Keeping healthy at work - part one

Protect your body

Many of us work around 40 hours a week, I was going to say that I'm lucky enough to work part-time but in reality there's some weeks when I do end up working 40 hours over the course of 4 days!!

When you spend such long hours at work, you have to keep your body and mind healthy and despite your protestations there are many ways you can do this but you have to help yourself in the first place, no-one is going to remind you to do these things.

Stand up on a regular basis
Don't sit at your desk for hours on end without moving.  Move around for at least 10 minutes every hour, whether it's to go and make a drink, ask a colleague a question instead of emailing or to use the toilets on another floor.  Research has shown that musculoskeletal problems account for around 31 million sick days per year - wow!!  However, you can quite easily offset this simply by moving on a regular basis.  If you're lucky enough to have stairs in your office like myself then make the most of them by walking up and down them several times a day instead of using lifts.  Hey, you'll even burn some calories too!!

Don't be frightened to fidget
When you're stuck in an all-day meeting, it's not that easy to get up and walk around.  As much as I've been tempted to get up and lunge round the board room, I've resisted the urge thank goodness and there's other and much more discreet ways to move your body when in these situations.  Simply stretch out your arms or circle your shoulders every so often, stretch out your legs underneath the table and rotate your ankles one way then the other (be careful not to kick your colleagues!) and make the most of every 'comfort break' offered.

Use your lunch hour productively
Go for at least a 10 minute walk every lunchtime if possible.  Not only will you be doing your body a favour but you'll be doing your mind a favour by taking a break from your busy 'to do' list.  No matter how busy I am at work, I know that by going outside for a 10 minute walk will do me the world of good.  I often take the opportunity to learn something new by listening to a podcast or my audio books.

These are not hard tips to incorporate into your daily routine and they will very quickly become a habit.  Go on ... you owe it to yourself.

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