Working at a desk job is not as easy as it sounds there are a lot of different health issues you should be concerned. Here are 8 ways to keep yourself healthier when you're working at a desk all day.
Posture
Posture is one of those health benefits that I think most of us forget about. It's probably one of the simplest changes we can make to keep healthy. Having good posture can keep your body pain free when you're sitting for so long. If you have bad posture for 8 hours or more a day it can lead to issues in your neck, shoulders and back later in life. I know I've caught myself at the end of the day with neck pain and realized that I was hunched and had my neck stretched most of the day. It was not fun!
Not being active
Walk & talk
If you're in a call/meeting you should pace while you're talking. I know that with video calls it's not always possible but I bet there are some meetings where you can find time to pace and talk. I'm notorious with my family for putting in my earbuds and doing something around the house while we're talking. Maybe you can't do it during meetings but with all sorts of trainings being virtually maybe that's the time for you to listen and walk.
Make time for breaks
From everything I've heard about working from home is that lots of people have gotten notoriously bad about making sure they take breaks. So not only have we been stuck in our chairs even more we're not breaking like we should be. Take time for breaks! Besides the fact that I think it's the law in a lot of states it's really beneficial for your health too!
Eat healthy foods
We all know that eating healthy foods is good for us. It's one of those no brainer things but it's definitely easier said than done. I know I'm guilty of it. It used to be the fact that there were always treats in the office but now if you're at home you've got access to your entire kitchen which might include several kinds of ice cream.
Not being active
When I'm in the office I am always having to walk to the archive so I usually get in almost 10,000 steps during the work day. The first few weeks of working from home I realized I wasn't even breaking 3,000 a lot of days. That's not good! our bodies are just not meant to be sitting for that long of time.
I started implementing some activity a few times an hour. For me I decided I'd get up and walk to another room of the house and do one small thing. So I'm getting more steps in as well as putting away some things or accomplishing something else small.
Stretch
Stretch
Adding stretching to your movement is super beneficial when you're stuck in your chair most of the day. Kevin also works most of his day at his desk and he likes to start his day off with stretching. He says that if he does it in the morning and then a few times throughout the day his back is much better off. Take some time and even if you just do stretching in your chair you'll be thanking yourself for it later.
Walk & talk
If you're in a call/meeting you should pace while you're talking. I know that with video calls it's not always possible but I bet there are some meetings where you can find time to pace and talk. I'm notorious with my family for putting in my earbuds and doing something around the house while we're talking. Maybe you can't do it during meetings but with all sorts of trainings being virtually maybe that's the time for you to listen and walk.
Make time for breaks
From everything I've heard about working from home is that lots of people have gotten notoriously bad about making sure they take breaks. So not only have we been stuck in our chairs even more we're not breaking like we should be. Take time for breaks! Besides the fact that I think it's the law in a lot of states it's really beneficial for your health too!
Eat healthy foods
We all know that eating healthy foods is good for us. It's one of those no brainer things but it's definitely easier said than done. I know I'm guilty of it. It used to be the fact that there were always treats in the office but now if you're at home you've got access to your entire kitchen which might include several kinds of ice cream.
Planning out your meals and snacks can give you flexibility to enjoy what you're eating but help you keep yourself on track. I've always been a good meal planner for my lunches when I went into the office but have slacked off since working from home. I've noticed that I've gotten sloppy about eating enough veggies during the day.
Designate a work space
This is more for those of us who are working out of our homes right now. It's easy to have your work creep into other areas of your life if you don't have a designated spot. If it starts to creep that's when you've got unhealthy habits like working all the time popping up. Don't let it creep into other areas. I have taken over our little dining room as my work space. Maybe it's just a corner in a second bedroom or your family room. Just make sure that works stays in that spot!
Music makes everything better
Designate a work space
This is more for those of us who are working out of our homes right now. It's easy to have your work creep into other areas of your life if you don't have a designated spot. If it starts to creep that's when you've got unhealthy habits like working all the time popping up. Don't let it creep into other areas. I have taken over our little dining room as my work space. Maybe it's just a corner in a second bedroom or your family room. Just make sure that works stays in that spot!
Music makes everything better
Whether you love pop music, rock or country turning on your favorite tunes can make you feel amazing and happy. Figure out what tunes work best to brighten your mood. When your mood is brighter you are healthier.
Thanks so much for stopping by! You can also join me on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. In addition to life-capades and doing it for yourself, I love all things 'real life' so use the hashtag #museumfanatic on social media so I can see your beautiful unstaged life. Oh and on the top of the side bar to your right, you can follow me on Bloglovin or on social media to be alerted to each new post!
Post a Comment