How Healthy Are Your Workplace Habits?
By Sara Butler
You spend a lot of time at work. That’s why what you do when you’re there means so much -- and we’re not talking about what you do for a living! When it comes to spinal health, you must make sure to practice healthy habits at work and home. Hitting the gym for an hour after your workday is over won’t reverse all the damage that eight hours every day of bad habits can cause. Here are some tips to help you understand if your work habits are healthy or if they need some work!
What Are Unhealthy Workplace Habits?
Nearly everyone has some sort of workplace habit that isn’t healthy. The biggest culprit is sitting for too long. Researchers are just starting to understand the consequences of so much sitting, including increased risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. Even if you work out most days of the week, you can’t quite erase the eight hours of sitting you probably just went through, followed by a couple more hours sitting at home before heading to bed.
Another bad habit that may not be on many people’s radar is sitting alone at your desk for lunch. Sure, it contributes to the long hours of sitting, but it also can bring down your mood and even weaken your immune system. You should endeavor to be social and hook up with a work friend to take a walk to get a dose of Vitamin D as you get outside to enjoy some sunshine.
Speaking of lunchtime, what are you eating? Unhealthy eating habits run rampant at work, from the sweets available in the breakroom to the takeout you seem to eat at lunch each day. Then, when the afternoon munchies start, you hear the siren song of the vending machine down the hall and salty, unhealthy snack time ensues.
What Can Be Done
Unhealthy workplace habits aren’t set in stone, you can make changes! The first small tweak you can make to your day is to get up and walk around for a bit at least once each hour. Set a reminder on your phone or on your computer to remind you to stop what you’re doing, get up, and move!
As for the unhealthy lunchtime antics, plan your lunches throughout the week and bring them from home. That way, you can go outside when the weather allows and soak up some sunshine with your work friends. It’ll give you a break from the day, helps you be social, and get some much-needed sunshine.
As for that afternoon snack slump, try keeping a bottle of water at your desk. When the afternoon munchies hit, drink your water instead. Often, thirst can disguise itself as hunger.
You can break bad habits -- you simply need to identify them first!
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Greenwood Village, Colo.