We spend a lot of time at work – around a third of our lives, and sometimes more. Therefore, if we can be as healthy as possible while we are there, we can keep ourselves healthier overall. If our work is causing us to be sick, then the rest of our lives will be difficult to deal with too. Here are some useful tips on ways to stay healthy at work.
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Eat Well
It is easy to snack on unhealthy foods and drink soda and coffee all day when we’re at work – it’s quick and it’s convenient and a lot of the time we don’t even have to leave our desks. However, this is not a good idea.
Firstly, it’s always best to leave your desk when it’s time for lunch and to go outside if you can. Getting some fresh air will help you to have a clearer head and make the afternoon much easier to deal with. If you can’t go outside then at least go to a break room, or somewhere different to where you have been sitting all day. Yet it’s not just where you eat that’s important; it’s what you eat.
Preparing lunches at home won’t take long and it will mean that you know exactly what you are eating. You can prepare a sandwich without all the additives and flavorings, or make a delicious salad with all the ingredients that you enjoy. You won’t be so tempted to grab something from a fast food restaurant or order takeout to your desk and you’ll save money as well as staying healthier.
You should also drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep yourself hydrated. Plus, the more water you drink, the less caffeine and sugar you will be consuming, and that’s a positive too.
Train Well
Health and safety is crucial at work, whether you do manual labor or you sit at a desk. There should be health and safety training available for you to teach you all you need to know about how to stay safe when you’re in the workplace. If there isn’t, you should speak to your boss about it, as it is mandatory.
You should also make sure you wear any specialist safety equipment you are given, or request it if you need it. Hearing loss is something that can seriously affect your life – you can learn more about it here – and it can happen easily in a workplace, but wearing earplugs or ear defenders will help, for example.
Commute Well
How do you currently get to work? Do you drive? Take the train or bus? If so, could you change the way you go to work and do something more healthy? Could you walk or cycle, for example? In some cases it will be too far for this kind of transport, but what about getting off the train at an earlier stop and cycling from there? Or parking further away and walking the rest of the journey?
Maybe you could set up a scheme that encouraged others to do the same and you could walk to work together, or cycle as a pair or a larger group. This can often be less overwhelming, especially if you have never traveled in this way before. Not only will you have company, but you will be helping others to be healthier too.
Thank you for reading!