Our jobs are a necessary part of our life because most of us need to work in order to keep a roof over our heads. But, just because something is necessary doesn’t mean that it should be allowed to impact our lives in a negative way. Here are five ways to ensure that your job does not ruin your health.
Set boundaries
A terrible fact about today’s world is that most of us are expected to take our work home with us. Not only do we have problems setting boundaries, but we also have more trouble enforcing. Many employers are not above guilt tripping employees into working late and taking work home with them. This is unnecessary and should not be commonplace. If you find that your boss is trying to make you bring work home with you, you might need to have a sit-down and explain that you have boundaries and work does not come home with you. If they cannot respect this, then you should look for a new job.
Health and safety
These are words that can anger people, but health and safety have been put in place for a reason. When your employer ensures that health and safety protocols are being followed, there is a reduced chance that you will be injured during the course of your workday. If your employer is unsure of what they should be doing, they could hire health and safety consultants to check everything over. Remember, the health and safety rules that are in place exist because someone was hurt doing the same job.
Exercise
If you feel that your job is affecting your health, you should ask yourself if it is the lack of exercise that is the culprit. When we work at a desk all day, we become sluggish and our joints become stiff. One we can do is exercise when we get home to release the tension that we are holding in our bodies. As a general rule, we all need to be a bit more active and having a brief period of activity to get the blood pumping can have a massive effect on our general outlook. If you want to be really bold, you could use your lunch break for a quick power walk to get the blood pumping before you settle down with some food.
The food
If you look around your office building, how many vending machines are there? Probably a few, and many are lined up side by side to dispense sugary drinks and chocolate bars. The temptation to eat them is always there, and you probably buy more than you should. If you can, stock your bag with healthy treats that will keep you away from the vending machines. If you think that the canteen isn’t serving the best food, you might consider bringing a packed lunch instead. By making smart choices about your food before you leave the house, you will not be as tempted to spend money on food that is no good for you.
Louise Mercieca
Nutritional Therapist
Personal Trainer
Early Years Nutrition Consultant
Award-winning Author
Food & Health Writer
Presenter on Early Years TV Food
Keynote speaker
www.thehealthkick.co.uk