With today’s busy and demanding work schedules, both in an office-based or home-based setup, staying healthy and productive can be sometimes challenging. However, learning how to improve your health at work should also be an important part of every employee’s routine. This will not only ensure that they will be productive at work, but it will also ensure them to have a more successful professional career.
Essential Tips on How to Improve Your Health at Work
Your health is one of your best investments in building a successful and rewarding career. That is why you should also learn how to take care of it. Here are some vital and interesting tips that you can apply to maintain or improve your health at work.
#1 Avoid a sedentary lifestyle
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the common causes of health issues in the workplace. The common complaints of employees include having back pain, fatigue, neck pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and repetitive strain injuries. Sitting for long hours while working is said to be dangerous and lead to other serious issues. Stay active while working. Take regular breaks and learn how to alternate between sitting and standing. Make sure to promote proper posture at all times while sitting, standing, or sleeping.
#2 Work in an ergonomically-designed workplace
To ensure a better work experience, you should have an ergonomically-designed workplace. Use quality ergonomic tools and equipment. There are a lot of these that can aid you in achieving a healthier and more efficient work experience. For instance, a standing desk will help you switch from sitting to standing anytime while at work. A desk converter, on the other hand, can easily be attached to your current desk. An ergonomic chair will make sure that you will work comfortably. With the chair’s lumbar support, you will not be at risk of having back pain.
#3 Stay clean and be hygienic
Staying healthy will require you to be hygienic. There are various ways on how you can do that. Always keep a hand sanitizer at your desk or workstation. Remember to wash your hands often. Doing this can make you safe from getting diseases caused by acquired germs from sneezing, coughing, or dealing with sick people around you. Always aim to be germ-free and stay healthy in the workplace.
#4 Learn to manage stress
Stress can be sometimes inevitable. This is because most of us live a life so hectic that it halts us to pause and unwind. We are urged to juggle several tasks and responsibilities daily leaving us tired and sometimes, unfocused. We experience stress due to deadlines, the pressure at work, overwhelming tasks, and other problems even outside the office. But there are always some ways to beat stress and make ourselves more motivated. Start with doing the things that will make you happy. Choose hobbies and work that will make you enjoy it. Spend time with your family and friends, making sure that you create work-life balance despite having busy schedules. Learn how to relax your mind either by taking regular breaks or by meditating. Of course, you should also prioritize your health. You must be physically and mentally healthy to beat stress.
#5 Keep your desk or workplace clean
It is extremely crucial to keep your desk and workstation clean and organized. Make sure to clean and sanitize it before starting your work. Clean and tidy it up every after your working hours. Always keep sanitizing wipes and cleaners at hand, so you can clean your workstation anytime.
#6 Maintain proper posture always
Maintaining good posture is one of the most effective ways to improve your health at work. Research shows that the most common problems people are now experiencing at work are more posture-related. For instance, neck pain can be due to slouching on chairs often. Eye strain is due to staring at computer monitors for too long. Back pain and neck pain can be due to using non-ergonomic equipment and devices such as desks and office chairs. It is always important to ensure you work in an ergonomically-designed workplace with the right tools to ensure comfort, health, productivity, and efficiency at work.
#7 Limit your coffee intake
Some workers are coffee-lovers, that they found it difficult to get through their days without having a cup of coffee. This is good, as long as you consume coffee in moderation, according to experts. You should limit your coffee intake because too much of this can also be dangerous to your health.
An interesting article published in WebMD listed 10 tips on how to improve your health while at work. The article also stated that sitting for eight hours while working in front of the computer weekly can be dangerous to our health. The tips mentioned in the article can also help workers avoid eye strain and musculoskeletal disorders. Here are the tips from WebMD to keep your body healthy and productive at work:
#1 Avoid unhealthy snacks at work. Take a healthy break and choose fruits like grapes and cherries as your snacks.
#2 Drink 8-10 glasses of clean water.
#3 Do some exercises. For instance, walking during your break time can be a big help.
#4 Make sure to eat a healthy lunch at work.
#5 Use a headset, speakerphone, or a shoulder cradle to avoid having tension neck syndrome.
#6 Keep an arm-length distance between your computer screen and your eyes.
#7 Take a vacation to reduce stress at work.
#8 Avoid long stretches of long days to prevent work burnout.
#9 Promote self-awareness and know your limits. Have time to take a break and spend time to take a vacation.
#10 Clean and disinfect your mouse, keyboard, and phone because they can be home to various types of germs.
Learning how to improve your health at work requires proper knowledge and effort. Good health can’t be achieved overnight or in just a matter of days. That is why it is crucial to create healthy habits and incorporate them into your daily routines. You should have the right commitment, dedication, and discipline to promote both great mental and physical wellbeing.