Top 5 Tips to keep you Healthy at Work

20th October 2014

On average we spend around half of our waking hours each week at work.

That's a significant amount of time in which we can positively impact our own health. To help you stay healthy at work, here are my top five tips: 1. Drink up We're always told we need to drink plenty of water but do you know how it can help you stay healthy at work? Water helps boost your energy levels and reduces tiredness meaning you'll be more alert and able to concentrate. Water also flushes toxins from your body, which will help you to alleviate or even avoid headaches altogether. A side effect of drinking lots of water is more trips to the loo, which in itself offers a health benefit. That trip to the toilet adds activity into your day as well providing a natural break to recharge. 2. Plan your meals Taking an hour or so at the weekend to plan your food for the working week can pay dividends in terms of your overall health. Choose meals and snacks that are protein and complex carbohydrate rich to avoid dips and troughs in your energy and the need for the emergency chocolate bar. 3. Just breathe When work is overwhelming you, stop, take a big slow breath in and then release it slowly. The oxygen will help refuel your brain and the process of taking a deep breath helps to relax tight muscles and open up your body, giving you more energy. 4. Move more Can you take that call standing up? Have a walking meeting? Visit rather than emailing? All of these will help to add more activity into your day, which will help to energise and refresh you. Can't leave your desk? Make time to stretch. There's a lot you can do whilst seated, on the phone or even in meetings. 5. Make it routine With each of the above tips you need to practice them regularly so that they become habits. Use alarms on your phone or computer to remind you and don't try to change too much at once. Embed one good habit before moving on to the next. Win a workplace wellbeing audit and interactive workshops for your company. Sara Perry has a background in HR, training & development, and physical fitness & nutrition and brings extensive experience of wellbeing interventions to business via Corporate Fit an organisation specialising in providing common sense approaches to improved workplace wellbeing. Follow Sara on @corporate_fit or email hello@corporatefit.co.uk for more information.