For most Americans, the majority of the week is spent inside of an office building sitting at a desk. For all of the hours spent in this small capacity, it’s important to create a workspace that is comfortable and welcoming. Last month, we gave you Part 1: Tips For Making Your Workplace More Comfortable.
Today, explore these tips for creating a space conducive to both your productivity and your health:
1. Alternate Between Sitting and Standing
Over the last few decades, research and studies have continued to identify sitting at a desk for all hours of the day as the newest health concern. This sedentary position, often worsened by a laptop or computer, has come to be called the “new smoking,” as Smithsonian magazine explained. The endless hours spent sitting at a desk, year after year, increase the risk of numerous health concerns including neck, back and joint problems, diabetes and obesity, weight concerns and heart disease.
“Be sure to incorporate movement into your work day.”
At one point, experts believed that the negative impact of sitting could be balanced with regular physical activity at the start or end of each work day. However, that is no longer believed to be true. Instead, the answer to reducing the risk of complications such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease as a result of sitting, is to incorporate movement into the workday. While regular exercise is still vital to overall health and wellness, alternating between sitting and standing during the work day could have a big impact on your health. New devices that lift computers up to standing height are being implemented in offices around the globe. They can help to improve posture and reduce the risk of numerous health concerns.
Researchers have even suggested pacing and stretching throughout the day as a method for counteracting the dangers that sitting can have. Today, there are even walking desks available for work space and home offices to keep you moving as you answer those phone calls and emails. If your office space allows, you may consider investing in the Needak Rebounder Soft Bounce with Stabilizer Bar. It’s portable and low-impact, providing the perfect break in your busy work day.
2. Consider an Exercise Ball For a Chair
In addition to making it a point to stand up and move around throughout the day, many employees have invested in a large exercise ball to replace their desk chair. According to Prevention magazine, both slouching and sitting in one stable position all day long reduces core strength because your abs are not required to put in any effort. However, with a stability ball, your body is required to engage its core to stay properly seated. The muscles of your abdominal, legs and hips must engage in order to remain upright, which in turn enhances tone.
Moreover, evidence indicates that when an office chair is too comfortable, it can make health-related sitting problems even worse. As such, with no back support and an un-sturdy surface, an exercise ball can be more beneficial than a traditional desk chair. As Hallelujah Acres Research Director Dr. Michael Donaldson explained, sitting on an exercise ball can help to strengthen the muscles of the lower back, which in turn translates to improved posture.
Again however, standing and moving throughout the day is the best for your health. As Entrepreneur suggested, listen to your body as it wants to sit and stand. Doing so can improve metabolism and blood flow. At the same time, these breaks in your day of sitting can spark energy and heighten focus so that you become more productive as a result.
Consider using an exercise ball at your office desk.3. Keep Your Favorite Products at Your Desk
Creating a workspace that feels comfortable and personal leads to higher satisfaction and productivity among many workers, explained Homedit. This personal touch can be anything from family photos and favorite plants to bulletin boards and special lighting. Perhaps you have a hand lotion that soothes you when you are stressed or a favorite CD that motivates you to work hard. Whatever these personal items may be, keep them on hand.
Similarly, promote your health comfort by being equipped with healthy, raw snacks to nibble on during the day. Between office birthdays, daily donuts or snack options, there are many unhealthy options trying to lead astray from your primarily raw, plant-based diet. However, you can stay strong and fight the urge to cave when you’re office is stocked with healthy products in line with the Hallelujah Diet. You can even keep your favorite Hallelujah Diet supplements at your desk for easy access right when you need them. If you consume one or more of you meals at the office, consider keeping a supply of your favorite BarleyMax products too!
Avoid office temptations and bring your own raw food and snacks.4. Eliminate Distractions and Add Inspiration
While some people work better with noise and distractions, a general rule of thumb is to keep them to a minimum. As Fast Company explained, between the number of screens in the office place today, the need for external distractions is even more unnecessary than ever before. However, if you are someone who needs white noise to block out the employee chatter, consider a fan.
What is it that makes you get out of bed in the morning? What drives you to show up at the office and work hard day in and day out? Inspiration in the workplace can go a long way so consider hanging up your favorite quotes as a daily reminder of why you do what you do. Awards and achievements can serve as another form of motivation.
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