Staying Healthy in the Workplace: Have Some Energy Left For Life

The August Bank Holiday is coming to an end. The three days flew, and you're dreading the tiring hours back at the desk. Any work shift can be both mentally and physically draining. You should be ready for life after employment hours, as opposed to your bed and a fourteen hour snooze.

There is no reason why you should not leave the workplace in the evening feeling revitalised and looking forward to the evening at home ahead. Work may seem like your life sometimes but everybody has relationships, hobbies and downtime to be enjoyed too. Here are 8 tips to make sure you're ready for your after-work hours.

 

Take a walk:

Be aware of mental fatigue. If you are starting to daydream about holidays abroad at your desk, your productivity must be drifting abroad too. Research published in the Psychological Science journal found that people improved their working memory span by about 20 percent after a 50-minute nature walk. It does not have to be a fifty minute walk, but if my mental mathematics are correct, getting out of the office for a ten minute walk can increase working memory by 4 percent. Every little helps. You'll feel like a whole new woman leaving the workplace in the evening time.

It's a 'real' break:

When you are taking a break, take a real break, and everyone knows what that means. A work-break does not include surfing the web or answering emails on your smart phone. A break means you leave the desk and walk to the kitchen for a cup of tea or head outside the office and ring a friend for a quick chat. These socially productive breaks will ensure you head back to your desk with a renewed sense of enthusiasm.

Count the hours:

While furiously typing at the desk computer for hours on end may seem like a productive day, experts say it is very unhealthy. “You need to take breaks every hour or two to get up and move,” Luis Feigenbaum, University of Miami's Miller School of Medicine, told ABC News, “A lot of low back conditons happen from just sitting for a long period of time. The muscles get weak.”

Old-school communication:

The advent of email brought a whole new dimension to the workplace but delivering messages the old-fashioned way, while it may be time-consuming, is a much healthier option. If a document is to be attached, of course an email should be sent. But simple messages like “Do you want to meet at three?” or “Did you see *insert hot guy's name here*'s shirt today?” can easily be communicated by a quick step across the office or on an organised career break.

It's all about the ergonomics:

Sitting at the computer is an art unto itself. Certain ergonomic changes can ensure back pain is avoided. Sit close to the work station. Keep monitors at eye level. Keep the keyboard at a level that doesn't require too much reaching. Sit with legs flexed at a 90-degree angle with feet restign comfortably on the floor. Ready? Set? Now type!

Homemade's always better:

Vending machines, spontaneous work snacks and celebatory treats can be the bane of our work lives. It is difficult enough to say no, but sometimes it has to be done. Take ten minutes out and prepare your lunch for work the night before. A homemade lunch is cheaper and healthier. It is also important to eat regularly throughout the day, every four hours is recommended. Small bags of nut or fruit can be a light and healthy snack.

It's a necessity:

A survival necessity; water. Make it your mission to drink your bottle of water throughout the day. Ideally two or three bottles could be drank from the desk during the working day.

Good bacteria or bad bacteria?

Multi-tasking may seem like a great idea but make sure you do not mix food and the work desk. Experts say lots of hidden bacteria lurk on desktops. Wash your hands and clean up the area if you are eating at your desk. It should be treated in the same manner you would treat your kitchen or dining table.