During the week, we spend a lot of our time at work, which can make it a bit challenging to follow consistent healthy habits. Finding a way to incorporate wellness into your entire daily routine will allow you to improve your overall well-being in and out of the office. Experts say that maintaining a healthy lifestyle positively affects your physical and mental well-being. Once you start adding some healthy habits to your routine, you may even find it hard to go back to your old habits.
Practice Good Nutrition
Opting to make healthy eating choices can make a world of a difference during your workday. Oftentimes we find it tough to fight through the midday slump without a candy bar or make it through that morning meeting without the sugary energy drink that will bring us instant satisfaction. Try to ditch these bad eating habits, and instead, think of different ways to fuel your body. First off, hydration is key. One of the best things that you can do for yourself to stay healthy whether at work or not, is to maintain proper hydration. If you are dehydrated, it can be especially difficult to concentrate, stay energized, or even be in a good mood.
Beverages such as soda and energy drinks dehydrate and de-energize your body. Instead of fueling your body with sugar and taking the risk of becoming more tired, switch to drinking water. Not only will it hydrate your body in the best way possible, but you also don’t have to worry about how much you’re consuming in calories, sugar, and sodium when you’re drinking water. Your wallet will also thank you as the weekly energy drink and soda purchases can add up, but refilling a water bottle is free.
You should apply the same habits to eating as well. At work, it’s sometimes almost too easy to find junk food. Between ordering out with other coworkers for lunch, or grabbing a small bag of chips in the break room, the workspace can be a very tempting place to indulge in junk food. Instead, consider packing your own lunch or ordering a healthy sandwich or salad. Your body will appreciate the energy from these meals much more than anything sweet or salty.
Prevent Eye Strain
If you are someone who works in a space where you are constantly staring at a computer screen or digital monitor, it is important to think about your eyes and mental health. Not only can you get headaches from over-exposure to digital displays, but you can also strain your eyesight after prolonged periods of time. To keep this from happening, a great investment that is both stylish and helpful is a pair of blue light glasses. Blue light glasses reduce eye strain and block harmful light that emits from digital screens. You will notice that after wearing them your eyes may not feel or look as tired as they normally do. Contact your benefits provider to see if blue light glasses qualify as an eligible expense for your HSA of FSA account.
It’s also important to remember to take small breaks from looking at your screen. A simple five-minute break away from your computer, tablet, and cellphone can play a huge advantage in your health and productivity. Although it may feel like you’re not getting anything done since you are avoiding the computer for a couple of minutes, mini-breaks actually increase motivation in workers.
Remain Active
Keeping up with some sort of physical activity while working will provide endless benefits to your health. Although it may seem hard if you’re required to stay at your desk, there are still many ways that you can get moving at work. For instance, if you work remotely from home, a great way to make sure that you’re remaining active is to look into a standing office desk. This gives you the ability to keep your body moving and keep the blood circulating well. Not only will you find a boost in your mood from not sitting and slouching in your chair, but your posture will also improve too.
Additionally, many companies offer their employees Specialty or Lifestyle Accounts as part of their employee benefits. The intent of these accounts is to reimburse for fitness and other physical activities that you may spend your money on throughout the year. Not only is it extremely beneficial for the employee to get moving, but employers have also found that this account has increased positivity and motivation and reduced stress levels in the workplace.
Get Motivated with a Coworker
One of the best ways to maintain your healthy habits is to have someone else keep you motivated. Not only is it great to have a support system like a workout buddy to exercise with, but you can also hold each other accountable on your fitness journey. Having a fitness partner is a great way to ensure that you both are being the best versions of yourself that you can be. Attending a fitness class before work together or hitting the gym when you get out is a great idea, and you’ll both be happy to have done it together. Even if you are having an off day or lack motivation, your workout partner will be there to get you into the groove.
This is also helpful because often we don’t notice any of our own physical changes when they occur. Your partner will be able to tell you how you’re improving and what changes they are witnessing after your journey begins. You may even find yourself engaging in new adventures with your partner. This can give you a heightened sense of commitment and motivation to keep up with your healthy lifestyle.
The thing about working out with a coworker is that it can be even more difficult to find the time that both of you are available to go to the gym or go on a run. As a tip, it would be a good idea to create something like a shared fitness calendar that you both are on so you know exactly what days you are going to exercise. This will keep you motivated and on schedule to hit all your fitness goals.
Overall, many different benefits come from practicing a healthy and balanced lifestyle throughout your day. Creating habits that work for you is vital to your wellbeing. You can start small and focus on simple tasks to improve your health mentally and physically. Before you know it, you can have a whole new routine that has you feeling your best in and out of the workplace.
