If you are not remote working, you can technically spend half of our day (12 hours) preparing for work, being at work and going home from work. Take out 8 hours for sleeping and you have, at most, 4 hours left to attend to family, friends and personal activities. It is therefore important to incorporate healthy lifestyle practices into your normal work routine. Here are ways to stay healthier at the workplace.
- If you cannot eat breakfast at home for reasons such as traffic or long distance to work, pack your food and eat in the office. Remember breakfast is the most important meal of the day. You can also pack lunch if it will be difficult to get a meal at your workplace. Doing this prevents you from skipping meals, which you now know is an unhealthy practice.
- Substitute coffee, tea, chocolate and energy drinks with water and fruit juices as they are healthier options. The healthiest of them is water.
- Do you sometimes feel like munching on something during the day? Then go for the healthier option of fruits or nuts and not crisps, toffees and biscuits.
- Use the stairs more than you use the lifts. If for instance your office is located on the 7th floor of the building, you can take the lift to the 4th floor and use the stairs for the remaining floors.
- Walk or stand for 5 – 10 minutes after sitting for 1 – 2 hours or when you have to make or receive a call at work. This will help you to take breaks when sitting for a long time.
- Walk to a colleague’s desk to communicate with them instead of using the intercom, email or office communicator. This will help you to take breaks when sitting for a long time.
- You can opt for a walking meeting with business partners, colleagues, and line managers etc., thereby getting the opportunity to walk to improve your physical activity level.
- Do not keep water, fruit juices and your healthy snack like fruits, vegetables and nuts close enough for just a stretch of hand. Keep them far enough so you are forced to get off your seat and walk to get them. (NB: Points 4 – 8 are important as sitting for long hours is injurious to health).
- Do take and enjoy your lunch breaks. It will give you a rest period in between the 8-hour work.
Join the Become A Healthier You community today and find support to eat healthier and stay active.
Written and reviewed by: Irene Danquah, ANutr
Last page review: 23/12/2021
Next page review: 31/12/2024