We spend a lot of our lives at work, in fact, on average we live one-third of our lives in the workplace. So, it’s important to incorporate healthy eating and exercise into our working routine. Screens can stain our eyes, and not moving our bodies regularly can make us very unfit. Even coronavirus has affected our routines. So, what can we do about it?
You can introduce healthy living in the office and get the whole workforce involved. There is more awareness around employee’s mental and physical health, as big businesses have a responsibility to maintain good working conditions in the office. There are many healthy habits you can start practicing in the workplace. To get you started, we’ve put together ten ideas that can improve your health in the office.
1. Install a Healthy Vending Machine
If you’re an employer then you can supply healthy options in the office, and if you’re an employee you can ask your employer to provide healthy food. Healthy You Vending has a vending machine for sale, which provides alternative snacks to fatty, sugary refreshments. People regularly snack whilst they work, and so it’s important to provide a workforce with healthy options.
2. Eat Five a Day
If you’re bringing in your own snacks then think of alternative healthy options. Try to replace a chocolate bar with some fruit, and crisps with nuts. You can get your colleagues involved by providing a shared fruit bowl. Take it in turns to buy the fruit each week, and encourage each other to graze from the bowl. This way you can get everyone involved and improve the wellness of the whole workforce.
3. Take Screen Breaks
People often forget to take breaks from the screen, especially if you have a lot of work to get done that day. But it’s unhealthy for your eyes to constantly focus on a bright light, as it can make your eyes tired and sore. Staring constantly at a screen can even result in you needing glasses. To prevent this, we recommend sticking to the 20/20/20 rule; every 20 minutes look at something 20 meters away for 20 seconds, as this will rest your eyes.
4. Get Your Body Moving
Exercising regularly is great for your body and can reduce the risk of many illnesses. However, many people don’t have time to exercise in the mornings or evenings. Therefore, we suggest going for a walk, exercising in the gym, or doing yoga during your lunchtime. Then, throughout the day make sure you regularly get up from your computer, and walk around the office, even if it is to make a cup of tea or natter to a colleague.
5. Get Enough Sleep
Are your employees sleeping enough? Check when people are sending you emails. Unfortunately, it’s common for people to send emails out of working hours, and even in the middle of the night. If an employee or colleague is sending emails during the night, then have a word with them and check if they’re okay. Adults should have 8 hours of sleep a night, so make sure to encourage this in the workplace.
6. Have a Mental Health Helpline
Many companies already do this, and it’s a great way to help your employee’s mental health. You can introduce an anonymous helpline for employees to call at any time about anything with complete confidentiality. Work can be very stressful, and it can take a toll on people’s mental health. If your workplace doesn’t have a helpline then suggest introducing one to your boss.
7. Change Your Commute
An easy way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine is to change the way you commute. Think beyond driving to work, and can you cycle instead? Cycling is surprisingly quick and riding a bike to work has huge benefits: you will feel more energised, you’ll become fitter, it’s cheaper than a car and it is better for the environment. So, consider ditching the car for a healthier option like cycling, running, or walking to work.
8. Quit Smoking
Quitting smoking is hard, but it’s easier if you do it as a workforce and encourage each other to go smoke-free. Lungs can recover well from smoking, so it’s never too late to give up. Instead of going outside to smoke, go outside with your colleague to chat and get some fresh air. There are many helpful resources online with tips on how to quit smoking, from using nicotine patches to using straws to play with.
9. Have a Supportive Chair
One of the most common problems an employee might experience at work is back pain. Leaning over a laptop and using an unsupportive chair can severely damage your back. An employer should provide a decent office chair that will prevent back injury. If you find that your back continues to hurt, invest in back support that you can attach to your chair.
10. Drink Plenty of Water
It can be tempting to drink lots of coffee to keep you awake, but water also can make you feel fresh. To encourage yourself to drink more water, invest in a reusable water bottle and keep it at your desk. Dehydration can make you feel tired and give you a bad headache. Aim to drink around 2 litres of water a day. You can also eat fresh, juicy fruit that contains a lot of water.
Start Your Healthy Journey…
Becoming more healthy and active doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself to suddenly become the healthiest person in the office. It’s a step-by-step process and it takes time to create a regular healthy routine. Start with a few of these tips then build on them as things progress.
Make sure to encourage the whole workforce to get involved, and if you’re an employer think about the role you play in improving your employees’ wellness. Over time, it’s amazing to see how even a few changes can dramatically improve someone’s health.