Workout how to improve your worklife
Even moderate exercise releases chemicals in your brain that lift your mood. Regular exercise not only improves your general wellbeing but improves your attitude to everything – even your job. Improving your work life improves your whole life.
To learn more or enquire about LivingWell corporate memberships, visit livingwell.com/corporate
The problem with sitting down for too long at work
We spend roughly 1/3 of our lives at work which means if you don’t have an active job, that’s an awful lot of time spent sitting down! Humans weren’t designed to be sitting on their derrieres for such long periods of time, so it’s no surprise that a sedentary job can have a negative impact on your overall mental and physical wellbeing.
There are often articles in the news about the adverse effects of a sedentary lifestyle with a recent report claiming it is linked to 70,000 UK deaths a year. However, the NHS point out that there is currently not enough evidence to set a time limit on how much time people should sit down each day – basically meaning there’s no official guidance and no agreed rules to follow – yet.
Having said that, there is official guidance on how much activity you should be doing depending on your age. You can read all about that via the UK Government website.
But the most important thing is that we listen to our bodies.
So, if you are experiencing any of the following, then you may be suffering from too much time at your desk.
- Tight and / or painful shoulders
- Back pain
- Dizziness and / or poor circulation
- Poor metabolism.
There are also longer-term health issues that may manifest themselves if you aren’t moving enough.
- Varicose veins
- Heart disease
- Stress
- And other metabolic syndromes such as diabetes.
Even if you are active outside of work, that isn’t necessarily going to prevent these conditions from arising. The key is to be mindful of your activity throughout the day.
So, we thought we’d put together some top tips on how to stay fit and healthy at work and avoid these common work-related health issues.
Find ways to get more active
Here are some quick-win ideas to get moving more at work:
- Park further away from the office
- Take the stairs (NOT the lift)
- Use the printer on a different floor
- Go for a lunchtime walk
- Volunteer for the coffee run
- Email less and walk over to speak to your colleagues more
- Get a FitBit and set it to buzz every hour if you haven’t clocked up enough steps.
Why not join forces with your colleagues and keep each other motivated?
- Have a little competition to see who can clock up the most steps in a day
- Agree to go for a 30-minute pacey walk at least 3 times a week.
Don’t be afraid to speak to your employer about ways they can help. For example:
- Is your chair causing you posture issues? Often employers are happy to provide chair assessments, helping you to position your computer and chair correctly
- If you have a particularly bad posture then asking for a standing desk might help. You can read more about these here
- Would your employer consider yoga sessions at lunch time?
Everybody is different and everyone will come across different physical challenges and issues – but we must listen to our bodies first and foremost. Don’t ignore that niggling pain in your shoulders and don’t ignore the bloated, afternoon slump. As hopefully we have explained above, there are so many ways you can improve your health at work. You just need to get started.
And don’t forget – your team at your local LivingWell Health Club are always on hand to discuss a personal plan for you. Just pop in and ask!
To learn more or enquire about LivingWell corporate memberships, visit livingwell.com/corporate