So much of our time is spent at work, and as work and life get busy, our health and well-being can easily be forgotten and put on the back burner. It is important to ensure we take the time to prioritize our health and wellness so that we can feel our best. Here are a few easy habits to incorporate into your daily work routine to help you take control of your health and well-being.
Take Short Walks Throughout the Workday
Walking has many benefits on our physical and mental health and can be helpful for keeping our focus at work. Walking for just 30 minutes per day can have many positive effects on our overall health, including reduced stress, decreased risk of heart disease, and improved sleep. It can also help with weight management and protection of your joints.
To add the benefits of walking into your daily routine, try taking a 5-10 minute break every couple of hours throughout your day to walk outside, or even around your workplace. If it is difficult to break away from your work, you can try walking while taking work calls or incorporate a longer lunch-time walk. Find what works best for you and your work schedule.
Use a Reusable Water Bottle to Stay Hydrated at Work
Staying hydrated is an essential part of health and well-being. In addition to supporting healthy digestion, kidney function, and skin health, staying hydrated also prevents the adverse reactions of dehydration, such as headaches, lethargy, and poor concentration.
Taking a reusable water bottle with you to work is an easy way to keep water accessible throughout the workday, and is a great way to track how much water you’ve had. It is also environmentally-friendly and helps reduce the use of plastic water bottles. The general recommendation for fluid intake per day is around 3.7 liters for men and 2.7 liters for women.
Get Sunlight Exposure
Taking small breaks throughout your day to get sunlight exposure can provide a positive boost on your mental health and focus while at work, in addition to providing benefits to your overall health. Sunlight exposure boosts serotonin, a hormone that positively impacts mood, and increases vitamin D levels. Vitamin D supports healthy immune function and calcium homeostasis, which impacts bone health; it has also been found to decrease depressive symptoms. If you are not able to take a break to go outside, try finding a window to sit by, as indirect sunlight can still provide some benefits to your health, including boosting serotonin.
Take a Moment to Meditate
Meditation has many benefits to our mental, emotional, and physical health and can be easily done at your work desk or wherever you are working. Practicing meditation can help reduce anxiety and stress, which can have adverse effects on health, such as increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Meditation can also help you regain your focus and concentration at work. There are many simple meditation techniques you can incorporate into your daily routine that only take 5-minutes, such as breathing exercises and guided meditation.
Eat Nutritious, Balanced Snacks Throughout the Day
The food we eat plays a large role in impacting how we feel. Having balanced snacks and meals will support your health and well-being and help you feel your best. Incorporating small, nutritious snacks throughout the day can keep you energized and maintain stable blood sugar. Ignoring hunger signs and going multiple hours without eating can cause low blood sugar, giving us feelings of “hanger”, low-energy, irritability, and inability to focus. Eating nutritious snacks can also help prevent diet-related chronic diseases, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, when part of a balanced diet.
Try having a snack in between meals so that you're eating every 2-3 hours or so. Focus on foods that provide fiber and protein to help keep you fuller for longer. Simple and healthy snacks to take to work include mixed nuts, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, whole grain crackers, and sliced fruit and vegetables.
The Bottom Line
When work and life get busy, it can be easy to put your health and well-being on the back burner. Implementing small, simple habits throughout your day can help improve your health. Incorporating short walks, reusable water bottles to stay hydrated, sunlight exposure, meditation, and nutritious snacks into your daily work routine are simple habits to help you prioritize your health and encourage you to feel your best.
Learn more about Wellness Workdays and our wellness program offerings by downloading our brochure.
Written by: Olivia Pasquini, Wellness Workdays Dietetic Intern
Sources:
4. PLOS
6. Mayo Clinic