At the beginning of a New Year it is important to look at what we can do to make changes for the year ahead. Statistics have shown that those that work in an office environment find it hard to keep fit and stay healthy. At Debbie Burbage Recruitment we think it is important to stay as active as you can to eliminate any health problems that could occur by sitting down at a desk all day long. Follow our simple guide to become healthier at work in 2017.
Exercise at the Office
It is essential that we do at least an hour’s worth of exercise a day. This is even more important for those that spend the majority of the day, between 8-9 hours, sitting down at a desk. To balance the amount of time you spend sitting down, it is vital that you spend an hour doing some sort of physical activity. Have a look at what times of the day you could fit in some exercise before or after work or even in your lunch break. If you can then try walking or cycling to work. If you have to drive into work then purposely park your car as far away as you can, creating more exercise by having to walk further. Make sure that you always take the stairs at work instead of the lift, as this is a great way to keep you fit. Unfortunately we all resort to using technology and may send colleagues messages by either texting or emailing them. If you need to give them a message then visit them at their office or desk to physically give them this message. Any extra exercise a day is better than none at all, even it is just half an hour.
Avoid Unhealthy Snacks
Being in an office environment can often lead to tempting snacks being dotted around such as biscuits, cakes and pastries. In meetings it is polite to provide biscuits and drinks which can be tempting. Replace all unhealthy snacks with healthy snacks such as fruit. Making your lunch the night before can also be good for you as this makes you eat the food that you have made, rather than having to go to the local shop or café for something unhealthy. If you make something that requires a knife and a fork to eat it with will prevent you from having to use your computer and the keyboard. Another common mistake people make is confusing hunger with thirst, when you feel hungry you could actually just be thirsty, so before snacking try drinking a glass of water. This will also help with tiredness and can prevent headaches.
Always Take your Lunch Break
Too many of us fall into working through our lunches and eat a sandwich or a salad whilst sitting at our desks and in front of a computer screen. Make sure that you always take a lunch break just so that you can get up and move from your desk. Actually go to the work canteen to eat your lunch so that you are stepping outside of your working environment. Then after you have eaten your lunch, use the rest of your break to take a walk. Go out of the office and step outside as some fresh air and a walk around a local park or just the office grounds can really help wake you up for the afternoon and make you feel refreshed. It is also an easy way to get some exercise in the middle of the day.
Reduce Headaches
As we increase the amount of time that we spend looking at computer, tablet and phone screens, the risk of eyestrain and headaches grows. We wake up in the morning to our phone alarm and the first thing that we do is check our emails or messages on a bright screen. On the commute to work some will use a tablet to do any work that needs doing before they get to the office and then as soon as they get into the office the computer is switched on and doesn’t turn off until 8 hours later.
It is important that you take regular breaks from looking at the screen to reduce the risk of headaches. Turn the brightness down on the computer and try using a lamp at the desk. Many Apps can help reduce the blue light which can cause headaches and Apple have added an option to dim your iPhone screen to ‘Night Shift’ mode so that the screen is more orange coloured rather than blue which is supposedly supposed to help you sleep at night.
Take Suitable Breaks to De-Stress
If you are feeling stressed at work, don’t try and battle on with it as you will only end up feeling worse. When you are feeling stressed or tired then this is your body telling you that you need a break. Use this time to get up and have a little walk to re-energise yourself. Try relaxing with breathing techniques to help calm you down.
Try the tips above and see how much better you will feel about yourself and about work. You will be less tired, experience less headaches, will be healthier and you may even lose weight.
At the beginning of a New Year it is important to look at what we can do to make changes for the year ahead. Statistics have shown that those that work in an office environment find it hard to keep fit and stay healthy. At Debbie Burbage Recruitment we think it is important to stay as active as you can to eliminate any health problems that could occur by sitting down at a desk all day long. Follow our simple guide to become healthier at work in 2017.
Exercise at the Office
It is essential that we do at least an hour’s worth of exercise a day. This is even more important for those that spend the majority of the day, between 8-9 hours, sitting down at a desk. To balance the amount of time you spend sitting down, it is vital that you spend an hour doing some sort of physical activity. Have a look at what times of the day you could fit in some exercise before or after work or even in your lunch break. If you can then try walking or cycling to work. If you have to drive into work then purposely park your car as far away as you can, creating more exercise by having to walk further. Make sure that you always take the stairs at work instead of the lift, as this is a great way to keep you fit. Unfortunately we all resort to using technology and may send colleagues messages by either texting or emailing them. If you need to give them a message then visit them at their office or desk to physically give them this message. Any extra exercise a day is better than none at all, even it is just half an hour.
Avoid Unhealthy Snacks
Being in an office environment can often lead to tempting snacks being dotted around such as biscuits, cakes and pastries. In meetings it is polite to provide biscuits and drinks which can be tempting. Replace all unhealthy snacks with healthy snacks such as fruit. Making your lunch the night before can also be good for you as this makes you eat the food that you have made, rather than having to go to the local shop or café for something unhealthy. If you make something that requires a knife and a fork to eat it with will prevent you from having to use your computer and the keyboard. Another common mistake people make is confusing hunger with thirst, when you feel hungry you could actually just be thirsty, so before snacking try drinking a glass of water. This will also help with tiredness and can prevent headaches.
Always Take your Lunch Break
Too many of us fall into working through our lunches and eat a sandwich or a salad whilst sitting at our desks and in front of a computer screen. Make sure that you always take a lunch break just so that you can get up and move from your desk. Actually go to the work canteen to eat your lunch so that you are stepping outside of your working environment. Then after you have eaten your lunch, use the rest of your break to take a walk. Go out of the office and step outside as some fresh air and a walk around a local park or just the office grounds can really help wake you up for the afternoon and make you feel refreshed. It is also an easy way to get some exercise in the middle of the day.
Reduce Headaches
As we increase the amount of time that we spend looking at computer, tablet and phone screens, the risk of eyestrain and headaches grows. We wake up in the morning to our phone alarm and the first thing that we do is check our emails or messages on a bright screen. On the commute to work some will use a tablet to do any work that needs doing before they get to the office and then as soon as they get into the office the computer is switched on and doesn’t turn off until 8 hours later.
It is important that you take regular breaks from looking at the screen to reduce the risk of headaches. Turn the brightness down on the computer and try using a lamp at the desk. Many Apps can help reduce the blue light which can cause headaches and Apple have added an option to dim your iPhone screen to ‘Night Shift’ mode so that the screen is more orange coloured rather than blue which is supposedly supposed to help you sleep at night.
Take Suitable Breaks to De-Stress
If you are feeling stressed at work, don’t try and battle on with it as you will only end up feeling worse. When you are feeling stressed or tired then this is your body telling you that you need a break. Use this time to get up and have a little walk to re-energise yourself. Try relaxing with breathing techniques to help calm you down.
Try the tips above and see how much better you will feel about yourself and about work. You will be less tired, experience less headaches, will be healthier and you may even lose weight.