In today modern information technology age, people spend about a third of their lives in office sitting at their desks and looking at the computer screens for long hours. As compared to the earlier days, modern age office worker is more prone to health problems that may act as a hindrance to one’s day to day lives because of the more hours spent sitting and leading a sedentary lifestyle. Though it’s difficult to have a choice of the place where one works, it would be beneficial if one understands the counter measures needed to combat and face such health problems. While it becomes all the necessary for the employers to provide a clean and organised working environment as it is well established fact that this greatly affects the work output and productivity. There are a number of tips that one may find necessary to adopt in order to remain healthy human being while giving the maximum productivity.
Correct chair: Accordingto a recently conducted research, it was found out that chair is the most used office item. This makes it more than necessary for the chair to be comfortable with adjustable arms and height. One should choose a chair such that when sitting straight and feet touching flat on the ground, the arms should rest comfortably on the sides. Any apparent strain or stretch to reach the computer in front over a long period of time, would lead to unwanted neck strain and health complications.
Stretch and relax: It’s an established fact that stretching after long hours of sedentary job helps in promoting good posture and oxygenating the blood. This seems to be a natural antidote for spinal and neck problems at a later date. Stretching the neck and bending backwards after long hours of working on the desk also help in giving the mind a break from the work and one can start with the work in hand with a fresh mind.
Eat healthy: It becomes all the more important to concentrate on what one eats and drinks during the office hours, as sitting for long hours without doing any physical activity may lead to over binging of fats and high sugars. Stuffing on burgers and fast foods together with high carbohydrates drinks should not be encouraged.Unhealthy food and drinks during office or otherwise leads to complications such as obesity and diabetes. According to Nutritionists and health experts, one should take in five portions of fruits and vegetables in a day. This according to them, helps in combating many of the major health related issues like heart diseases. Instead of reaching out to a cup of caffeinated coffee or cocoa, one should drink fruit juices such as those of oranges, guava etc. and high fibre foods such as legumes, cereals and the likes so as to avoid problems like chronic constipation.
Utilising lunch breaks: Lunchbreaks should be used to take short and entertaining walks down the office corridors at casual pace which can do wonders in the long run. Dieticians even advice office workers to take the stairs to reach office instead of the lifts. If the space for office parking is at some distance, one should make it a habit to park vehicle at a distance and walk down to the office instead of taking a campus shuttle. If public transport is not overly crowded, one should leave the car at home and use public transport instead.
Be a part of office social groups: Nothing can match the thought of returning to a place of work where there is a mix of work and fun. Being part of the social groups within the office leads to a better interacting with co-workers which help in providing physical as well as mental activity. This not only leads to increase in the office morale but also in making one more socially acceptable. Studies have shown that office workers who find themselves more acceptable by their co-workers have high self-confidence which leads to better well-being as a whole.
Greenery and aesthetically pleasing surroundings: Lastbut not the least, work environment should be kept more pleasing and welcoming place to work in It should be decorated with green plants which add more oxygen and humidity and clean the pollutants out of office air. Plants not only make the place look beautiful but also help in cleaning sick and stale air. A recent research conducted by NASA Space administration of America has yielded interesting results. According to this research, indoor plants have the capability to not only cleanse stale air but also help in converting harmful chemicals into harmless substances. For instance, Ivy which is considered as one of the smallest household plants has the capability to remove pollutants like benzene and TCE. Other plants like Chrysanthemum, Parlour Palms and Peace Lilies should also be mentioned here as plants helping cleanse indoor pollutants.
