The Three Keys to a Healthy Work Experience

Many people find themselves working a desk job, or as some people like to call it, “being a desk jockey.” That statement implies in itself that people will find themselves at their desk for a significant portion of the day. While the structure of many businesses is changing and offering more benefits such as a gym in the workplace, desk workers can often feel trapped. This trapped feeling means they don’t do what is needed to get their blood flowing and can make them feel worse than they might if they were to be doing a physically intensive job.

However, there are important things if you find yourself feeling sluggish after a day of work. Whether it be that your back hurts after a day of slouching at your computer, or you have to sit there and work continuously, there are always basic exercises or corrections that you can do to make yourself feel better.

Posture

I’ve always found that one of my bigger problems is the way that I sit. I find myself leaning over my keyboard to get closer to the screen. One of the best ways to remedy this is to sit ergonomically (back straight, monitor at eye level, and seat at correct height etc.) but for some people this might not be enough.

Trying to work on your posture is not easy (at least for the first couple of days); you will need to constantly be conscious of it. After a few days though, your back and neck will feel much better and you will automatically resort back to a good sitting position, with your back straight and your shoulders back.

This also has positive effects outside of the workplace. Having good posture while walking creates a good impression and therefore allows you to look more confident and your belly (if it exists) does not poke out as much.

Also, as a final note, if you find yourself squinting and leaning forward to read your monitor, look at getting your eyesight checked, it will be better in the long run.

Stay Active

Sure, you may look a bit funny and it’s probably the simplest thing possible, but just move around during the day. If your work is going to keep you busy for 7 hours, then you can spare 5 minutes every hour or so to stretch your legs. Whether you go to the toilet, get a drink of water or coffee, or even just jump around on the spot, just keep moving!

This has many positive effects for your body. It gets the blood flow moving and is especially important if your legs get restless after a period of time. Even if you are sitting with a good posture, you may find yourself getting sore; this is due to the fact that we aren’t designed to be constantly sitting down. Moving around keeps your blood flow from getting constricted, and you can do something useful during this time.

I suggest moving around in either intervals, or when you have finished a task or set of tasks.

Eat wisely

So this isn’t so much about being behind a desk as staying motivated and healthy while at work and getting the best out of yourself. What you eat is fuel for your body, as everybody knows. This also transcends into the output you have mentally. If you do not eat well, you probably won’t work to your optimal levels.

So what do I mean by eat wisely? I know a lot of people that complain about “not having time to eat” or “I don’t eat breakfast” and these are the same people that also complain about feeling sluggish at the end of a work day. Maybe they just like complaining? But maybe it’s their first complaint causing their second; actually, I’m almost certain of it.

There are some days where I don’t eat breakfast or lunch because I forget or can’t find something to eat, and those are the days where I get the least work done. I’ve experienced this sort of thing both with myself and co-workers. Eating is not only the key to working hard, but also the key to feeling good.

If you have trouble eating breakfast or lunch while working, go out with co-workers. It’s not only a rewarding social experience, but you get to know them, you get good food, and you will have more fun than if you were just to eat alone. Make sure that you eat healthy though, although a good piece of chocolate every once in a while won’t hurt.

Eating wisely, maintaining good posture and continually moving are the three keys to being able to feel good when leaving work. If you find yourself complaining about work, maybe it’s because you become tired because you’re always sitting around. Maybe it’s because you are slouching over your keyboard and hurting your back and shoulders, or maybe you just haven’t gotten to know your co-workers over lunch.

Keep yourself active at work and you might just find yourself rewarded with a more pleasant work experience.