Health At Work – 10 Tips To Stay Healthy While Working A Desk Job

Is health at work important to you? Then you've come to the right place! If you, like me, spend many hours a day sitting in front of your computer screen, muscle tension, neck and back pain or even headaches are an unpleasant companion from time to time.

Fortunately, everyone can make sure that they do their job in a healthy work environment every day. Whether for employees or employers, more focused, effective and healthier work pays off for everyone in the end.

So in this article, you'll now learn how to promote health in the workplace and why setting up a healthy office should always be a top priority. Let's go!

In advance you can find a short overview of the tips here:

1. Ensure regular exercise
2. Eat balanced and healthy
3. Drink enough water
4. Set up workplace ergonomically
5. Easy on the eyes at the screen
6. Ensure regular breaks
7. Organize sensibly and reduce stress
8. Improve indoor climate with office plants
9. Create a pleasant working atmosphere
10. Provide variety at the end of the day

Advantages: Why is it important to be and stay healthy at work?

What are the exact reasons why you should set up a healthy workplace? Before we get straight to the tips, I would like to answer this question briefly here and list the decisive advantages.

Advantages for employees

• Reduction of health risk factors (e.g. less stress)
• Increased well-being
• More fun and satisfaction in professional life
• Higher concentration and productivity
• …

Advantages for employers

• Higher motivation and better working atmosphere
• Increase productivity and efficiency
• Reduction of absenteeism due to illness
• Lower employee turnover rate
• Raising awareness of occupational health among colleagues
• Improved image as employer:in in the region
• …

Can you think of other benefits of a healthy work environment? Then feel free to share your ideas and experiences with me in the comments column.

10 tips: How do I stay healthy at work?

Now you already know the "why" - then we can now move on to the "how". Some Tips for a truly healthy everyday life in the officeFortunately, they are very easy to put into practice. Simply use the following ten ideas to make your workday much healthier.

1. provide regular exercise

Often it is the Lack of movementwhich makes sedentary VDU workers ill. No wonder: after all, we stare at the screen for many hours, basically without changing our posture. Stretching and relaxation exercises, as well as walks, can help. But that's not all.

For example, why don't you drive by bike to workif you have the possibility? The sustainable commute affects not only the air pollution or the climate change but also keeps you healthy.

Also, you should use the Stairs prefer to elevators and escalators if you've been sitting in an office chair all day.

And if you have a question for a colleague? Then just pay her or him a quick visit at the office. This is also much faster than waiting for a reply in the mailbox.

Additional Tip: Of course, the latter advice does not work at home. There you can then use the walk with the dog or a Walk do during the lunch break to ensure sufficient exercise. Why the Working in a home office more environmentally friendly By the way, you can learn more about this in the linked blog post.

2. healthy food at work

Whether it's a currywurst in the canteen, a kebab around the corner or the leftover cheese roll from the bakery -  Poor nutrition at work not only makes you tired and unproductive, it also affects your health in the long term.

High blood pressure, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even cancer are for example diet-related diseasesassociated with poor eating habits and too little exercise.

The basis for the healthy and productive work without stress among other things through the consumption of Fruits and vegetables, oatmeal and fresh, plant-based meals, instead of meat, deep-fried fries or generally high-fat foods from the company cafeteria.

As a healthy snack for in between are offered for example Nuts as an alternative for sugary sweets an.

Tip: You can also simply pre-cook a meal for your workday. You can get some inspiration from the article about the vegan Meal Prep.

3. drink enough water

Make absolutely sure when working drink a lot of water and to avoid coffee if possible, as it dehydrates your body. 2 liters of water a day should be at least, and even more if there is a lot of movement in the working day or hot temperatures in summer. You should only enjoy fruit juices in moderation, as they are suitable as food and not as a substitute for water.

Just imagine directly Have a large carafe of tap water or a pot of tea ready at the start of workYou can drink up until your lunch break or at the end of the workday. In this way, you always have your water balance in view and ensure that you take in enough fluid.

Tip: Many people do not like the taste of water from the tap. How you Giving tap water good taste quite simply I'll explain how you can do this in a separate blog article.

