Ten tips to make your workplace healthier and more productive
Your workplace is definitely your home away from home. In fact, most of us spend more time in the office than any other place throughout the day. This makes it all the more important to adopt healthy work habits and create an environment that encourages productivity and creativity. There’s a reason why the saying ‘Health is Wealth’ rings true in so many scenarios. Keeping healthy can be attributed to being physically fit as well as creating a better work environment.
Let’s take a look at 10 ways to make your workspace healthier to keep your brain ticking and your ideas clicking:
- Healthy munching options
Fueling up your belly in the office every now and then is inevitable. A box of Oreos might seem like the perfect solution when you’re stressed and overburdened, but, studies have shown that eating unhealthy and sugary snacks can actually dampen your productivity at work. Try and stack up on healthier options such as nuts, fruits and sugar-free drinks to satisfy your culinary urges. Your body will reward you back with tons of energy throughout the workday.
2. Hydrate Yourself
To put a little twist to a famous song, hydrate yourself before you wreck yourself. The human body is comprised of 50-75% water and hydrating yourself is important to keep the body ticking. Dehydration is infamously known as the silent killer. Most of us are not aware of the fact that drinking water directly correlates to higher productivity levels. Educate all your colleagues and make sure you have easy access to water at work. Drinking lots of water keeps your mind healthy, happy, and productive.
3. Plan your lunches
Most of us tend to get our lunch delivered to the office. Unfortunately, healthy options are always a bit more pricey than everyday junk food. Why would you pay twice the price for a salad when you can get a slice of pizza for a fraction of the cost? That’s why planning your lunch in advance is always the key to a healthier diet. The day before you head to work, prepare a healthy lunch and pack it to work. Your overall diet can do wonders to your overall performance at work.
4. Reduce your coffee intake
Coffee is not all that bad for you. But, as with all other things, an excess of anything is something you should try to avoid. If you are unable to start your day without your regular cup of joe, consider rethinking your caffeine strategy. Instead of sugar in your morning cup, try using healthier options such coconut which yield better focus. Try and replace your coffee with a cup of green tea . This will prevent you from feeling dehydrated and provide you with a few extra antioxidants.
5. Keep moving around
Sitting down on a desk for more than 8-9 hours can cause a number of health issues such as obesity, body aches, etc. Tap into your inner athlete and aim to move around the office every now and then to increase your blood circulation. An easy way to do this is to stand and stretch your body every 45 minutes. You can also look into getting an adjustable desk which allows you to work while standing up or sitting down.
6. Get a comfortable chair
Let’s just come to terms with the fact that for the majority of the day, most of us need to sit down and type away on our laptop screens. To make the best out of a non-ideal situation, get a chair that’s comfortable to keep your body relaxed. An ergonomic chair is a good choice and there are plenty of budget-friendly options available online. You can click here to view some of the best options out there.
7. Promote group activities
Fun is definitely an investment that will show up in the bottom line. Make the initiative to create a group where employees from your company can join to keep fit such as a running group where employees participate in daily jogs or even other activities which involve teamwork. This will encourage you to remain healthy while at the same time develop a relationship between you and your colleagues beyond the usual ‘work talk’.
8. Office Competitions
A little competition between employees can actually boost morale and productivity. A good way to encourage healthy behaviour is to organize fun and inclusive office competitions which give away tiny rewards to your employees which will encourage and motivate them to be healthier.
9. Add a few plants
Nature has the ability to inspire creativity and a feeling of wellness. Studies have found significant reductions in stress among workers when plants were introduced into the workplace. Having a couple of plants around the office can create a good ambience and make your workplace feel more natural. Try and keep a small plant on your desk or a larger one somewhere in the corner of the room and create your office space into a lean, green and productive machine.
10. Take a quick nap
There’s a reason as to why a giant corporation such as Google allows all their employees to take a quick nap if required. A 20-minute snooze can recharge your batteries and increase your productivity levels significantly. So go ahead, set your alarm clock and grab some shut-eye during the afternoon.
11. Incorporate colour therapy
Colour therapy might sound a little out of the box, but it has legitimate scientific backing. Colour psychology studies have revealed changes in the body and brain when people view certain colours. Colour can influence productivity, health, stress levels, focus, and emotions. Choosing the right colours to create perfect blend at the office is important to create a work environment that encourages creative freedom. Here’s a link about choosing the right colour patterns to design your office.
12. Clean your workspace
Did you know that an average employee loses 9 working days a year to sickness? Some of this could be attributed to a lack of workplace hygiene. A wise man once said that “the objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment”. Take some time out early in the morning to clear and clean your desk to reduce the chances of falling ill or getting distracted by cluttered objects.
13. Self-Hygiene
This is really important. Your self-hygiene not only impacts your own well being but the people around you as well. You come across a variety of people at work and getting in contact with them can be unavoidable. Make sure you regularly wash your hands or carry a hand sanitizer to avoid unnecessary infections. Keeping yourself clean can improve your overall health and improve your performance at work as well.
All in all, being healthy at the office is all about maintaining the right balance. You don’t have to completely stop indulging in certain guilty pleasures or consistently remain active all day, every day. Just be mindful of how much and how often you choose one thing over another possibly better and healthier option.
Faraaz Zaman is the content creator at Bayzat , a health insurance and HR solutions. He loves to do trekking, biking and gardening in his free time.
