Easy ways to boost your well-being at work
Being desk-bound doesn't mean you have to sacrifice your health. Kimberly Gillan reveals easy ways to boost your wellbeing at work
Whether it's standing up to stretch or slicing a piece of fruit, scheduling regular "health breaks" at work does wonders for your body and mind. Research shows the healthiest employees are three times more productive, so not only will being healthy make you feel better, you'll hopefully cut back on overtime too. Try making these simple changes and watch your wellbeing skyrocket.
Whether it's standing up to stretch or slicing a piece of fruit, scheduling regular "health breaks" at work does wonders for your body and mind. Research shows the healthiest employees are three times more productive, so not only will being healthy make you feel better, you'll hopefully cut back on overtime too. Try making these simple changes and watch your wellbeing skyrocket.
Get moving
If you work an office job, chances are you spend most of your day sitting at your desk or in meetings. Add in driving or sitting on the train, plus nights spent watching TV, and you've probably clocked up a lot of time on your butt.
Even if you exercise for 30 minutes a day, researchers warn your risk of heart disease and diabetes is high if you're sedentary most of the time.
"If a person is sleeping eight hours and doing a brisk walk for 30 minutes, that still leaves 15.5 hours of potentially sedentary behaviour every day," physical activity researcher Dr David Dunstan says. "When we sit, we are burning very little energy. The muscles are no longer contracting [and] we know muscle contraction is so important for many of the body's regulatory processes."
He says moving every 30 minutes reduces your chances of developing heart disease and diabetes. "Rather than emailing a colleague down the corridor, walk over and talk to them," Dr Dunstan suggests. "Remove your bins from your personal workplace to a central location so you have to get up and take the rubbish to the bin."
Even if you exercise for 30 minutes a day, researchers warn your risk of heart disease and diabetes is high if you're sedentary most of the time.
"If a person is sleeping eight hours and doing a brisk walk for 30 minutes, that still leaves 15.5 hours of potentially sedentary behaviour every day," physical activity researcher Dr David Dunstan says. "When we sit, we are burning very little energy. The muscles are no longer contracting [and] we know muscle contraction is so important for many of the body's regulatory processes."
He says moving every 30 minutes reduces your chances of developing heart disease and diabetes. "Rather than emailing a colleague down the corridor, walk over and talk to them," Dr Dunstan suggests. "Remove your bins from your personal workplace to a central location so you have to get up and take the rubbish to the bin."
Snack smart
With most of us working increasingly longer hours, it's never been more important to eat healthily at work. "We're spending more of our time in the office and if you don't eat regularly throughout the day, you might overeat later if you arrive home famished," Sonya Stanley, from the Dietitians Association of Australia, says.
The good news is you can use your work routine to your advantage. "There are set times when you go to morning tea and lunch, whereas someone who's at home can eat whenever they want," says dietitian Hanan Saleh.
She says the key to eating well at work is to plan your food the night before. "Have a small salad or a salad sandwich for lunch so you're halfway towards getting five serves of vegies a day," she says. "Also bring boxes of Vita-Weats or Cruskits to snack on, rather than going to the cafe and picking unhealthy options that will impact on your ability to concentrate. The fattier the meal, the more sluggish you will feel and you won't get through your day as effectively."
If you're tired, have a caffeine hit. "It's okay to have three coffees a day, as long as they're not extra large, full cream, with three sugars each," Saleh says. "Caffeine is a good stimulant and will get your brain working a bit better."
The good news is you can use your work routine to your advantage. "There are set times when you go to morning tea and lunch, whereas someone who's at home can eat whenever they want," says dietitian Hanan Saleh.
She says the key to eating well at work is to plan your food the night before. "Have a small salad or a salad sandwich for lunch so you're halfway towards getting five serves of vegies a day," she says. "Also bring boxes of Vita-Weats or Cruskits to snack on, rather than going to the cafe and picking unhealthy options that will impact on your ability to concentrate. The fattier the meal, the more sluggish you will feel and you won't get through your day as effectively."
If you're tired, have a caffeine hit. "It's okay to have three coffees a day, as long as they're not extra large, full cream, with three sugars each," Saleh says. "Caffeine is a good stimulant and will get your brain working a bit better."
Loosen up
Corporate yoga teacher Angel Singmin says people who work on computers often carry a lot of physical tension. Try these easy exercises to relax your muscles and beat stress while you work.
Release your neck
Release your neck
"Stress from your job usually reveals itself in your neck, shoulders and back," Singmin says. "Release the tension by tilting your head to the left and bringing your left hand up over your head to gently pull the right side of your head and lower your left ear towards your left shoulder. Close your eyes and hold for at least three long breaths. Repeat on the other side."
Fix your posture
"If you hunch forward at your computer, not only does it cause more tension, it also makes your breathing shorter and less calming," Singmin says. "Be aware of your body and focus on sitting straight. Do this stretch every day: interlace your fingers behind your back and pull your arms back and down to open the front of your body."
Breathe easy
"Breathing techniques can be done at your desk to calm the mind and nervous system," Singmin says. "Close your eyes and breathe in through your nose, counting slowly to four. Hold your breath and count to four, then exhale smoothly for a count of four. Repeat this as many times as possible."
Source: http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/
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