The Art of Staying Healthy In The Office
For many of us, our office jobs mean a sedentary lifestyle and often our physical health can take a hard hit from that inactivity. In fact, only 4% of surveyed US workers met all seven of the American Heart Association heart healthy behaviors including not smoking, having normal blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Managing a healthy work/life balance may not seem easy when we feel cooped up in the ol’ 9-to-5, but it can be done. Through small changes and a little boost of mindfulness, we can welcome healthier and happier habits into our work day and even beyond.
Those working in a desk job environment may see particular benefits to introducing more healthy habits into their day. As a general rule for computer users everywhere, limiting the duration of eye-to-screen time is more than just a remedy for headaches. Extended exposure of blue light emanating from computer screens contribute to blurred vision, digital eye strain, and even sleep disorders. When your job calls for heavy computer usage, keep in mind the 20–20–20 rule. For every twenty minutes of screen time, shift your gaze to a length of twenty feet for twenty seconds, giving the eye a chance to refocus.
Stagnation is also a noted causes of poor health and, again, it’s desk job environments that are among the worst settings. According to a study done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average percentage of workday time spent sitting was 76% for lawyers, 81% for accountants, and 90% for software developers. This level of inactivity, especially over a period of many years, can have a worse effect on our bodies than smoking, and contributes heavily to the development of heart disease. To combat this, smart managers and employees have turned to standing desks and height adjustable desks to vary the time spent sitting and standing. Even a quick five minute walk every hour helps the blood recirculate and boosts the heart rate.
How do you stay healthy on the job? Take a look at this infographic for more on maintaining healthy habits amidst a busy professional life and how even small changes can lead to big results in quality of life.
