How to Get Healthy at Work
Health is something everyone should be conscientious of. We, as Americans, generally spend the highest percentage of our time in our workplace. This means that we have the greatest opportunity to enhance our overall health while we’re at work.
Here are a few reasons health is important, as well as some ways you and your workplace can make steps towards healthier lifestyles.
Benefits of Physical Activity and Healthy Eating
- Reduce risk of diabetes and high blood pressure
- Strengthen bones and muscles
- Prevent illness and injury.
- Boosts serotonin levels, which reduces the risk of depression and anxiety by 25%.
5 Things You Can do to be Healthier at Work:
Walking meetings are a great way to stay healthy. Plus the extra blood flow will help you be more creative and productive!
Bike to Work
Active transportation is an easy way to incorporate physical activity into your day. Wichita’s added bike lanes and trails make biking to work simple. Biking to work means approximately 40 minutes a day of physical activity without having to worry about when to fit in going to the gym.
Walking Breaks
Finding yourself in a slump at work? Utilize your breaks to be active. The additional blood flow to your brain will increase your productivity throughout the day.
Get Active at Lunch
Lunchtime provides several ways to incorporate health into your day. If you have some extra time on your lunch break, then this is a great time to get moving. Whether you want to take a walk, stretch, or check out the Wichita’s continually expanding Bike Share ICT, there are lots of options.
Walking Meetings
Some meetings don’t require a pen and paper, so why not get that meeting moving?! Physical activity allows the brain to be more creative and productive, so take advantage of the brain power boost and turn your meeting into a walking meeting.
Celebrate Healthy Lifestyles
If you’re someone who is always incorporating healthy eating and physical activity into your workday, invite a coworker on your next walk or offer to bring a healthy item to your next potluck.
5 Ways My Worksite Can Be Healthier:
Standing desks are great ways to get some blood flowing during the workday
Healthy Snacks at Work
If your worksite chooses to provide snacks, try to have some of those snacks be healthier options. Pretzels, nuts, granola bars, yogurt – just make sure to read those labels to see if your snacks are hiding any extra salt or sugar!
Standing Desks/Treadmill Desks
It is possible to get up or get moving without leaving your desk. Standing or treadmill desks are great options to get some blood flowing so you won’t hit that afternoon slump.
Bike Rack at Your Worksite
Worksites that want to encourage active transportation have the option of adding a bike rack to the worksite. Wichita’s added bike lanes and trails make biking to work easier than ever!
Taking a Few Standing Minutes For Meetings Lasting More Than an Hour
Some meetings seem to keep people sitting for too long. If you’re holding a meeting, encourage participants to stand for 2-3 minutes every half hour or hour of your meeting to keep people active and engaged.
Policies to Empower Employees
Policy can be a scary word, but when done correctly, they can empower employees to be healthier. Policies such as encouraging employees to get up and move during the day or even just providing a healthy snack option at the worksite can make a healthy lifestyle easier. Best of all, policies won’t change if leadership changes, so employees won’t have to worry about losing this benefit.
About Health ICT
Health ict is a Kansas Department of Health and Environment funded initiative. Their goal is to reduce obesity, diabetes, heart attack and stroke in Sedgwick County.
Their mission is to create and enhance sustainable environmental changes to help people achieve wellness, to transform systems with providers in order to empower patients and to coordinate accessibility to healthy lifestyle programs.
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