental Health
5. Get active at lunch
Don’t waste your lunch-break sitting at your desk. They provide a great opportunity to get some fresh air and clear your head.
We recommend taking a walk, even if it’s just around the block, down the street or around the car park. You’ll feel more
Even just a short drive for a change of scenery can help you feel de-stressed, more relaxed and better for the rest of the day ahead.
If possible, avoid eating lunch at your desk as it can be tempting to carry on working rather than enjoying your food.
Top tip: If you are lucky enough to have an hour-long lunch break, then it can be a great opportunity to get in a quick gym session or yoga class. Or tick some things off your personal to-do
6. Stop multi-tasking
In today’s world, multitasking is part of our daily lives.
From watching tv whilst working out, or eating dinner whilst watching the news – or even just instead of just driving enjoying the scenery we are listing to the radio or speaking on handsfree.
These little moments often act as way de-stress but as we are constantly filling the void, we don’t have a
Even at work, we can be completing a report whilst speaking to co-workers or trying to solve a problem outside that task.
Even though multitasking works for some people, for most people it can make us unproductive and take us longer to complete tasks than if we just focus on one job at a time.
About The Author
Becky Morris is a digital marketer at Cardinus who specializes in creating inventive and engaging articles, blog posts and graphics. She has an expert level of knowledge in workplace solutions for businesses, as well as health and safety training and DSE compliance.