Trying to stay healthy, be productive at work and reserve time for family and friends can be an incredibly difficult and daunting task in this day and age. With increasingly high demands placed on our work force and ever present deadlines adding to stress levels, the need for adequate health care in the work place is huge!
Here are a few tips and tricks to keep you happy, healthy and productive.
Get moving
1. Try to make sure you are getting in as many steps as you can in a day. Whether you park a little bit further away from work, take the stairs or go for a walk at lunch time it all helps to get you to your daily total – which should be somewhere around 10000 steps.
2. Try and make sure that you don’t sit for too long. It is all too tempting to ignore the needs of your body when there is a deadline, however, the increased blood flow from standing and moving around may actually improve and increase productivity. A change in position every 45 minutes to an hour can make the world of difference! In fact why not suggest a standing meeting every once in awhile?
Watch your posture
1. Many repetitive strain injuries can be prevented through the use of correct posture and ergonomics. Have a look at this diagram to see if you are getting it right.
Remember to “lift your heart” rather than to pull your shoulders back when correcting your posture. Feel as though someone is lifting you up from underneath your ribs, almost as though you are taking a deep breath. This will correctly place your head on top of your shoulders and relieve strain on the neck.
Look after your eyes
1. Ensure that your screen is approximately an arm’s length away from your body
2. Ensure that the text size is large enough that you do not have to squint to read.
3. Make sure that the brightness of your screen has been adjusted for your environment. Look at the white background of your screen; if it looks bright enough to be a light source, it’s too bright. If it looks dull and grey, it may not be bright enough.
4. Try the “20-20-20” rule. Every 20 minutes try to stare at an object that is 20 feet away (around 5m) for 20 seconds.
5. If you are having persistent problems with your vision, consider going for an eye exam to ensure there are no underlying issues.
Remember to exercise
1.It can be tempting to skip the trip to the gym after a long and hard day of work, however research is increasingly telling us that exercise is one of the most important health care activities we can do. Exercise not only keeps your body healthy, it has huge benefits for your brain. Exercise lowers the risk of stroke, heart disease and Diabetes as well as improving your mood, lowering stress levels and improving sleep quality. An adult should be getting around 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise a week.