Keeping Healthy and Productive at Work

With many of us sitting at a desk for much of the day, being sedentary, it is more important than ever that we keep on top of our health. In past times, more people undertook manual work and undertook jobs which required a lot of physical activity and increased physical exertion. However, with huge technological advances and economic growth in the UK, more people than ever are simply not doing enough physical activity; workers find it increasingly difficult to balance work and heath and exercise.

Promisingly though, there are many ways in which you can improve your health, being mindful of what is and is not good for you. By doing so, you will not only feel better and become healthier, but your work and productivity is sure to follow.

Great ways to improve your health and productivity include undertaking a healthy eating plan which may include something like a short juice cleanse (read more…) to kickstart your health regime, exercising during the day and keeping on top of your day to day responsibilities.

Kickstart Your Health and Office Diet

We all know how easy it is when sitting in an office to reach for a bag of crisps, a biscuit with our tea or a chocolate bar here and there. However, being at work as we are, day in day out, means that this more than likely becomes something of a habit. Hence, over the course of weeks and months, you may well find yourself having consumed a lot of junk food. 

Rather than snacking on what is easiest, try and balance things a little bit more. Try and snack on what is healthiest as well as tastiest. This may for example mean swapping a bag of crisps for some salted nuts and choosing fruit over chocolate wherever you can. Although these are fairly small changes, the effects are likely to be great in terms of the benefits to your health and wellbeing.

Another popular route to a healthier diet is undertaking a short juice cleanse for a day or perhaps a few days. Although not recommended to be done on a permanent basis, a juice cleanse done correctly can help you ‘reset’ your cravings and your overall diet in the medium to longer term. 

Exercise More

Increasing the amount of physical activity you undertake is always recommended. By simply walking a little bit more, using stairs instead of lifts and escalators and fitting in more rigorous exercise in your lunchbreak for example, you are sure to reap the benefits quicker than you may expect. 

Most gyms will offer lunchtime classes, favoured by office workers and if not, so long as your office has showers, you can opt to go for a run or a long walk, all of which are sure to benefit your physical as well as you mental wellbeing.

Clear Your Head and Relax

With all the exercise and healthy eating in the world, if you do not have a clear head, you will never be able to truly relax and benefit from other healthy practices. There are a wide range of common issues which people find lingering on their mind, all of which if addressed can see your productivity skyrocket, by increasing your peace of mind (source: more info):

• Childcare – One of the most common concerns people have when at work, particularly when there are tight deadlines or big projects to be fulfilled, is that of childcare. For those with younger children, their childcare will end at a particular time and as that approaches they are likely to be clock watching to ensure they get there on time. Try and prepare a contingency, be it a relative, partner or friend who can assist you with this and you are likely to feel better and more relaxed 

• Household Bills – Everyone has bills to pay and everyone at some time or other will be concerned about paying their bills. Try and take some time each month, say over a weekend, to get all your bills in order and work out how much you will need to pay and by when. Once you are in the habit of paying your bills in this way, it is likely to never be a concern again

• Find a Hobby – It is more common than ever that people are working when not at work. This includes things like admin tasks, emails and simply catching up on things in the evenings and weekends. Whilst this can be good in the short term, your work is likely to suffer in the longer term. Find some form of escape or hobby that allows you to relax and unwind and you will find that your productivity increases