Many of us spend at least 8 hours a day in the office. That’s over 40 hours a week, 160 hours a month, 1920 hours a year… you get the idea. That’s a lot of time to spend in one place, so you can’t forget to take care of yourself while you work. In many ways, employers can help encourage and promote different health and wellness practices within the workplace, but it is also the responsibility for each individual to make sure they’re doing what is best for them personally. Need some help getting started? Here are some easy ways to develop good habits and make your workplace healthier.
For Employees:
Plan Your Hunger
Preparing your meals and snacks ahead of time is the best way to make healthy choices. Deciding on what to eat when you’re hungry makes it easy to give into temptation and order poorly. Packing your lunches and snacks help you set yourself up for better choices. Chances are you’re not craving many lunch foods at 7am when you’re getting your brown bag ready, so it’s easier to prepare future you for that salad or sandwich instead of getting in on that taco order your coworkers are planning. Keeping apples, granola bars, nuts, etc. accessible at your desk also makes it easy to curb those mid-day hunger cravings with a good snack instead of heading to the vending machine for that regretful bag of potato chips.
Make Fitness Accessible
Not everyone’s office is located next to a gym, nor does every office have a built-in yoga studio, but there are ways to make fitness more accessible to you, and therefore, increase your chances of getting some exercise. Keep a couple days’ worth of workout clothes in your station. We all know once you head home after work, it’s hard to convince yourself to head back out for some physical activity (especially when your couch is calling your name), so eliminating that step gives you a little bit of a push. Make sure you have a pair of sneakers and your headphones tucked away in your storage cabinet, so you can choose to get outside and take a stroll at lunch or make your next conference call a walking one. You get some fresh air and get moving all at the same time.
Personalize Your Space
Your mood is also a big part of your health. The happier you are, the more inspired and less stressed you are. Your work area plays a big role in this, so you should aim to create a space that reflects your interests and brightens up your day. This can be done by incorporating greens into your office, as well personal pictures of family and friends that make you smile. Lighting and color are also important aspects of your space to prevent drowsiness, strain and depression, especially during late nights in the office. No matter what the overall office lighting situation is, making sure your space is lit the way that works best for you.
Keep Green Tea Close By
Not only is green tea a great way to curb your appetite and eliminate those pesky snack cravings, but it is also a natural way to give your energy (and metabolism!) a boost throughout the workday. It’s a much healthier and less pricey alternative to coffee. You also won’t regret those couple of cups when you’re trying to go to sleep for the night.
Take the Road Less Traveled
If you need to ask a coworker a question or reply to a message, don’t turn right to the most convenient resource like your phone or email. Instead, get up and go talk to the person face to face. It gets you out of your chair and socializing with others throughout the day, even if you’re simply talking about work. This impromptu collaboration could spark new ideas or friendships, but at the very least gets the legs moving and blood flowing a little bit!
For Employers:
Start a Breakfast (Or Lunch) Club!
Sticking to a healthy lifestyle is much easier with support. Get employees on the same page by organizing some sort of communal pot-luck where specific employees sign up for certain days and share some of their favorite breakfast or lunch items. No, this doesn’t mean their favorite cream-filled donut or cookie recipe. Think more like fresh fruit, hummus, yogurt, chicken salad, sandwich makings, bagels, veggies, etc. It encourages employee engagement and keeps everyone from crashing from their sugar-high at 2pm.
Sponsored Gym Memberships
More and more companies are making gym memberships part of employee health benefits. For many, a gym membership is a luxury and not part of their personal budget. By providing and encouraging employees to go to the gym together and get fit together, you can promote healthier lifestyles and company bonding. You enjoy a fitter and healthier group of employees that increases moods and enhances performance in the workplace. You can also almost certainly benefit from a group rate or discount in this situation. Double win! Even if your boss isn’t willing to sponsor your memberships, explore the options for these discounted rates by getting a group of coworkers to sign up with you.
Fitness Competitions
Competitions are a great motivating force for employees. Making fitness a challenge between coworkers is a good way to encourage more people to get involved and want to achieve more than they otherwise would on their own. You can even host group challenges where employees work together and push each other to complete the goals for a group reward. This is also a great way to harvest the in-office rivalries associated with work into a productive and more positive outlet.
Get More Out of Your Office Furniture
Incorporate fitness equipment into your workplace There are so many different ergonomics now integrated into office furniture that it is easy to find ways for each employee to benefit. Whether it be a bosu ball office chair to aid balance and core strength, a treadmill desk to get your heart rate up and blood flowing, or even simply a flexible monitor arm that adjusts to eliminate eye strain and poor posture, there are endless ways to make sure your employees are working in a healthy way. Designate a section of the office to standing height desks or treadmill desks that employees can step away from their personal areas to get some fitness time in while they work. Transitions like these will keep employees alert and energized to do better work and feel better throughout the day.
If you’re interested in purchasing a treadmill desk, click here.