Many people work in office buildings or somewhere where they have to sit or stand for long periods of time. Not only can this lead to developing unhealthy habits when it comes to eating and exercising, but it can also be quite painful and leave you feeling down at times. Here are some tips on how to feel better at work, so you aren’t suffering each day.
Take a Break
It’s healthy to take a break from your work every few hours or so, even if it’s only for a moment or two. It is even better if you can get up and walk around. In fact, it’s been proven that if you take a 1 minute break every 30 minutes or so, it can have a positive effect on your concentration.
If you want, you can also take this time to stretch, which can help you loosen the tension in your muscles. When you aren’t in pain and you’re able to focus, you’ll be more productive and do your job better.
You can also take a break without getting up. If you’re typing up a report or doing research, stop every couple of hours and let your eyes have a rest. If you can, close your eyes for a few seconds and rub your eyelids. This should help alleviate a little bit of stress, so you can get right back to work.
Stay Hydrated
Another good thing to remember is that you need to stay hydrated. Even if they have endless free coffee at work, you should be taking in water as well. Shoot for at least 6 glasses of water a day, but listen to your body. Sometimes it will require more water than other days. You can opt for bottles of water, or green tea if you can’t stand the taste of plain water.
Pack Your Lunch
Although you may want to get away from your desk or co-workers, it is beneficial for you to pack your own lunch, instead of going out to eat each day. This will not only ensure that you know how many calories you ate, but you’ll also know exactly what’s in your food. As a bonus, it saves you gas and money, which is a very good thing.
Besides that, sometimes a boss may notice that you don’t leave for work. This can show them that you don’t like to waste time, and could convince them that you are a valuable employee.
Keep Your Posture Proper
It can be hard not to slouch or lean over when you’re working, but you should try to sit up straight or stand up straight at all times. If you need help with your posture, you have options. You can purchase the best back brace for posture, or purchase other products that are designed to help you sit up straighter, like stability balls or special belts. When you’re able to sit up properly, you can breathe better, and all the blood in your body will flow the way it should. In other words, it helps with your overall circulation.
Keep a Positive Attitude
There are surely days when you don’t want to be at work. You have other important things to do or you just aren’t feeling well. When these days occur, make sure that you keep a positive attitude. Think about how close you are to the weekend or how many days you have to work before its time to go on vacation.
Lessen Your Workload
No matter what types of projects you have to work on at your job, there’s a way to break them down into smaller chunks. This is a great way to keep from becoming stressed or feeling overwhelmed. Split up all the things you need to do into smaller, more manageable jobs, so you can get more accomplished. This can also help you compartmentalize everything better, so you don’t feel like you’re swamped with work.
Listen to Music
If you are allowed to listen to music at work, do it sometimes. While your favorite songs may distract you from finishing your tasks, classical music is unlikely to do so. Pick some music from famous composers and see if it helps you get more accomplished. You can also listen to this type of music on breaks, which may even be able to relax you a little bit.
Make a Work Friend
Chances are there are people at your job that you like and dislike. Sometimes the office may remind you of high school, with the cliques and groups that hang out together all the time. If there’s someone at the office that you consider your friend, go ahead and talk to them a couple times throughout the day. This will break up the monotony a little bit and it may bring a smile to your face.
Get Some Exercise
When you aren’t working, it is always beneficial to get your body moving. Research suggests that even moving your body 30 minutes a day, a few times a week can have a significant positive impact on your health. Anyone should have that amount of time to devote to their health each week, so try to make it work. Remember, this doesn’t mean you have to go to the gym. You can walk around your block, play with your kids, or even clean your house to burn calories.
If it helps, you can also enlist a buddy to exercise with you. When you are held accountable to certain goals, you are more likely to meet them. Besides that, you can count on each other those times when you’re feeling low energy or in a bad mood. It’s like having your own pep squad around, which is something many of us would like to have. Just make sure you find a partner that you can count on, so they aren’t always standing you up. You can even ask your spouse, especially if you two wanted to get healthier together anyway.