As urban dwellers, most of us spend most of our time working in an office everyday. You can get so engrossed in work, your own well-being that can get overlooked. On this week's journal, we will be discussing a few easy tips that can help you work better while maintaining your health. Read on!
1. Spend some time on your feet
Sitting at your desk not only contributes to obesity, but also to hypertension and other health issues. It also can trigger pain in your back, shoulders, hips and neck. Get up and walk several times throughout the day to keep your muscles moving, and take the stairs instead of lifts if possible.
2. Be mindful of your posture when working
As many of us spend more time in the office with our work computer, means that you should make sure that you sit the right way during these long hours of sitting at your desk. The position of your neck, elbows, back and knees should be straight or at right angles, as having good posture can prevent aches and pain and it can also reduce stress on your ligaments. You may want to try adjusting the height of your chair or add an ergonomic back support.
Whether you look down at the computer, or hold the phone against your shoulder to keep your hands free, your job can be hard on your neck. And all of that strain can cause your muscles to tense and tighten up, causing pain later on. Raise your computer to a comfortable height so you can see it looking straight ahead.
3. Take preventive measures to prevent eye strain
All of that time in front of the computer screen may hurt your eyes and cause headaches, sensitivity to light, and dry eyes. Keep your computer screen about an arm's length away from you. If you can't clearly see the text on the screen, just increase your font size. There are also screen covers you can use to minimize the glare from the monitor to decrease the strain on your eyes.
4. Drink enough water
Working on an air-conditioned environment make us not feel thirsty most of the time, and this results in less water being consumed. As your body craves water, you can feel irritable or having a harder time to concentrate just because you're thirsty. Keep dehydration at bay by keeping a large water bottle at your desk. Having it within reach will encourage you to drink throughout the day and stay hydrated. You might be amazed by how much more alert you feel with enough water in your system.
5. Avoid consuming too much food & snacks
Admit it, lunch is one of the most exciting part of your otherwise mundane daily work routine. However, some people have a harder time than others to control their appetite and end up overeating during lunch and feel sleepy during meeting afterwards. Carbohydrates, such as rice, should be consumed in moderation in order not to have a sugar crash and leave you exhausted during mid-afternoon.
Also, limit your snacking habits during work, especially sweet stuff. The extra calories may cause you to gain weight as well as feeling lethargic due to all the sugar. Instead, plan ahead to have healthy snacks like nuts or fruits to satisfy your afternoon snack craving.
6. Recharge yourself after work
As your mental health is just as important as your physical health, you really need some downtime after work to mentally recharge for the next day. Going back and forth between emails, spreadsheets, cooking and being with the kids isn’t really an effective way to manage your time. Therefore, unplug in the evening and avoid distractions from gadgets to fully relax and spend your time with family instead.
7. Get enough sleep and wake up refreshed
Last but not least, be mindful of your sleeping habits. Go to bed at a set time and make sure you get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. This is very important as sleep deprivation can cause slow reaction, inability to focus and lower cognitive function the next day, which may hinder you from performing your best at work.
