Focus on your Workplace Health Now To Gain Long-Term Health Benefits
When you’re a working mom, health usually doesn’t look like training for a marathon or following a super restrictive diet. You’ve got little people to take care of, and you usually can’t spare the time – or energy – to stay healthy by doing something drastic. For working moms, health is an everyday choice.
If you’re a working mom like I am, you spend a good part of your day at work. That’s where the good choices need to happen. Sometimes I really struggle with that. Maybe I have too much coffee and forget to drink enough water. Occasionally I make it through a whole day without going outside. My biggest challenge is having something sugary when I’m feeling low-energy in the afternoon! That just kills my productivity, which I hate. To keep your energy and mood on track, here are 19 creative ways to be more healthy at work.
When you improve your workplace health, you’ll feel better and be more productive during the day. Better yet, you’ll have more energy left over for your family in the evening!
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Eat Well & Hydrate
Drink Water
We all know we’re supposed to drink more water! But how? Experts recommend drinking about 2 liters (half a gallon) of water a day. If you’re not really sure how much you drink every day, I suggest making friends with a water bottle. I really prefer cold water, so I love the triple-insulated 24 oz EcoVessel Summit water bottle. You have to empty this 24 oz water bottle about 3 times a day to meet your daily water requirement. Set a simple goal to finish your first bottle by lunch, your second bottle before you leave for the day and your third bottle by bedtime. Carry the bottle with you everywhere! It’s amazing how much better I feel when I stay ahead of hydration.
If you drink other things at your desk, you might really struggle to drink enough water. When you spend your morning (or afternoon) sipping coffee, that’s one less sip of water you’ll be drinking. Because of that, try to limit your coffee consumption to first thing in the morning so you can drink something hydrating the rest of the time.
Get Creative with Your Water
Tired of water? Try something different! Fruit-infused water is a yummy – and healthy – way to drink water without a bunch of added sugar. The fruit will naturally sweeten your water, making it taste delicious and a little more fun. For colder days, tea is also a great way to consume some water without added calories or caffeine. Don’t hesitate to find healthy ways to change up your routine.
Eat Strategically
Everyone has eaten a big lunch during the workday once or twice at least. When I do this, my energy just tanks around 2 pm. It’s the worst! To avoid the feeling of having been run over by a truck, try to keep your eating balanced. Eat a light lunch and two small snacks (morning and afternoon). Make sure that each meal and snack has some healthy protein and a small amount of carbs. Avoid overly processed, sugary food and anything greasy or fried. Incorporate fruits, vegetables, nuts and lean meat with just a bit of dairy and bread. There’s no need to be really particular here. Just pay attention to what your body tells you.
Give up High-Calorie Coffee
There, I said it. Give up your super gigantic Venti mocha coffee thing. I know it’s yummy but it’s also a ton of calories and probably not doing your energy any favors. If you can’t skip your morning caffeine, switch to black coffee. It will give you the morning jolt of energy without the sugar crash. You’ll get through your morning coffee faster and will be on to drinking water. Your budget will thank you, too!
Politely Skip the Office Treats
It’s soooo hard to resist when someone brings cookies or cake or whatever into the office. It feels almost rude to decline their yummy baked goods. But, like it or not, those calories add up. I like to make a deal with myself that I’ll only have dessert or treats one day a week – usually Friday. That way I don’t feel like I’m completely missing out, but I put some limits on my dessert-eating.
Bring Healthy Snacks
If your office isn’t stocked up on healthy snacks, plan ahead. Bring some 100-calorie packs of almonds or some other food that’s high in protein and will keep for a long time. It’s so much easier to avoid the vending machine M&Ms when you have an option right there in front of you! Make healthier eating the path of least resistance rather than a conscious effort of will!
Move More
Incorporate Stretch Breaks
Set a reminder on your calendar for every hour to take a short stretch break, and don’t skip it! This can be as simple as taking a few minutes to stretch while you’re sitting at your desk. Here are a few things you can do without even budging from your chair:
- Roll your neck by moving your head forward and back, side to side and in circular motions. This will stretch your neck muscles and release tension in your neck and jaw.
- Roll your hands in a circular motion to stretch your wrist and arm muscles.
- Point and flex your feet to stretch your ankles and calf muscles
If you have any office or private area, even better! Sit on the floor and do a quick stretching routine:
- Sitting on the floor, put your left foot to the inside of your right thigh and reach toward your right foot. Repeat on the other side.
