Staying Healthy: 7 Habits You Should Adopt to Embrace Health and Wellness
"When you've got your health, you've got everything," is a common saying to convey how vital
health is to success. While it may be cliche', this phrase is one all of us should live by.
It's hard to be effective if your physical and mental health is suffering. Ultimately, this
means that you have to put these aspects of your life first.
However, that can be easier said than done. When your day is filled with managing colleagues,
handling family chores, and going through your own to-do list, it can be hard to fit health
and wellness tactics into your routine. Nevertheless, with a little planning and forethought,
you can incorporate sound health practices into your work routine.
Here are some practical tips you can include in your workday to prioritize your health.
Inquire About a Health and Wellness Program at Your Company
Whether you are in the office or not, many companies have a health and wellness program.
These programs can typically include weight loss education, therapy opportunities, fitness
goal-setting, gym vouchers, nutrition education, and programs to promote healthy habits.
If your company doesn't already have one, talk to HR about starting one.
Various studies
have shown that workplace wellness programs can reduce health risks for those who participate.
You can also work with HR to start up smaller initiatives like virtual walking events, sharing
healthy recipes, or creating fitness goals with colleagues.
Drink Water
This tip seems like such a simple thing to do during the day, but it's something that many
people forget to do. Failing to drink water throughout the day can contribute to common health
issues. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, decreased motivation, and even poor brain performance.
Drinking water can ease digestion, improve kidney function, and even promote weight loss.
Increasing your water intake during the day is an easy way to make yourself feel better and even
improve your productivity. Therefore, be sure to grab a water bottle and keep it close to you
throughout the day.
Consider Investing in a Standing Desk
Standing can improve your posture and help you get a jump on burning calories. Just standing
for an hour
can burn 88 calories.
It can also reduce back pain and even improve your alertness, which can aid in your productivity.
As with water, standing throughout the day has positive impacts on your body and your work
motivation directly. Some standing desks even
come with a treadmill
that will allow you to walk as you work. The goal is to prevent yourself from being in a
sitting position most of the day so you keep your muscles and joints limber.
Eat Breakfast
Many people skip breakfast—whether due to a lack of time or not understanding the benefits.
However, it does meet its reputation for being the most important meal of the day. A healthy
breakfast can get your metabolism going and help you better concentrate on the work you need
to do. You likely want to eat things that can get your brain moving. This would include foods
high in protein like eggs and Greek yogurt and foods that are high in antioxidants like green
tea and oatmeal. Again, the right food can set up your day for success. If you feel you don't
have time to worry about breakfast each morning, consider prepping meals during the weekend.
This step will enable you to quickly pull out the meals you've created so you can start the
day without worrying about cooking or searching for things to eat.
Go For a Walk
Again, there are a
variety of risks
associated with sitting all day. Failing to get up and active can lead to the onset of illnesses
like heart disease, diabetes, and stroke. This reason is why it is important to include some
activity into your day. One easy way to do this is to go for a walk during the day. This step
can include taking a walk around your neighborhood if you are working from home, taking a stroll
through the parking lot on your lunch break if you are in the office, or going for a "virtual
walk" in your living room with the help of a YouTube walk workout video. A great way to keep
yourself motivated is to involve co-workers. See if your colleagues would like to walk with you,
set team walk goals, and even consider putting together virtual walk events. The goal is to get
yourself moving and active throughout the day.
Keep a Yoga Mat Nearby
You may feel like yoga isn't for you. Nevertheless, it can be an excellent way to add some
stress management to your day. The National Institutes of Health
released some findings
regarding yoga and its benefits. Out of 17 studies, 12 revealed that yoga helps with stress
management. Other studies showed that yoga positively impacts mental health, sleep patterns,
back pain, and headaches.
Fortunately, getting involved with yoga doesn't have to be a complicated process. There are a
variety of YouTube videos that can take you through yoga routines of various levels. Keeping a
mat near your desk will remind you to take a break throughout the day to engage in this stress
management practice.
Don't Forget Your Mental Health
As many of you know, jobs are among the most major stressors that many of us face. Whenever
you try to meet someone else's expectations or deal with various personalities, feelings of
anxiety and stress can become commonplace. Therefore, it is essential to have a plan for
managing your mental health. This plan can include taking breaks throughout the day, planning
to take time away from work, altering your workload, and even seeking a mental health
professional's help to talk through any issues. It is important that you make your mental
health just as important as your physical health. So, don't forget to check in with yourself
to be sure you are taking care of this aspect of your life.
Your Health Should Be Your Number One Priority
Again, you cannot complete your tasks or meet goals if you are not feeling well. Therefore,
your health should always be your top priority. Engaging in health and wellness habits doesn't
have to be challenging. It can be as simple as drinking more water throughout the day,
incorporating yoga into your daily routine, or taking advantage of the mental health services
that your company offers. Always check in with yourself to make sure your health needs are
being met because, ultimately, good health allows you to excel and be the best you possible.
Sources:
5 Workplace Wellness Statistics Every Employer Should Know,
https://www.wellsteps.com/blog/2020/01/02/workplace-wellness-statistics-wellness-stats/
Standing Desks: How They Help You Beat Inactivity,
https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/standing-desks-help-beat-inactivity#1
The Best Treadmill Desks That Let You Walk While You Work,
https://www.bestproducts.com/fitness/equipment/g919/treadmill-desks-for-work/
Yoga: What You Need to Know,
https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/yoga-what-you-need-to-know