We all spend at least 8 hours a day (sometimes more) sitting in a chair, in front of a computer. This is repeated 5 days a week. Though the 9-5 workweek is the most common in America, it oftentimes is not the healthiest. Here are 3 easy, realistic ways that you can stay a little healthier at the office.
- Stay hydrated
Coffee can be extremely dehydrating, and health experts recommend getting 8-10 glasses of water a day. Dawn Jackson, a registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, stated that “the 3 o’clock lull that many people feel at work can be due to dehydration.” Additionally, drinking too much coffee during the day can make it difficult to fall asleep at night, which makes you less alert and sleepy during the work week.
For those interested in breaking their caffeine habit, here’s a great article with recommendations. For those simply looking to get healthier, try only drinking coffee in the morning, drinking a sip of water with every sip of coffee and trying green tea, a caffeinated but healthier option.
- Eat healthy
More than one-third of adults and 17% of youth in the United States are obese,” according to a Journal of American Medical Association article published in 2014. With this being such a problem in the U.S., it is important to be health conscious.
Replace the office candy bowl with an office fruit bowl, and make a conscious effort to avoid mindless snacking or stress eating at your desk. Instead, reward yourself with a healthy snack after completing a long or difficult task.
- Move around
We’ve all heard that sitting is the new smoking, and health experts say we should squeeze in about 10,000 steps a day, but how do can you actually ensure you’re not sitting in your seat the entire day?
Here’s an easy tip: Set a calendar reminder for every 30 to 60 minutes saying, “Get up and move!” Take a quick stroll around the office to warm up your legs, stretch a bit, then you can sit back down and go back to work feeling refreshed.
Another suggestion is to take some of your tasks on the road. Instead of taking every call at your desk go for a walking meeting during a client call.
By taking care of yourself and cultivating your healthiest self, you have the ability to perform better at work and be a happier person. We hope these tips help you achieve this.