- Put both legs straight out in front of you and reach for your feet
- Bring both feet together so the soles are touching and your knees are pointed outward. Lean forward toward your feet as far as possible.
- Roll your neck and wrists
- With your right hand, reach over the back of your head toward your shoulder blades. Push down on the right elbow with the left hand. Repeat on the other side.
These exercises take no more than 5 minutes but you’ll be much more alert after doing them.
Take a Walk Break
Intersperse walk breaks with stretch breaks. To take a short walk break, do a lap of your floor or walk up and down the hall a few times. Take the opportunity to swing by a friend’s office to catch up. Go to the mail room to check your mail or replenish your office supplies. These breaks don’t have to be long at all! If the weather is nice, go outside and do a lap around your building (pssst this is one of my favorite energy-burners for my kids. 5 laps around the house!). Make sure to set reminders on your calendar so you don’t forget! It’s too easy to get caught up in meetings and other work, and miss these short but powerful breaks.
A Desk that Does the Work
Offices are starting to embrace alternative desks to help their employees be more healthy, after reports that too much sitting can lead to heart disease and other health problems. Check to see if your company offers standing desks or treadmill desks. Standing desks will keep your body engaged, even if you’re not actively exercising. Treadmill desks can help you get those steps in while typing emails or participating in online meetings. If your company doesn’t offer standing desk options, or you have a home office and aren’t quite ready to invest big bucks in this, I’ve heard great things about the Spark by Ergodriven cardboard standing desk. This desk is totally affordable and seems like a great way to test the waters on the standing desk phenomenon.
For those who prefer to sit, a physically engaging desk chair might be a good option. An inexpensive exercise ball is a great way to work your core and encourage good posture while sitting at your desk. If you’d like a little more stability, try an exercise ball with a frame. The frame will keep the ball from rolling around, and many frames have a back rest as well. The exercise ball chair is great for people who have back pain, are pregnant or just want a little motion in their day.
Walking Meetings
Who says meetings have to happen in a conference room? Get creative and start holding walking or standing meetings. A short 5-15 minute daily stand-up meeting is a ritual for many development teams, especially those doing Agile software development. This habit isn’t just for developers, though! Anyone can have a standing meeting. If you’re a manager with a ton of one-on-one meetings, consider making those walking meetings. You can also take phone calls while walking. You’ll definitely engage with your co-workers differently when you switch up meeting styles. Walking or standing will keep everyone more engaged and get the creative juices flowing.
Bike or Walk Between Buildings
If your office is on a big corporate campus, you might find yourself going to different buildings frequently. Do you drive? Hide those car keys! Give yourself just a little more time between appointments so you can walk between buildings. If it’s a bit too far to walk, consider buying an inexpensive bike to keep at the office. A 20 minute walk can be just a 5 minute bike ride. There’s something really fun and freeing about zooming around on a bike in the middle of the workday. It feels a little bit like being a kid again. You’ll arrive at your destination invigorated. Check with your co-workers to see if there’s a covered area to store your bike. In my building, there’s an unused area under the basement stairs that people use for bike storage, but many buildings have official bike parking. Make sure to keep a small bike repair kit and chain grease at the office just in case your bike breaks down. And don’t forget to wear a helmet!
Take the Stairs
It’s an easy one, but often overlooked. To incorporate a bit more movement into your day, skip the elevator and take the stairs! While it won’t burn a ton of calories, climbing the stairs will briefly raise your heart rate and work your glutes. I like to imagine that I’m in training for a beautiful hike, which makes climbing the stairs a lot more tolerable. If it seems too hard and makes you feel out of shape, just remember – even elite athletes get out of breath climbing the stairs.
Park Far, Far Away
Another oldie, but good advice nevertheless. Get a few more steps in by parking way out at the end of the parking lot. You won’t lose massive amounts of weight, but incorporating movement into your day has long-term health benefits! This also gives you a few more minutes of time outside. It’s the perfect way to mentally transition into and out of the workday.
Conference Room Workout
Do you have access to a private office, or a conference room without windows? You can step it up from a short stretch break and do a mini-workout right at your desk. A quick interval circuit can offer great health benefits and improve your productivity. For a quick interval workout, all you need is a timer. Do each exercise for 40 seconds. Take a 20 second break to recover and then do the next exercise, and so on.
