How to Stay Healthy When Working A Desk Job
Ways to stay healthy when working a desk job
Since 1950, sedentary jobs have increased by 83%. According to statistics, office workers typically spend 73% of their workday and 66% of their waking day, sitting down. Moreover, 44% of companies now provide or subsidise standing desks, a desk that allows you to fully stand up, for their employees. Additionally, working from home jobs grew by 115% in the last decade, with 12.7% of full-time employees working from home and 28.2% of workers working a hybrid model. Sedentary jobs are renowned for making it easier to unnecessarily snack on poor choices, and obviously make it harder to reach the recommended 10,000 steps a day. It is no surprise that obesity rates are higher within desk workers than those with more active professions. This demonstrates the need for implementing various alternative ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Let’s look at some things that you can easily implement to make your desk job slightly more productive and healthier!
- Make hydration benchmarks throughout the day
Staying hydrated is vital for so many bodily functions such as brain performance, energy levels and heart health. Taking breaks in between tasks to hydrate is essential, use this time to drink water or herbal tea and have a few minutes break before starting the next task to increase productivity.
- Utilise your lunch break
Make use of the time you are allocated for breaks to move your body, take a walk with a colleague, get your eyes away from the screen and read a book. Do something productive and get out of your desk chair to break up the day, sneak some extra steps in, and put yourself in the best possible stead to tackle the afternoon!
- Stretch
I’m sure most of us are self-aware enough to know that when sitting at a desk all day, our posture isn’t always the best. Stretching your neck and back is imperative to prevent pains as the muscles haven’t been used regularly when sat at a desk.
Desk stretches we should all be doing (hussle.com)
- Stay Prepared!
Preparing is the key to tackling and staying on track when you come into contact with unprecedented situations. Picture it, it’s someone’s birthday in the office, they’re celebrating and bring a plethora of sweet treats in for everyone to help themselves to. Whilst it’s natural to want to reach for an indulgent treat from time to time, if you are actively wanting to take steps to becoming healthier, it is best to deny this treat before it leads you down a slippery slope of thinking you’ve ‘ruined it’ and throwing the towel in. Meal prepping meals and snacks to take to work means that you are less like to divert from your planned food for the day and stay on track. To save time, you could put some of last nights left overs in tupperware and pack some fresh fruit to reach for as opposed to hitting the vending machine or eating a cereal bar packed with sugar.
- Use your commute wisely
If within a reasonable distance, an obvious change to make is switching from driving to work to walking or cycling. Just by making your commute more active, you will see a rise in productivity at work and find it easier to reach your daily activity goal. Additionally, using your commute to clear you mind and de-stress is equally important as physical activity. Take a book to read on the tube or bus, or listen to a self-help podcast on the way to work. Whatever it is, making the most of that hour or two a day and dedicating it towards becoming a healthier you, is a far more productive use of time.
- Break the distance
Rather than phoning or emailing a colleague, break the distance and walk upstairs to speak to them face-to-face. As much as you might not think, these short trips add up and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to 10,000 steps!
- Get up every hour
Even if you just leave your desk chair to go to the bathroom, or make yourself another drink in the kitchen, it is important to stretch your legs at least once an hour, to prevent your muscles from becoming stationary and achy.
- Wake up earlier
If you are constantly complaining about not having the time or energy after work to exercise, why not wake up earlier to do it? Research has shown that exercise increases productivity and reduces fatigue. Therefore, it seems like an obvious change to make not only for your health, but it will also improve your performance at work!
- Plan ahead
Delegating time to exercise at the start of your week so that you are able to manage your commitments and still meet your exercise goal is vital. By planning ahead and considering any upcoming commitments, it makes it so much easier to stay on track and not deter from your plan. Whether that be prepping your meals or booking into exercise classes for after work, formulating a plan and routine means you are less likely to be derailed when the dreaded hanger kicks in!
It is obvious that working at a desk can have some hindrance on our health and help contribute to some more serious health conditions in the long run. Therefore, this confirms the importance of implementing the ideas we have previously mentioned.
