Top 10 Ways To Be Healthy At Work

Commuting / Diary of an Office Girl / Diary of an Office Guy / Keeping Fit / Office Life / Office Sporting Madness / Office Supplies / Sale / Stationery / Stuck in the Office / Team Bonding / Tips/Tricks / Work Life Balance / Working Parents 22 Jun 2015 Alina Fisher

Get ready for summer fun and games by working on your health while at the office.

Do you spend the day indoors at your desk, dreaming about living a healthy lifestyle? You’re not alone. With these simple tips you can look after yourself while at work. All it takes is a little bit of determination.

Cycle or walk to work

Being healthy in the office starts before you get there. Give yourself a workout by cycling to work or, if that’s not feasible, getting off one bus stop early, so you’re getting a few extra strides in in the morning. If you really want to push yourself, walk to work while carrying your bicycle. You’ll be the buffest commuter in the area.

Drink plenty of water

When we’re deep in concentration we can forget to keep hydrated, but drinking properly is really important for our health and pr oductivity, especially in hot weather. How do you know if you’re drinking enough? Check the colour of your pee. (In private, of course. Don’t fill a water bottle and ask your colleagues whether they’d call that particular shade barely or saffron.)

Ignore the office lift

Don’t be that guy who spends five minutes waiting for a lift, simply to save a 30 second walk up one flight of stairs. Give your heart (and bottom) a workout by taking the stairs wherever possible. If you’re super eager, put together a stair-climbing outfit involving lots of Lycra and ankle warmers. Ready, steady…go!

Ceep away from koughers

Is someone in your office coughing and sneezing? Are they turning green and running a temperature? Keep away from them. Falling ill is terribly easy in a small office, so be on your guard. Or, better still, persuade the boss to send the unwell colleague home. And if you have to sneeze, do so into the crook of your arm to stop germs spreading.

Wash your hands often

You might be a paragon of personal hygiene and cleanliness, but are your co-workers?. Always wash your hands properly after popping to the loo and before eating. I’d take it further and say wash your hands when you return to the office after you’ve been out. That way you’ll lessen the risk of picking up something nasty, or giving it to someone else.

Take screen breaks

Give your eyes a rest by taking a break from your computer. I’ve read that a 15- minute break every 45 minutes is advisable, though of course you can take shorter breaks more often. Also, an optician once told me that we blink less when using computers, so you might want to add eye drops into the mix.

Swap mouse hands

If you use a mouse or touchpad at work, swap the hand you use it with. Repetitive strain injury is all about the repetitive, so by swapping hands you’re evening out the load on your muscles. Your speed and accuracy will suffer for a little while as you practise, but the benefits outweigh this small annoyance. (You could also try a new keyboard.)

Eat healthily

Too often our office lunch comprises a chocolate bar, packet of crisps and a soft drink, or over-priced sandwiches full of hidden salt and hip-widening sauces. Say no to unhealthy snacks by preparing your own lunch at home and bringing it in to the office kitchen. Your heart and waist will thank you. If you want to save everyone in the office money and make everyone healthier to boot, why not start a sandwich club?

Stand up

One of the simplest ways to stay healthy is to stand up at the office. Your heart will have to work harder pumping blood up your toned and muscular legs (you are taking the stairs aren’t you?). One survey suggests 45% of women and 37% of men spend less than 30 minutes a day on their feet at work; that’s bad news considering a sedentary lifestyle is linked to higher rates of cancer, type 2 diabetes and poor mental health

Have a quiet time

Reduce your stress levels by taking yourself to a quiet corner of the office if you need to concentrate on work. Open plan offices are great for being sociable, but they can be unsettling if you need some peace and quiet to tackle a difficult task. Of course headphones and soothing music can help, but nothing beats being on your own, free from distractions.