New year, new…ways to be healthier at work

Living

4 min read

Dedicating yourself to your job can be incredibly rewarding but it can also mean letting your physical health slip as eight hours in a chair, in front of a computer, five days a week can surely take its toll. And while you think it won’t affect you in the short term, you may run into problems in the long run.

Knowing the challenges, here are a few tips to help keep you healthy at work

If you’re going to snack, snack right

The office sweetie corner can become a serious issue for those trying to control their sugar intake. How can you say no if chocolate is being passed around or worse, it’s someone birthday and cake is being cut? All these office goodies are obstacles to achieving your health goals. Unknowingly they could leave you with unwanted pounds too.

We know sometimes, it’s just not that easy to say no, especially if your co-worker is a “Mrs Doyle” type – we have a few here in AbbeyAutoline. But we have you sorted,pack your snacks in preparation! Usually, people want a snack either mid-morning or mid-afternoon. If you create your own healthy snack ritual, you’ll be less likely to want the sugary treats that might pop up at the office. And if Mrs Doyle does wear you down, take something small!

Use your lunch, for you!

It’s easy to skip your lunch and eat at your desk but does this make you more productive? Take advantage and a breather by going for a walk during lunch. A nice stroll is good for your mental health and extra exercise can only be a good thing.  You’d be amazed at how many people sign up for the AbbeyAutoline lunchtime walking club, maybe you should introduce it to your own workplace?

Take a break, but don’t take the Kit-Kat

Hours of constant working can take a real toll on your body which you may not even be aware of! Therefore, it is beneficial to take short breaks. Focusing for too long on a piece of work can actually hinder performance, especially if you work in a creative environment. By breaking up your day, you’ll get more done and have more energy to stay active when you’re not behind the desk.

Prep, prep and more prep

With many work schedules, it can get pretty hectic and most of us don’t have time to cook up a healthy dish everyday therefore we typically end up going for something bad from the local shop because we’re so hungry – we’ve all been there!

However, if you prep your meals beforehand, it makes life much easier and you can maintain your healthy lifestyle. And, you’ll save money!

Choose the stairs 

“I don’t have time to exercise” is a common phrase most of us use but why not exercise in work? Take the stairs and skip the lift. It will improve your mood and you’ll feel so much better. If choosing the stairs isn’t an option, you could also park in a spot further away from the office?

Walk to work

While it may not work for everyone, your daily commute can be an ideal time to get some exercise in. If you are within walking distance or you’re a short cycle away, you could walk or bike to work instead of driving. Or if you commute by public transport, you could get off at stop early and walk the rest of the way.

H20? Oh yes!

By now, I think most of us know that water is essential to our survival and we’ve all heard the doctors say that drinking roughly eight glasses a day is ideal. But it’s incredibly easy to avoid drinking enough water when we’re focused on getting work done. Therefore, many of us turn to tea or coffee to stay alert during the day, which is actually counter-productive due to their diuretic effects.

Keeping a water bottle on your desk means you can have easy access to water instead of going back and forth to the kitchen. Or make a deal with yourself, that every couple of hours, you will drink a glass of water. Unfortunately, a lot of us generally think water tastes boring but jazz it up by adding some fruit to it.

Eyestrain prevention

The use of computers has increased in offices over the last couple of decades and it has resulted in an increase in eye and vision problems for staff. Our eyes were not designed to look at screens for prolonged periods and problems arising from this can include eyestrain.

According to Specsavers, the best way to prevent computer eye strain in the office is to adjust your screen brightness and contrast, as well as ensuring your computer screen should be about 20 to 24 inches from your eyes.