Six ideas for a healthier workplace

Six ideas for a healthier workplace

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge when you spend hours each day sitting at a desk. But there are ways you can incorporate healthy routines into your work day. Here are a few ideas to consider:

1) Use your lunch break. Visit your local gym, pool or yoga studio, or ask your OHS officer to consider an in-house yoga, pilates or meditation class at lunch. You can even get your colleagues together for a lunchtime run or walk, or soccer or basketball game. It can be fun to work towards a collective goal, for instance a fun run or a step challenge.

2) Ergonomics: Aim for a neutral, comfortable posture at your desk. Standing desks can minimise the number of hours you spend sitting each day.

3) Share healthy food ideas: Use an office bulletin board as a place to share healthy recipes or lunch ideas.

4) Drink water: As well as keeping you hydrated, drinking more water helps you get up and out of your chair more often.

5) Avoid temptation: Keep healthy snacks like nuts or fruit in the office rather than facing the constant temptation of chocolates, biscuits or other unhealthy treats. Better yet, encourage your office to swap the biscuits in the kitchen for dried fruit and nut mix!

6) Take a stand: Use any chance you can to get out of your chair – stand up when you answer your phone, walk to a colleague rather than call or email them, and use a printer that’s further away to add small walks into your day. Or why not start a one minute dance party to get everybody up and out of their chairs?

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