Ways to Stay Healthy at Work

Now that people are going back to the office or just continuing to grind at home, these     ways to stay healthy at work may help catapult you to a better quality of life. Both physically and mentally using tips that are not that surprising to some you may never have thought of applying to your job can have some real positive results.

Hydrate or Drag 

Drinking water or especially something with electrolytes can mean all the difference when it come to your productivity at work. Although you may be making more trips to the bathroom, hydrating throughout your work day means cognitive fuel that other beverages might impede. 

One study of how dehydration affects the body by researchers from PekingUniversity, Beijing China published in the International Journal ofEnvironmental Research and Public Health stated,

“As a conclusion, dehydration had negative effects on vigor, esteem-related affect, short-term memory, and attention. Rehydration after water supplementation alleviated fatigue and improved TMD [total mood disturbance], short-term memory, attention, and reaction.”

Try to drink four to five mugs of water per day.A mug with a handle is a great way to have something similar to coffee or teathat you can sip on throughout your time sitting at a desk. It is similar tothose who hold and puff on an unlit cigarette when attempting to quit inasmuch as it satiates the physical urge to “do something”.  

Avoid TNS

Tension Neck Syndrome (TNS) is what has become a diagnosis for living in a digital age of being addicted to screens all day long. According to Alan Hedge, professor of ergonomics at Cornell University as reported by Healthline,  

You want to make sure your neck isn’t bent to the side for long periods of time, Tension neck syndrome can cause neck and shoulder pain, muscle tightness, and tenderness.”

Some recommendations to prevent TNS include,

• A speakerphone
• Ear pods or headset 
• Setting monitor straight to avoid turning your neck
• Do seated neck stretches (pulling ear to shoulder, chin to chest, pushing check up)
• Apply ice then heatPractice deep breathing (in nose, out mouth)

Scrub Your Square

Sitting at a desk day in and day out can create an accumulation of dirt, bacteria and even virus molecules which could cause illness. Even if your office has a cleaning staff, chances are they are doing a basic wipe down and vacuum which is nothing compared to the pathogens that could remain in place.

Find or bring some cleaning products that can get the job done but don’t leave behind a toxic chemical residue. Look for all-natural cleaners which can now compete with conventional products but don’t come with synthetic cleaning ingredients.

According to Kelly Reynolds Phd professor at the University of Arizona as reported by Ladders,

“…the average office desk houses over 10 million bacterial organisms (which is significantly more than the amount found on toilets).  Doorknobs, elevator buttons, vending machine buttons, coffeepots, microwaves, and break room refrigerators were also revealed to harbor a considerable amount of germs.”

Scrub down your space once per week especially your phone mouth and earpiece, phone buttons, computer keyboard, printer buttons, doorknob, and anything else you constantly touch.

Eat Away Fatigue

One of the biggest complaint by office workers across the globe is the ‘afternoon slump’. This is the time when you can’t keep your eyes open as your computer screen flickers and the sounds around you lull you to sleep. Afternoon fatigue is mostly the result of eating a lunch that causes fatigue simply during digestion. 

However, there are foods you can choose to literally eat away your fatigue and instead, leap over that afternoon slump with a belly full of energy. You can try: 

• Salad with skinless chicken or tofu and a low calorie dressing
• Just a hamburger but not the bun (it takes less energy to digest)
• An apple and a few handfuls of nuts 
• A green tea with a non-dairy, low sugar yogurt 
• Brown rice and black beans 

These are just a few examples of some healthy eating choices that won’t zap your energy. Overall, if you stay away from sugar, carbs, soda, and other processed foods as well as eat less food in the middle of the day, you can glide through with surprisingly boundless energy. 

These ways to stay healthy at work show an easy fix to keep you on a good track toward a higher quality of life. Add in some lunch exercise walking and you’ll be on your way with a smile on your face. All it takes is re-adjusting your lens so you can re-adjust your health. 

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31146326/

https://www.webmd.com/women/features/10-tips-to-improve-your-health-at-work

https://www.theladders.com/career-advice/new-research-reveals-the-shocking-number-of-germs-living-on-your-desk-at-all-times