Health goes way beyond physical fitness. Health is holistic-it is about all aspects of your life. Continuous sitting at a desk eight hours a day, five or more days every week can rob you of just that. It most often leads to long term complications that start out as the periodic eye strain, tension on your back and neck or even adding unnecessary weight.

Here are some pointers as to how you can effectively maintain a balanced healthy lifestyle as you go about your daily hustle.

Hydrate

There are many ways as to which you can take in enough water into your body besides taking a glass of water. In addition to taking the recommended 8-10 glasses of water, it is equally important to eat enough succulent foods and fruits. You can have a balance out different types of fruits through out the week e.g. watermelons, oranges, grapes or even an apple, and you will notice that you will hardly get that 3PM lull that comes as a result of dehydration.

Simple exercises

We live in a day and age where technology has made it so convenient for us to order in every little thing that we may need.

Exercising daily while at the office can be as varied simply as walking up the stairs to your office instead of using the elevator occasionally, parking further away from the office entrance so that you are guaranteed a short walk to and from your car and office and walking to get lunch as opposed to ordering it online. Such will ensure that your body has constant blood circulation keeping you nourished and avoiding fatigue. It can also help you psychologically, finding and having a walking partner per se- this helps prevent you from getting mental strains from consistently working during work breaks, someone who can drag you out for lunch even when you claim to be too busy.

Healthy lunch

This goes beyond maintaining a balanced diet. Most often than not, it is not that you are consuming unhealthy food that you keep falling ill, it’s that you are just eating too much. It is very important to maintain appropriate meal portions, ensuring that you are taking in just the right number of calories especially if you are going to still sit at your desk all afternoon. If you can’t avoid greasy foods like “chips” or pizza, ensure that you have just enough portions and pair it up with a serving of fruit or salads.

You may also want to do away with the stash of junk food you have stocked up in your workplace locker, or the snacks at your desk, after all, out of sight, out of mind!

Posture

This especially applies to you if you have a fixed sitting position at your office. Make sure that you are using a comfortable chair, placed at least arm’s length away from your computer. This distance should enable you to comfortably view and read your computer screen without having to squint. This helps prevent eye and neck strain which could lead structural body disorders.

Vacations: give yourself a break

I can already see the smile on your face as you read this point. This is by far the easiest and most exciting one. I’m not sure the same can be said for workaholics hence why we are highlighting it here.

Taking that periodic staycation, or leisure trip during your leave days is easily the best recharge. Plan these days keenly such that they are evenly spread out throughout the year, ensuring that you have enough breaks from work.

This helps a lot in reduction of stress, more so, if you have been having troubles with a project, a workmate or even your boss. Stress, when accumulated, can impair your immunity, putting you at more risk to illness.

Take your time away, do the things that you love, meditate and make sure that you are back to work fully rested.

Let 8-5 remain 8-5

Avoid long stretches of long days. As important as the ongoing project is important to you, and deadlines crazy, the impact it has on your health is what matters the most. What is commonly referred to as “burnout” is caused by pushing yourself too much without any significant breaks. This may lead to mental fatigue, depression, and worse still, mental disability to socialize with the world out of your work.

Staying healthy at work begins with being self-aware. Know yourself and your limits based on your job and strive to stick within them.

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