Stay Healthy at your Desk Job

Even if you eat well and exercise regularly, sitting at a desk for eight hours a day can negatively impact your health. According to Sherry Torkos, pharmacist and author of The Canadian Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, there are a few simple ways you can stay healthy at your desk job:

• Rest your eyes: Staring at a computer screen all day can cause regular users to experience vision problems. Blinking frequently and giving your eyes the chance to regularly focus on something more distant can reduce eyestrain. Setting a timer to remind you to look away from the screen every 20 minutes will help relax your eyes and reduce fatigue.

• Talk in person: Telephone calls, emails and other technological tools improve time management, but they can also contribute to an unhealthy office environment. Take opportunities to walk to a co-worker’s office and talk face-to- face instead of sending an email or picking up the phone.

Having walking meetings can also be a useful way to boost energy and alertness. This allows employees to get up, stretch their legs and reduce the negative impact of sitting at a desk without effecting productivity.

• Stand up for phone calls: If you do have to use the phone, stand-up anytime you make or receive a call. This will give you the opportunity to stretch your legs several times a day and will become a habit helping you to lower the harmful effects of being inactive. Standing for phone calls will also generate energy in your body and your voice.

• Keep water at your desk: Hydration in an office setting is often overlooked. Your body requires a lot of water, even if you’re sitting. Having a 1.5 L bottle water will help you curb the afternoon slump and allow you gauge how much water you’ve consumed throughout the day.

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