It’s no surprise to me, most Americans spend a lot of time at work. In fact, US adults employed full time work an average of 47 hours per week.1 So how do you stay healthy, while spending so much time focused on your job? Here are a few easy tips. Pick one to add to your work routine each week to see the impact on your well being by the end of the summer.
1. Healthy Snacks
Rather than hitting the vending machines when you crave a between meal snack, try one of these 22 fat burning snacks to feed your brain in a healthy way.1
2. Walking Meetings
Try my favorite way to stay healthy at work: walking meetings. This is easy to do, combines a number of healthy benefits and it helps to get those creative, problem solving juices flowing, even in a jam-packed, more than 40 hour work week.²
3. Bring Your (Healthy) Lunch
Eating out for lunch everyday can be expensive, time-consuming and not very healthy. I like to get my veggie omelets, fat-free plain yogurt with no sugar added fruit smoothies and lean chicken or turkey salads ready on Sunday night, so I don’t have to think about lunches for the week. Need ideas? Here’s 24 healthy lunches, enough for each day of the month.3
4. Stand During Conference Calls
Haven’t invested in a standing or treadmill desk yet, don’t worry. You can start gaining the same benefits by simply standing more if you have a desk job like I do. Being I close my door when doing conference calls, it doesn’t make me feel weird, but there are other ways to stand more at work. Here’s list of eight, can you think of more? 4
5. Park Far from the Door
Need to get a few more steps in each day? Try looking for the furthest parking spot instead of the one closest to your office door as an easy way to add to your optimal step goal.5
6. MOVE!
It’s hard to be productive while trying to maintain high energy levels through your entire day, Taking breaks, even if it’s to get up from your desk or walk away from your typical task for a stretch, has huge health benefits. And it makes you more productive.6
7. Drink Water
Most Americans do not drink enough water, yet it fires up your metabolism and helps you think. If you drink water first thing in the morning, it increases metabolism by 24% for 90 minutes. And, as your brain is 75% water, drinking more water gives your brain more fuel to operate on.7
8. Bike to Work
Friday, May 19 is 2017's National Bike to Work Day8, an “unofficial” national holiday initiated by the League of American Bicyclists and endorsed by the American Medical Association. The number of US bicycle commuters grew by more than 47% from 2000 to 2011. Why not try it next year by marking your calendar NOW?
We Can Help
VITAL WorkLife offers a variety of solutions to support individuals and organizations to enhance well being. If you are a member, contact us!
- Employee Assistance Members: call 800.383.1908 or access resources through your VITAL WorkLife App
- Well Being Resources Members: call 877.731.3949 or access resources through your VITAL WorkLife App
Not a Member?
Contact us to learn more about our robust solutions to support well being.
Sources:
- http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20682477_2,00.html
- http://www.gallup.com/poll/175286/hour-workweek-actually-longer-seven-hours.aspx
- http://www.buzzfeed.com/mackenziekruvant/easy-healthy-lunches#.tpG6qRarw
- http://www.juststand.org/tabid/816/default.aspx
- http://www.thewalkingsite.com/10000steps.html
- http://www.sparringmind.com/productivity-science/
- http://alifeofproductivity.com/killer-morning-habit-drink-water-right-after-you-wake-up
- http://nationaldaycalendar.com/national-bike-to-work-day-third-friday-in-may/
