How to Stay Healthy at Work and Home

These days, we're inundated with conflicting messages and ideas around how to stay healthy and happy, while at the same time being tempted by junk food and quick weight loss fixes that never last. To make matters worse, everybody (and every body) is different, so what works for your friends may not work for you, which can be more than a little frustrating. 

There are however, some general guidelines you can follow to put you on the right path, both physically and mentally. Here are our top tips for staying healthy at work and home.

 

Exercise regularly 

You’ve heard it a million times before, but regular exercise is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle. Often people think exercise involves running for hours or visiting a sweaty gym at 5:00am, but incorporating exercise into your everyday routine is easier than you might think. Instead of starting with anything too ambitious, why not try walking part of the way to work, taking a bike ride with your kids, getting up 10 minutes early to do some at home stretches or running around the local park with your dog? By starting small and slowly building up your activity, you'll be surprised at how easily it will start to fit into your daily routine. 

Eat well

'Eating well' of course means different things to different people, but for the most part, it involves eating a good portion of vegetables and fruit, limiting processed foods and avoiding excess sugar. Another important part of eating well is trying to avoid overeating, which is something that sounds so easy, but is often difficult to do as portion sizes increase and we get used to eating a particular amount. When in doubt, aim for fresh food, avoid too much salt and sugar, and don't eat too late at night. 

Engage in social interactions

When most people think about being healthy, eating well and exercising regularly are usually the first two things that come to mind, but there is growing research that suggests our mental health can have a great impact on our physical health, too. In fact, people who have reported feeling lonely may even be more likely to suffer an illness, not to mention the obvious mental health concerns that can arise from this. Although solitude can be a wonderful experience for some, loneliness is a very negative feeling, so it is so important to have regular social interactions whether at home or at work. If you don’t have many friends or have just relocated, look for local meet-ups or events in your area, ensuring you get out of the house and stimulate your mind. Treat your mental and emotional state just like you would your physical state.

Keep a clean home

You don’t have to hire a cleaner or spend hours every week cleaning to have a comfortable home environment, but regularly vacuuming, wiping down surfaces and washing can make a huge difference. We’ve all experienced the dread of coming home to a house full of mess, so by taking a bit of extra time each day to put away your clothes and wash the dishes, you’re alleviating the frustration of a messy home. Simply making the bed is an excellent place to start!

Get a stand up desk

Stand up desks have many health benefits, but being able to use one really depends on your work situation. If your company is willing to purchase one, you’ll notice the difference immediately, as you go from stiff and sore to active and sprightly reasonably quickly. If you can’t or don’t want to use one at work, at the very least ensure you stand up and stretch your legs at least once an hour, as well as stretch your back and neck, and talk to your operations team about setting up an ergonomic workstation.

Take public transport or walk to work

If you live and work in a city, you may already be taking advantage of the public transport in your area, but for some, driving is a much more convenient way to get to and from work. Whilst you don’t want to add hours of travel time to your day by walking, why not try parking a little further from your office, or getting off the bus a stop early? If you feel too rushed to exercise before work, adding 15 minutes to your commute could be a good way to get some exercise and fresh air before walking into your office. If you already work outside or have a labor intensive job, make sure to protect yourself from the sun and other weather conditions, and drink plenty of water.

Take sick and mental health days

In some companies there is great pressure to not only show up to work every day, but arrive early, stay back late and always perform at 100%. The reality is, if you show up to work when you're ill, you won't work to your full potential, you risk burning out, and you may even infect other people with your sickness. It's important to listen to your body and give yourself a chance to rest, which includes taking mental health days when you feel you need them. 

Maintain healthy relationships

Friendships, family and romantic relationships play such an important role in our health and happiness, so it's absolutely essential to surround yourself with people who enhance your life. If you're in a toxic relationship, have a negative friend who puts you down, or feel undermined by a sibling, consider having some frank conversations and communicating how you feel. Failing that, it may be time to move on to more positive and worthwhile relationships. 

And finally, nothing perks you up better than receiving flowers.  Nothing says you matter and I care, better than red roses.  Feel free to send yourself or your love one a little pick me up from Roses Only.