5 Healthy Tips For People With Desk Jobs

Sitting down for long periods of time isn’t great for our health. Chances are, you’re sitting down while reading this blog post. For those of us who spend the majority of our time working a desk job, health and well-being isn’t always top priority. I spend anywhere between 6-8 hours per day sat down, staring at a computer screen and from this I suffer severe discomfort (back ache, neck ache, fatigue). But after implementing these 5 useful tips into my daily routine, I’m feeling happier and healthier when it comes to working my job. What do you think of the tips below?

Take microbreaks and keep hydrated

Tea breaks are very important in our office. Especially when there are dozens of meetings to be had. I make it a rule to get up every hour for a drink, loo break or a simple wonder to the photocopier. It’s surprising how a 5 minute break can give you a boost of energy. I take my trustworthy Voss bottle into work and I receive a lot of compliments on it – one person said it looks like a cannister of plutonium. My aim is to drink at least 1 litre of water each day while at work, and my body certainly thanks me for this, yours will too.

Stretch it out, shake it off

Come 11am, my back tends to feel strained from my silly habit of sitting with my legs crossed (who else does this?). Although it is probably safer to do your lunges outside of the office, I personally don’t mind having a ‘stretch party’ in my chair from time to time. This means rotating my shoulders, doing a little head roll and if I’m typing all morning, I’ll stretch out my arms and wiggle my wrists. On the odd occasion, people think that I am waving at them from across the room… nothing wrong with being the friendly girl I suppose!

Eat lunch away from the desk

I was  told off recently by my colleague (aka, my work mother) for not leaving my desk one lunch time. When my 30 minute break was over, I went straight back to work. Because of this, the day felt twice as long and I went home feeling exhausted and irritable. Getting up from your desk at lunch time is important and will allow you to clear your mind and get some fresh air. I usually scroll through my Instagram feed and Facebook, go for a short walk or read a magazine in the car. I then return, feeling ready to jump back into my tasks. Trust me, a break away works!

Bring healthy food to work

I’m a food blogger. This means even after a long day, I will still go home and cook up a storm in the kitchen. As it grows colder, we are big fans of cooking tasty, healthy (and sometimes hearty) meals and always make enough to have as left overs the next day. I eat my breakfast when I arrive at work and this will usually consist of a yoghurt, fruit, granola or a health bar. If you crave junk food throughout the day, try snacking on walnuts, berries or drink a glass of water. Your body will thank you for it and will be full up until lunch time. We have a sandwich lady at work but I try to avoid her at all costs… damn those tasty bacon sandwiches!

 Communicate with your colleagues

It’s so easy to get pulled into your hectic work schedule that you forget to socialise with others around you – and this isn’t healthy. I’m the ‘Comms Girl’ at work so it’s my duty to communicate with people on a daily basis. I find the day goes quicker when I’m immersed in conversation with a fellow work mate. Don’t sit there in silence, find out something new about the person sitting next to you. They’ll appreciate you asking and you’ll have something to talk about when you’re next in the office. Will you be using any of these tips at work?