Health for the Office

Do you work in an office and sit in front of a desk all day? Chances are, you have experienced back pain or tight shoulders. Maybe you get headaches from staring at the computer all day. Well today we will discuss some tips on how to reduce the negative effects that office work can have on your body. Working these tips into your day can have a dramatic effect on your mental and physical health and you will feel all the better for it.

Change your Commute

Lets start with the hardest tip first: walking or biking to work. Obviously this one doesn't work for everybody depending on your commute, but if you wanted to make a massive change in your health and you are within a couple miles of your office, this will have a tremendous effect. If you walk or bike to work, you don't have to worry about traffic and it allows you to fit in a workout every day before and after work. The best part about it is that it sets the stage for the day: your blood is moving, your endorphins are flowing and you just feel good.

Visit the Water Cooler

The next tip may be hard for many, however it is a lot easier than the last one: Drink plenty of water and stay hydrated all day long. You may be surprised that your body feels better overall just by drinking water. Remember that you should have 64 ounces of water every day. That translates to a cup of coffee in the morning and 4 water bottles through the day. Taking frequent breaks to visit the water cooler can also help you get up out of your chair regularly, which will help prevent a whole slew of problems that can arise from sitting in one place for too long. This brings us to the next tip:

Take Opportunities to Leave the Chair

Every hour, you should be getting up from your computer to stretch or just do something else. Stretch your neck, touch your toes, do some filing or deliver a message to someone on a different floor. Stand up when you have to take a phone call. This will also make your breathing less constricted and give you a little more authority to your voice. While having instant messengers and inter-office voice communication is a great thing, don't completely phase out getting up and walking down the hall to meet.

Remind yourself to Take Breaks

Whether you sit in front of a desk all day or not, try to incorporate these tips into your daily routine. If you practice all of these tips, you will notice a dramatic change in your mental well being. Use a reminder on your phone or download Big Stretch Reminder, a free Windows program that simply gives you friendly reminders at set intervals throughout the day to let you know it's time to take a deep breath and stretch. You can download Big Stretch Reminder here.

Remember, working hard and getting results is important but if you do so at the expense of your own health then it is time to consider making adjustments to your day-to-day in order to keep a clear head and stay healthy. Do you have any tips for other readers? Leave them in the comments!