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Habits to Help You be Healthier at Work

With the growing population, rising commodity prices and opening of the market to foreign practices and technology and competition people have been moving around faster than they used to in the past to stay productive and keep on top of things. In order to keep up with the growing economy, businesses and their staff have to work hard to come out looking successful. Employees have to stay focused on tasks and set realistic goals within time frames in order to achieve maximum productivity. This has become especially vexing in the new century with the 24 hours business and news cycle.

Although it is unavoidable having to work hard to meet productivity goals amidst growing expectations and to stay dedicated to work, it is important to pay attention to our health so that we can reduce our work absences and enjoy more fruitful days. As most jobs involve sitting for a long periods of time, it has become a concern for employees to stay healthy whilst spending their weekdays inside, seated. Sitting down all day long has been identified as a health concern. It is not a natural pastime for human beings and can take a toll on our bodies. Most common desk job health risks include increased risk of heart attack, neck pain, back pain, weight gain and musculoskeletal disorders in the lower back, legs and knees. Overall, when we combine all causes of death and compare any group of sitters with those who are more active, sitters have a 50 per cent greater likelihood of dying earlier.

Sitting for long periods is unhealthy because the human body is a dynamic system that needs to move, and by spending too many hours at a time sitting down our bodies can develop musculoskeletal imbalances, as well as other health conditions. Lack of movement slows the metabolism, reducing the amount of food that is converted to energy and thus promoting fat accumulation, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and more that comes with being overweight. With inactivity now listed as the fourth biggest killer of adults by the World Health Organization, it’s time to change our habits and stop thinking it’s acceptable to come into the office and remain settled at our desks for the entirety of the day. Many studies support the view that simple movement has dramatic health effects. The effects do not require weekly visits to the gym or daily jogs that people soon abandon when the regimens become inconvenient For employees who sit down at their desks most of the day, health and well-being aren’t always easy to work into their lifestyles. Still, small changes, practiced consistently over a long period of time, are the best way to increase health and well-being. Here are some better habits to do at work in order to avoid the ills mentioned above.

1. Set alarms and take breaks.

Every hour at work, have a little ringer go off to remind you to take a stretch or go for a quick walk anywhere. Extensive typing can stiffen the muscles in your upper back and neck, and finally staring at the screen for hours on end is very tiring and can cause serious problems, such as dry eyes and, if done into the evening, negatively affect the bodies’ ability to go to sleep. Taking short breaks of relaxing and stretching can do wonders for your health and well-being.

2. Avoid elevators, escalators and moving walkways.

Consider any transportation device as the enemy and take the stairs, unless you work on high floors. This form of work out is good for your heart. It can lower bad cholesterol levels and relieves tension and stress that can have adverse effects on your heart. It can lower the risk of hypertension and diseases that are related to heart health.

3. Walk as much as possible around the office.

A short walk around the office could restore the impaired vascular function and improve blood flow. If you are too worked up to relax and walk around, walking while talking on phone or walking after lunch will do.

4. Have regular meals.

Try to avoid skipping meals and try to eat portions that correlate with your level of exercise in the day. Avoid fast foods – fatty fried burgers or deep fried chicken should be eaten perhaps once a week at the most. If it is possible, keep the same pattern of meals from day to day. Do not leave long gaps between meals as it can lead to overeating due to excessive hunger – snacks, such as chips and other tasty packaged goods are also surprisingly high in fat, oils, sugar and salt.

5. Drink more water or herbal tea.

During coffee breaks, instead of coffee, make a cup of herbal tea such as thyme, peppermint and ginger. Avoid teas with artificial flavouring and choose the ones made from real herbs. They can help you to ease a cold, indigestion and fight infection and nausea. If you are not a fan of herbs, hit the water. Drinking water will keep you fuller and less tempted to snack on empty calories. Adopt a few or all of these habits and they would do the magic in keeping you fit while working hard to be effective and productive.