5 Simple Tricks to Improve Your Health While on Your Lunch Break
Stand, Stretch, & Walk Does this scenario sound familiar: wake up, drive to work, sit at a desk for hours, and then drive home to juggle a hundred different tasks before starting the whole thing over again. Although some people have figured out how to include the gym into their daily routine, for the majority of us a little exercise during lunch is the most we can muster on most days. The biggest mistake is to think that only performing some light fitness routines each day won’t make a difference–because it can have a profound impact on your health! Start by taking 20 minutes each day to do basic stretches and then walk around your workplace (ideally outdoors) to release muscle tension and get your blood flowing. Even if you don’t break a sweat, you’ll still come back feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of your workday. Find a New Place to Eat Lunch (that’s not your desk) Although the majority of American’s tend to eat lunch at their desk, studies have proven that we tend to eat faster and chew our food less when our mind is distracted. It’s important to find a place to enjoy your lunch away from your desk so that you can actually take the time you need to enjoy your meal. Maybe there’s a bench outside the office, or a park down the street. As a last resort, eating your lunch in a break room is still preferable to ever eating at your desk. For the sake of your digestive health, and your sheer enjoyment of the food itself, challenge yourself to find new options for enjoying your meals at work. Pack a Healthy Lunch It’s no secret that putting nutrient-rich and natural foods into your body will help you stay healthier, feel better, and increase your energy at work. Nevertheless, it always feels like a monumental task to figure out how to eat properly at work when faced with so many “convenient” options in the form of fast food, cafeterias, vending machines, or high-salt and high-sugar snack foods. Besides who has the time to make a healthy lunch every morning? Try these tips to help kickstart healthier eating habits at work:
- Drink more water.Not only is regularly drinking water great for your health, but it can also help curb hunger cravings throughout the work day.
- Bring your own snacks to work!Don’t be tempted by the chips, cookies and other snack foods you see co-workers eating at lunch. Instead, bring bags of your favorite healthy snacks such as, unsalted mixed nuts, raisins, fresh fruits, or pre-cut vegetables.
- Avoid foods that are high in fats, sugars, and oils.It’s so easy to give into cravings for high-calorie and low-nutrient lunch options that might taste good initially, but can also deplete your energy and more affect your long-term health.
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Perform Eye Exercises The verdict may still out on whether eye exercises can actually improve your eyesight, but many believe that stretching your eye muscles is just as important as stretching your arms, legs, shoulders, and neck. To avoid what is commonly referred to as “focus fatigue” from staring at your computer monitor, every 20 minutes you should gaze at a distant object (at least 20 feet away) for at least 20 seconds. Doctors call this technique the “20-20-20 rule.” The following article also gives great step-by-step advice on how to always keep your eyes in good shape at work: http://www.wikihow.com/Exercise-Your-Eyes Unplug Your Brain and Meditate While physical improvements like eating healthy and exercising are critical contributors to your overall health, your mental health is also something that cannot be ignored while at work. Stress is a leading factor in countless physical ailments and yet most of us avoid taking simple steps to improve our mental health. Countless studies have shown that taking frequent 3-5 minute“mini-breaks” from work can help reduce the risk of eye strain as well as neck, shoulder, and back pain. During each break, stand up, stretch your arms and legs, roll your shoulders around, and try to briefly take your mind off work. You’ll be amazed how much of a difference these mini-breaks can make in your day.
