Health and wellness are rapidly becoming a large part of our everyday life and society as a whole are eating healthier and exercising more. So, it comes as no surprise that creating a healthy workplace will lead to happier employees. Whether working in the same office space every day or working remotely from multiple locations, here are some tips that can help you improve your workflow and boost your mood and creativity.
Update your workspace
Our environment and workspace can have a significant impact on productivity. Gain more mental clarity by cleaning up your desk. Put up pictures, artwork, or images that inspire you or remind you of the people and things that matter. Your workspace should feel like a reflection of your best self.
Celebrate small victories and manage on-going tasks
How often do you pat yourself on the back? Do you know what you have accomplished at the end of each day? Checklists keep you on track as they can help you organize both long-term and short-term goals. Keeping checklists open in your workspace while you work will remind you what tasks you have on your plate and allow you to work towards these goals. You can also update it throughout the workday in case you get interrupted or have many projects on the go.
Maintain good posture
Maintaining good posture all day requires conscious effort. Most employees, who use computers, stare into their screen for hours and slowly get drawn into it. This means they stretch their neck forward, which puts pressure on the neck and the spine. This can be avoided with the help of certain desk exercises. The most popular one entails chin retractions – or making a fake double chin – to support the neck and upper back.
Give yourself proper lighting
If you’re able to, find a spot in your office that fosters a positive tone to boost your mood and motivation to work. Exposing yourself to the proper amount of light can enhance your productivity, make you feel healthier and increase your relaxation on busier days. If getting natural light is too challenging, try to bring in lamps to provide plenty of light to keep your mood and energy levels high.
Take frequent breaks
We always want to finish our work so we can get out of the office on time. However, this does not mean that you should sit at your workstation for hours at a stretch and not allow yourself a break. You may think that taking a break will waste your time but taking a break can actually be productive. Not taking a break from work can make you mentally lethargic and reduce your creativity. Make it a point to get away from your desk every now and again for a few minutes. The idea is to take a break; rejuvenate; and be more productive.
Drink plenty of water.
Being immersed in work means losing track of how much water you’re drinking in a day. However, it’s crucial that you drink enough to stay hydrated and active. Eating fresh, juicy fruits is a great way to beat dehydration and hunger pangs.
As our work lives only get busier, self-care will become an ever more important part of being authentic and having a positive impact without sacrificing our health or relationships. By incorporating self-care in our day-to-day work lives — and coming back to it in times of stress — we can all become our most constructive, effective, and authentic selves.
