9 Ways to Ensure Your Health as a Working Professional

American employees are concerned with several problems ranging from planning long-term vacations to anticipating future promotions. However, among this all, they should be worried about the health impact of our increasingly capitalistic society. How much do you care about your well-being as a working professional? It seems that our national capital –workers – have been afflicted with a decline in overall health since the pandemic. Statistics indicate that over 80% of American employees have been experiencing mental health issues.

Similarly, people are adopting a sedentary lifestyle and spending one-fourth of their days just sitting and doing nothing. What can you do to make yourself healthy again?

Boosting your well-being as a professional worker

Since an organization’s profitability relies upon the workforce’s productivity, it can’t churn out productivity without enhanced mental and physical well-being. Are happy workers more productive? You may type this question on Google and find thousands of search results explaining how satisfied employees become 13% more productive.

That’s why companies are attempting to boost employee morale and promote happiness at the workplace. But where does this happiness come from eventually? It comes from healthy lifestyles, which is why working professionals should dedicate some time to maintaining their well-being. So, here are some strategies for employees to stay healthy and prevent chronic ailments:

1. Limit Burden

By limiting burden, we mean reducing workload, work timings, and responsibilities. For this reason, have a one-on-one discussion with your employer and go over workable options to limit your work burden – and eventually workplace stress. Alongside this, try to limit the activities you have taken upon yourself. For instance, if you’re continuing education along with your job, it’s best to opt for the eLearning route. Online learning proves beneficial for employees in all sectors, especially healthcare. So, if you’re a nurse willing to become a family nurse practitioner, pursuing online programs is a viable strategy. Besides, becoming an FNP online comes with several career-boosting prospects.

2. Take frequent breaks

It would help if you didn’t work excessively or continuously since it’s harmful to your overall health. We suggest employees take breaks more often to avoid physical tension. It’s recommended that workers rest for 10-15 minutes after working for two hours straight. Learn when it’s time to press pause after working diligently. Taking breaks more often can prevent eye/neck strain while allowing you to stay ergonomically healthy. So, give yourself some time to relax, stretch your body, and change your posture.

3. Clean your workstation

Your workstation – especially the mouse and the keyboard – contains thousands of microorganisms just crawling all over these devices. As the pandemic doesn’t seem to stop anytime now, you should consider disinfecting your workstation. Don’t let viruses survive on your gadgets and clean your electronics properly. Use EPA-recommended disinfectants to clean these surfaces and maintain hygiene at the workplace. That’s how you can avoid harming yourself or others.

4. Always eat carefully

Employees aren’t hesitant to eat all the candy people have placed on their desks! It’s not a healthy practice and may lead to you becoming overweight. Don’t fill yourself with unnecessary pounds and skip the candy once in a while. If you’re tempted to consume extra food, try eating fruits or vegetables.

This way, you’re consuming something healthy and nutritious, at least. So, stay away from these candy bowls and junk food your coworkers distribute. Also, watch your weight now since the path to obesity can be slippery.

5. Relax your neck

When your shoulders stay in an awkward position for a long time, it may lead to TNS or tension neck syndrome. For instance, workers talking on the phone more often can acquire this syndrome due to which their shoulders become rigid. This syndrome usually leads to neck pain and tender muscles. So, make sure that you are relaxing your neck and shoulders. Moreover, relax your eyes a bit and don’t keep staring into the screen for a long time. Lastly, keep the screen at arm’s length to limit continued exposure.

6. Manage your stress

Workplace stress remains a crucial matter among western employees today. A survey estimates that 57% of Canadian and American workers are stressed at the workplace daily. These mental health issues can create serious problems for your productivity. So, engage in stress-reducing exercises to overcome exhaustion. For this reason, it’s helpful to meditate or indulge in yoga. You can also acquire hobbies such as jogging, reading, or gardening. These hobbies keep you distracted and help you regulate your mental health issues.

7. Exercise more often

Don’t neglect the importance of regular exercise for maintaining your weight. So, walk as you’re eating lunch to burn those extra calories and reduce your stress. Better yet, find a walking partner with whom you can engage in this healthy routine. Find excuses to walk to run errands so you can avoid sticking with a sedentary lifestyle. That’s how you can prevent yourself from becoming a victim of obesity in your life. Besides, working out for a mere thirty minutes has helped many workers stay healthy in the office.

8. Improve your posture

We’ve explained how Americans are increasingly adopting a sedentary lifestyle today. It’s causing an average person to spend over 6 hours merely sitting at a desk. However, it’s not healthy to stare into screens for hours and remain in the same position. It strains your neck and puts pressure on your spine. For this reason, we suggest employees hone their postures and engage in brief exercises with their desks/chairs. These exercises will support your body and make you feel refreshed again.

9. Drink coffee moderately

Experts have declared that Americans, on average, drink limited amounts of water. However, stress can compel working individuals to imbibe more caffeinated beverages than recommended by experts. So, it would help if you decreased your coffee/alcohol consumption. Since excessively drinking them may lead to nervousness while making you jittery all the time. Besides, it doesn’t just meddle with your daily productivity but also makes you vulnerable to several health problems. So, drink coffee carefully.

Conclusion

We’ve explained how healthy workers are more productive in any organization. Employees should boost their well-being if they wish to function effectively at the workplace. So, how can you hone your health? Our suggestions include exercising regularly, managing your stress, improving your posture, and taking the required amounts of water. Additionally, you must avoid eating aimlessly since consuming snacks mindlessly may lead to obesity. In today’s pandemic-ridden era, it’s crucial to keep an eye out for unhealthy habits and switch to better options whenever possible. So, limit your workplace stress and other harmful practices to lead a better life.