Why do you go to work?
For most people, it’s about earning money. Even if you’re doing what you love to do, you still can’t earn that money just because you show up. You have deadlines and expectations to meet, so a certain level of pressure is unavoidable. What happens when that pressure surpasses your limits?
What happens when the stress costs you your health? What if you’re chasing one deadline after another, so you can’t even think about healthy food at work and you only eat sandwiches and snacks on the go?
It’s a problem.
Your work must not cost you your health. It’s time for all of us to become more responsible about ourselves. Just because we have to work doesn’t mean we need to neglect our wellbeing.
But how do you achieve the goal of staying healthy in the hectic office environment? We’ll share five essential tips that help with that.
1. Stress Management Comes First
At work, you’re dealing with all kinds of people. In addition, some tasks and days are more challenging than others. Sometimes you feel so low that you just wish to stay home, in bed, all day long.
Getting exhausted seems like something normal nowadays. But it’s not! You have to recognize your limits and prevent a burnout before it happens.
First thing: learn how to recognize and manage stress. What triggers you? When do you get nervous or worried? When you pay attention to daily occurrences, you’ll recognize the triggers. Maybe it’s a coworker who talks too much. Maybe it’s an overly-demanding boss. Maybe it’s the hectic office environment.
When you’re aware of the people and situations that affect your wellbeing, you’ll be able to develop immunity against them. You’ll repeat to yourself: “This is not going to affect me. I am going to be my best self, and I’ll go through this day like a boss.”
Relaxing activities also help you fight stress. What do you enjoy? Is it reading, yoga, or long walks with your dog? Whatever it is, make sure to engage in that relaxing activity after work.
2. Use Your Breaks Wisely
Everyone gets one or more breaks throughout a full-time working day. But how do we use those breaks? Most of us smoke, so the entire breaks goes on one cigarette. Others like to gossip, so they get together with their favorite gossipers from the office to talk about the hottest topics. Some don’t even use the break, thinking it’s a waste of valuable time.
When you use the breaks properly, they are beneficial to your wellbeing and productivity. Get out of the office. Breathe! Get a fresh juice or a healthy meal. You can go to the nearby coffee shop to spend some time alone. Use this time to settle down and relax. When you get back to your work, you’ll have more energy to handle it.
3. Mind Your Posture
Do you know what most employees complain about after a long day at work? Their backs!
It doesn’t matter whether you stand or sit throughout the working hours. When you maintain the same posture for a big portion of the day, your back suffers. And when the trigger of back pain is present for five or six days of the weeks, the pain can get chronic.
It’s a problem. Back pain causes great discomfort and can develop to a great extent over a long period of time. To prevent it, you must start exercising. Yoga is great for your back! But half an hour of yoga per day won’t be enough. You need to mind your posture throughout the entire day. Proper posture, with a straight back and relaxed shoulders, will prevent the pain. It’s hard to get used to sitting properly because we’ve been taking the chair’s shape for too long. But with practice, you’ll develop the habit of sitting straight.
4. Prepare a Healthy Meal from Home
What do you eat at work? If you’re like most people, you take something that you can eat in five minutes. Donuts, ham sandwiches, store-bought microwave meals… that kind of stuff. That’s exactly what makes you unhealthy. You’re not getting enough nutrients to give you the energy you need.
Your eating habits are the first thing you need to change if you want to improve your health. Make a weekly list of healthy meals. If you plan, it will be easier for you to carry out this goal. The list can include different salads with interesting dressings, lean meat, and fresh fruit.
Get into the habit of preparing your lunchbox every day, and you’ll be feeling better in no time.
5. Keep Your Distance from Sick Coworkers
This is common sense: you don’t go to work with a cold. It’s amazing to see how many employees neglect common sense. You’ll see them with a runny nose, sore throat, or even fever in the office. To make things works, they will come to you, shake your hand, or even give you a hug.
If there’s a sick coworker in the office, do your best to keep your distance from their workstation. And if you’re the one who’s sick, stay home. That’s the only reasonable thing to do.
It’s Important to Stay Healthy; It Will Change Your Life
Staying healthy at work includes three aspects: stress management, exercise, and food. We covered all these aspects with five simple steps that anyone could take. It’s easy to make this decision. You want to be healthy, and you have the power to affect your own wellbeing.
BIO:
Cathy Baylis is a freelance content writer for Assignment Geek specializing in personal growth, career development, and education. She also writes guest posts for Australia Essay and offers tips for students at https://www.besttermpaper.org/. She loves sharing her interests with readers, and she has something to say, for sure.
