Top 10 Tips for Health and Well-being at Work
Top 10 Tips for Health and Well-being at Work
1. Are you sitting comfortably? – correct posture at work is vital. Sitting incorrectly can cause neck and back injuries and can cause headaches. Your monitor should be directly in front of you and your keyboard should be within easy reach. You should be sitting right back in your chair, not on the edge with the chair pulled under your desk. Your back and shoulders should be straight and supported by the back of your chair. Make sure your knees are about 20-30° and as much as 45° lower than your hips. If you do not have a tilt option on your chair then sit on a wedge cushion to give some extra lift at the back of your seat.
2. Have a good start to the day – we all know the saying ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’…….but how many of us can honestly say that we eat well for breakfast? Eating a good breakfast will set you up for the rest of the day. You’ll avoid mid morning snacking (good for your waist line!) and you’ll be able to concentrate all morning. Examples of a good breakfast include scrambled eggs with wholemeal toast, non sugar cereal with fruit, or if you’re on the go, a banana and good quality cereal bar. All of these are far better than grabbing a croissant, muffin and coffee at the local coffee shop, and you’ll save money too!
3. Drink up – drinking water is essential for the human body, which isn’t surprising when you think more than 2/3 of our body is made up from water. Keeping hydrated will help you stay focussed at work and will reduce headaches and dizziness. Staying hydrated also means you’ll snack less (often thirst is mistaken for hunger) and will improve your skin. An easy way to make sure you’re drinking enough is to fill up a 2 litre bottle of water at the beginning of each day and keep it on your desk. By the time you leave, you should have finished the bottle.
4. A good deed a day – helps you feel good about yourself and is an instant mood lifter. Your state of mind has a massive influence on your performance at work. By paying someone a compliment, helping someone out of a tricky spot or even assisting someone across the road will give you an instant burst of feel-good hormones. Don’t forget, when you help out colleagues, they are more than happy to help you out when you need support. So you will always benefit from doing a good deed.
5. Eating for energy – It’s so easy to do…..grab a biscuit with your coffee, get a fatty sandwich from the deli. Did you know what you eat really does impact on your energy levels, your mood and your ability to concentrate? There are loads of websites, books and magazines, packed full of healthy eating ideas and plans. Make your lunch the night before and surround yourself with healthy snacks and it’ll be much easier to say no to that piece of birthday cake and the snack van! Making changes to your diet will help you benefit from increased energy and concentration – both of which are vital at work. And you may drop a few pounds!
6. Think positive -Did you know thinking positively can help your confidence and performance at work? If you’re feeling negative and de-motivated, talk to yourself positively. Say to yourself, “I’m good at this”, “I can achieve this”, “I’m doing really well”, Don’t wait for someone else to tell you this; you can tell yourself anytime. Make sure you congratulate yourself when you’ve done something well. A “Well done, me” can have a huge effect on your mental well being.
7. Be active – it’s good for us – right? But sometimes it’s hard to fit exercise into a busy lifestyle. Exercise really makes a difference to your well-being – not only to your weight, but to your ability to concentrate, your attitude, and energy levels. Making small change to your daily routine is an easy way to increase your level of physical activity. Why not try taking the stairs rather than the lift, walking to a colleague’s desks rather than calling them or taking a brisk walk at lunchtime? Don’t forget, you’re drinking more water, so you’ll need more toilet breaks too!
8. Take a break – or three! No matter how busy you are at work, you should always make time for a lunch break. Even if it’s just a quick half hour. And ideally you should be taking 5 minutes away from your desk mid morning and mid afternoon. Taking a break is essential to your well-being at work. You’ll reduce stress, and feel better able to concentrate and do your job efficiently when you return from your break. Ideally, try and get some fresh air ….it’ll make a real difference.
9. Get together – and have a chat about your job with other people – whether it’s colleagues, friends or family. Take time out every week to sit and talk to people about work. It sounds dull, but sharing stories of frustrations, stress, things that have gone well and not so well will help you to offload tension and improve your state of mind. Similarly, by listening to others and hearing their stories you’ll be able to learn from their experiences. It really helps to talk about problems – it’s cheesy but true, a problem shared is a problem halved!
10. Have a laugh – laughing really is the best medicine. Did you know laughing is thought to boost your immune system, reduce allergic responses, lift your mood and reduce your stress hormones? So throw a few jokes around the office and play a few harmless tricks. It’ll help keep you sane and make your working day more enjoyable!
If you would like to contact us please speak to either Fran Eccles-Bech, Executive Director
or Vicky Ball, her PA, on 0161 831 7337 or e-mail [email protected]