By Grace Bailey
Whoever goes to work (and we all know that almost everybody does) knows how difficult it is to maintain a healthy lifestyle while at the workplace. Especially if one’s work is in an office. The sedentary day at work makes it hard for one take care of his/her body. However, there are ways out of this situation. One just needs to be devoted to the idea of staying healthy at the workplace and results are sure to follow.
1. Leave coffee behind
It’s almost everybody’s habit to start the day with a cup of strong coffee. Even though this caffeine drink gives us a temporary high, it is sure to make you crash later on. This will affect not only your concentration, productivity and energy but will also make you want more and more coffee. And, with time, this will lead to dependency and fatigue. Something as simple as water can refresh you. And if you happen to need a little more energy, eat an orange. What’s also bad about coffee is the fact that it is usually loaded with a ton of sugar or some other sweetener. If you really can’t imagine your day without a cup of coffee, make it more like a cup of milk with a little coffee.
2. Have breakfast
By all means do! A lot of people start the day at the office with nothing more than a cigarette and some coffee. Needless to say, this is bad for you. The body needs energy to start the day properly and that energy could be provided by a nice morning meal. A toast or two, a bowl of oatmeal or some fruits. Whatever rocks your boat. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it is food. You wouldn’t want to collapse onto your keyboard, right?
3. Stick to healthy snacks
As snacks play a vital role during one’s working day (after all, everybody gets hungry in between meals, right) do your best to make these snacks be as healthy as possible. Forget about the various types of bagged junk food. Not only it doesn’t satisfy your hunger, but it is also not ‘clean’ at all, but rather filled with all types of preservatives. Smart choices would be a mix of different nuts – almonds, peanuts, walnuts, etc., as well as fruits – apples, bananas, pears and so on.
4. Mind the lunch
Unless your company has a cafeteria, where nice, freshly cooked meals are served, it would be way better for you to pack your lunch. Devote thirty to sixty minutes a day to prepare yourself a nice lunch meal for the next day at work. It is definitely worth it. In any case, it is way better than a mayonnaise-covered hot dog from a nearby stand.
5. Stay hydrated
Drink plenty of liquids. However, try to avoid sweetened carbonated drinks the best you can. Again, water is the best choice. Or freshly squeezed fruits, if your workplace’s kitchen area has the proper appliances.
6. Move
Of course, that doesn’t mean you should leave your workplace for a walk in the nearby park. Just grant yourself a couple of minutes each hour to get up and pace around the office or the corridor. With sedentary types of work, this practice is obligatory. However, if leaving the workplace whenever one decides is not allowed at your job, do plenty of stretching while sitting on your chair. Stretch your arms, legs and back. Something like office yoga. Also, you should rest your eyes from time to time. Staring into the computer screen could be really tiring for them. Two minutes looking out the window each hour is something you can easily do to protect your eyesight.
– Grace is a housewife and writer keen on flowers, Italian food and healthy house organizing. You can also enjoy her tips and suggestions for creating a better home and Hackney removals.