4. set up workplace ergonomically

Office workers often complain of back pain. No wonder! After all, it's not in our nature to sit all day. A height adjustable desk* offers you, for example, the opportunity to work standing up regularly and to bring some movement into your office routine.

During the work phases in which you are sitting, a ergonomic office chair relieve the strain on your back. This can be perfectly adjusted to your body size and allows you to sit both upright and reclined thanks to the adjustable backrest.

If we are already talking about ergonomics in the workplace, then we must also talk about the Vertical mouse talk, which you use to twist your wrist in a bit at work to prevent annoying tendinitis and muscle tension, among other things.

5. easy on the eyes on the screen

Anyone who works at a monitor for several hours a day should position it so that you can sit upright in front of it without reflections occurring. Nevertheless, there should always be sufficient Natural daylight into your office or study. This also applies to fresh air. Regular shock ventilation increases your concentration and increases your well-being.

Always make sure that your monitor not to put too close in front of you (at least 50 centimeters apart, but no more than 70 centimeters) to give your eyes a break. Here are some other tips you should keep in mind:

• Do exercises with the eyes
• Activate night mode in the dark
• Use glasses for digital work
• ….

Notice: These and other tips on the Easy on the eyes at the computer I'll explain it to you again in detail in the linked blog article.

6. provide regular breaks

If you want to stay healthy at work, you should also be able to take a break. Quickly discussing the new draft concept with colleagues over lunch? An absolute no-go! Of course, it's easier to discuss a new concept over a cup of coffee. Working meeting much more pleasant. But in your breaks is Recreation from the stress of work away from the noise and conversation volume in the office is announced.

How about a midday meditation or a restful nap, for example? In any case, be aware that breaks important for your health and also your productivity are - and use them wisely.

7. organize in a meaningful and stress-reducing way

Your newfound relaxation should give you strength to bring structure to your daily work. To Do List help you to start your tasks in an orderly and goal-oriented manner and to always keep an overview. In addition, the check-off in the Notebook (this is my personal recommendation*) the pleasant feeling of having accomplished something.

So you keep a cool head and know at all times, what is really urgent to do right now. The lowers your stress level as well as your blood pressure and lets you sleep better. Organization is everything - even for a healthy office routine.

Tip: In the article about how you can organize productively in the home office, you will get more tips and inspiration.

8. improve indoor climate with office plants

We spend more than eight hours a day in the office. With a few plants (or even pictures) in the work environment, it is already working much more pleasantthan in front of drab, gray walls.

Office plants (e.g. birch fig, bow hemp, green lily or elephant foot) have a positive effect on the psyche and increase oxygen content and humidity in the office. The latter, in turn, is good for eye health at work. However, allergy sufferers in particular should be careful when selecting plants, as some of them may cause problems.  

9. create a pleasant working atmosphere

Not only plants, daylight and fresh air can positively change the working atmosphere - background music is also said to have a stress-relieving effect and even increase productivity. Anything that makes you happy is allowed in the office - because happy is the best way to work.

But if and which sounds are running in the background, you should Always consult with your colleagues. In any case, make sure that you do not disturb anyone - also because noise can make you sick! If your musical taste does not please everyone, you can always alternatively With headphones work.

Recommendation: When does a job make me happy? In the linked article, I have dealt intensively with this question. If you are unhappy in your job, please take a look at the sustainable job portal from CareEliteto find a profession with added value for you, the environment and others.

10. provide variety at the end of the day

If you're not doing something with your colleagues after work, you should set a clear boundary after hours to keep your Maintain work life balance. Schedule time for yourself, move and switch off - with things that have nothing to do with your job. This is also important for long-term health at work.

Healthy at the workplace? No problem at all!

Whether Fun and satisfaction, long-term health or concentration and productivity. - who acts healthy at work, ultimately enjoys many advantages in both professional and private life.

Take care of your health at work, it's more important than any deadline or deal. As you've learned in this article, there are countless ways to make your day at the office comfortable and healthy. Now it's time to put them into practice.

Do you have any questions, tips, or your own experiences with workplace health that you'd like to share? Then feel free to leave a comment below this article.

Stay healthy,

PS: In my Natural Health Blog you can learn even more about how to promote your health in your professional and private life. For example, look at how you can improve your Bedroom healthy furnishingsto start the day fit and awake in the morning.