This week on the podcast we’ve focused the basics of health and nutrition and how it can support your success and happiness in the workplace. (What? You didn’t hear the great conversation with Chef Krishna? Check it out here!)  It’s common knowledge that the state of one’s health has a direct effect on mood, so happiness at work requires prioritizing your physical and mental health. Taking control of your health and wellness in the areas that you can will help you feel more in control in areas of your work and home life where you can’t. This will allow you to use your nutritional and physical health to give yourself a break at work and to keep your day organized to reduce stress in order to feel great all day long.

Mental health tips

There are simple steps you can take to streamline the chaos of your day which will maximize your ability to be  productive, energized and reduce your stress. Before you leave work in the evening, plan out the next day and be sure to include breaks, meetings, and time to complete important tasks. Slotting time to give yourself a break and have “me time” can help boost your happiness at work exponentially and keep your stress at a reasonable level. It doesn’t have to be anything earth-shattering—maybe it’s just time to walk down to the cafe on the corner for a coffee break and back; enough time to get some steps on the fitbit, fresh air, and a brain break from the office atmosphere.

Big projects, meetings, and events at work can all cause a lot of stress, and not having control over some aspects of these things is a difficult feeling to come to terms with. It sounds over-simplified, but in order to reduce your stress level, you literally must practice the concept ot “letting go.”  There will always be work (and life) related events and issues that are outside of your control; acknowledge this while using your team to collaborate and take control of what you can. Being able to recognize what you can affect is key to feeling confident in the job or task that you’re doing.

Physical health tips

Physical health is as important as mental health, and if you’re looking to improve your mental health, boosting your physical health has been shown to help. While you’re at work it’s important to take breaks for light exercise. This can be as simple as going for a walk on your lunch break or utilize a standing desk for a few hours, but these breaks can help keep you feeling energized throughout the day.

When it comes to eating lunch, Arefa Cassoobhoy explains how important it is to eat intentionally at work. Get away from your desk to eat lunch to make this a true break in your day so you can come back to work feeling rested, relaxed, and ready to take on the second half of your day. Another advantage of eating away from your desk is that it provides an opportunity to socialize with coworkers you may not otherwise interact with.

There are some things you can do to be proactive and preventative about your physical health at work too. If you spend a lot of time on computers at work, then buy eyeglasses that block the blue light that comes from the screen you’re looking at all day. Blue light can cause headaches and blurry vision after extended exposure to it and these types of glasses can help prevent that physical discomfort. Another thing to add into your daily routine at work is 5-minute desk yoga to help prevent aches from sitting all day and poor posture.

Luckily, it’s easy to improve your physical and mental health at work with a few small changes to your daily routine. These can help you be more productive at work while reducing stress, resulting in feeling happier in your day-to-day routine.