Sitting down all day in your dull and grey office cubicle can do damage not only to your happiness but also to your health. However, there are certain things you can do to help improve your health and happiness even while being trapped behind a desk. Follow these tips and you will soon be feeling a little bit brighter each day.
Eat well
It’s difficult to avoid the temptation to snack at the office, particularly when we’re feeling tired and looking for a mood booster. However, snacking on health foods such as delicious fruits rather than sugary treats can help to make your more productive by stimulating your brain activity.
Good nutrition is the basis for any healthy lifestyle. Snacking on a variety of seasonal fruit, seeds, and nuts at work can provide sustained energy with many health benefits.
Stay hydrated
Fizzy drinks increase your sugar intake, your risk of diabetes and weight gain, so save them as treats and reach for water when you’re feeling thirsty at the office. With a mixture of air-conditioning and over-heated environments, offices spaces can be stifling. Staying hydrated will ensure both your body and mind are operating at optimum levels, so make sure to make a couple extra trips to the office water dispenser.
Health and nutritional experts recommend drinking at least two litres of water a day, and it can be surprisingly easy to hit this target if you keep a litre bottle of water by your desk and sip continuously throughout the day. Fill it up when it’s empty from the office water cooler and you’ll get through two bottles in no time.
Take a break
If you work with a computer, it is recommended that you look away from the monitor and focus on something else at varying distances every 15 – 30 minutes. That may seem like a lot, but if you find your eyes going fuzzy every time you look away from your screen then it may be time to give your eyes a rest.
It’s easy to work overtime, but working long hours sitting down is stressful. Take breaks when you can, even if it’s just to stretch, stick your head out the window for some fresh air or take a trip to the bathroom.
Following these tips can help you maintain your energy levels and boost your health throughout the day, so you don’t have to sacrifice your health for your work.
Image of office courtesy vmiramontes via Flickr
Image of water courtesy Konstantin Stepanov via Flickr