Jumping Jacks
An old-school PE warm-up, this is an easy move to get the body a little warm.
Push ups
Get your arm muscles moving with a good old push-up. If you haven’t done push-ups lately, start by doing wall push-ups. Put your hands against the wall, with your feet slightly away from the wall. Lean into the wall and bend your elbows into a push-up position. Once you’re comfortable with wall push-ups, you can move to the regular push-up position with your knees on the floor. Try to get at least one push-up with your knees off the floor before switching to knees down. Slowly work your way up to more knee-up push-ups!
Squats
Squats are fantastic for your legs. Simply stand with your feet about shoulder width apart. Bend your knees until your hamstrings are parallel to the floor, then stand up slowly.
Triceps dips
You can use your chair, desk or conference table for this arm exercise. With your back facing the surface, put your hands flat on the desk or table. Walk your feet out two or three steps so all of your weight is on your hands. Lower yourself down as far as you’re comfortable going, and then push yourself back up with your arms.
Calf Raises
These seem almost ridiculously easy at the beginning, but your calves will be burning by the end. Stand on a step or slightly raised surface if possible, but the floor will suffice if necessary. Stand up on your tip-toes and lower. Repeat.
This is a quick, five-minute interval workout. Go through the circuit as many times as you can. I guarantee you’ll feel like you’ve worked by the end, and these exercises can all be modified to suit any fitness level.
Simple Equipment
When you’re ready to step up your office workout game, some simple equipment can really amp up your exercise routine. Pick up an exercise band for less than $20 and throw it into your laptop bag. This tiny piece of equipment gives you so many options! Standing on the band, you can raise your arms above your head in an overhead press. You can also raise your arms straight out in front of you or to the side for a great lat workout. Affix one end of the band to a door securely, and pull down on the other handle to exercise your triceps. A resistance band is also a great way to get a workout in when you travel. It barely takes up any space and is easy to throw into your suitcase. You can do a resistance band workout in your hotel room first thing in the morning, before your day begins, or as a way to wind down at night. No crowded hotel gym required!
Exercise with Co-Workers
If your colleagues embrace a healthy lifestyle, you’re more likely to do so as well. Can you get a small group together to walk, run, bike or swim at lunchtime? Round up some people to participate in a daily steps challenge. If your team does team events, choose activities that encourage everyone to move. My team went rock climbing together once and had a great time.
Don’t Neglect Your Mental Health
Work Outside
Test the strength of your office wi-fi network and head outside to work. You’ll get some Vitamin D, and the change of scenery will lift your mood and help you clear your head. I’ve found that most people don’t think to work outside, so it’s very quiet. It’s a great place to sit down and really think something through. Sometimes I leave my laptop in the office and just bring my Rocketbook to take notes. There’s something about hearing the birds chirping, and listening to the wind rustle through the trees, that soothes me. Talk about a perfect break from the work day.
Just Breathe
OK, this one seems kind of dumb. It did to me, too. Until I realized how much I actually hold my breath when I’m tense. If I’m in a meeting that’s gotten a little confrontational, I hold my breath. Same when I’m composing an important email or discussing something controversial with a co-worker. Deep breathing can immediately help you feel less anxious, so it’s a great tool to reduce stress and help you perform better in the workplace. If you’re the kind of person who forgets to breathe when you’re anxious, try creating a visual cue to remind you to breathe. It could be a small photo, a bracelet, a stress-reduction ball or a calendar invite. Whatever works for you!
Freshen the Commute
I have a Jeep Wrangler, and we often take the top down when the weather is nice. It’s amazing to drive to work with the wind in my hair. I hear all of the outside sounds when I stop at a stop light. With the car open to the sky, I can feel the sun beating down on my head. I feel so much more alive and engaged when I’m connecting with the outside world instead of just sitting isolated in my car. You probably don’t want to buy a whole new car, but you can capture this feeling, too. Just open your car windows for your commute (assuming you’re not going too fast). Try to make yourself do it even when it seems too hot or too cold. You might just be surprised by how much this will energize you!
Make Healthier Choices Every Day
For busy working moms, it’s tough to make healthy choices. By incorporating small, healthy decisions throughout your day, you’ll be a better employee and a better mom!
