5 easy ways to stay alert and healthy without interrupting your workflow

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Well-being affects not only our mood, but also our productivity. You need to recharge not only the main working tool - the brain, but also the body as a whole. For example, taking a break for 10 minutes and switching to something else every 50 minutes gives us the necessary mental recharge, after which we can re-energize the complex tasks. Maintaining the entire body in good working order is a little more difficult and troublesome, and there is not always time for this. Therefore, we offer you 5 simple ways to help you stay healthy, vigorous and productive, practically without stopping from work.

Improving work efficiency with lemon water

Dr. Kamil Nghiem-Fu believes that lemon water will give the liver the necessary boost to process waste from the body more efficiently, help to cope with bloating, gas, constipation and body aches. Another nice bonus is the high content of vitamin C, which helps fight colds, and the scent of lemon, which improves mood, maintains focus and helps fight depression. And all you have to do is squeeze a little lemon juice into your glass of water. Half a lemon in a standard glass (180-200 ml) will be enough.

We monitor posture

Sitting in an uncomfortable chair for a long time affects our body as a whole and, as a result, our productivity. Poor posture can lead to pain in the upper and lower back, in the neck and shoulders, and headaches that are caused by clamps in the cervical spine. And even if you have a comfortable and correct chair, all the same, sitting in one place for a long time will have a bad effect on your well-being. What to do, besides a simple charge, during these same 10 minutes every hour? You can change the chair to … fitball. I understand that not everyone has the opportunity to keep a fitball in the office, but sitting on such a ball strengthens the muscles of the back and helps to keep it "in the proper ergonomic position, which will accelerate the delivery of oxygen to the brain." By the way, providing the office with fitballs is a great idea for managers who are worried about the physical and psychological health of employees.

Choosing the right food high in protein

Protein helps maintain a constant blood sugar level and prevents spikes in carbohydrate consumption. Remember how our mothers advised us to eat a chocolate bar or candy before exams in order to think better? This trick only works for short periods of time, and the sharp jump is followed by the same sharp drop. So if you want to stay in good mental shape all day long, it's best to replace coffee and donuts with foods high in protein - raw almonds, fruits, Greek yogurt, and vegetables. And also avoid the use of refined sugar.

Drink more water

Many people underestimate the importance of water for the human body. Drinking water keeps your muscles and brain hydrated. The average daily serving for an adult is about 8 glasses a day. But this is an average amount, and it all depends on your weight and physical activity. For example, if you weigh 77 kg, your number of glasses of water per day increases to 10. And if you are also exercising, then add about half a liter more on training days (about 3 glasses).

Stretching at the desk

In order to keep the whole body in working order and not to run to doctors with back problems, instead of periodically changing the chair to a fitball, you can do stretching exercises. And you don't have to go to the gym for that. Stretching improves circulation and minimizes tension in the neck, shoulders, and back.

Dr. Ngiem Fu recommends 5 simple exercises you can do in the office.

• Sit up straight, bend your elbows and place your right hand behind your head closer to your left ear. At the same time, turn your head to the right and stretch your chin to your right shoulder. Hold this position for 30 seconds and repeat on the other side. This exercise stretches the muscles in the back of the head, the tension of which usually leads to migraines.
• To stretch your neck and upper back, place both hands behind the back of your head and tilt your head forward. Arms are straight, back is straight.
• Place your right hand on your left thigh and lift your left hand up and reach the ceiling. Turn to the right to stretch the oblique abdominal muscles. It turns out a kind of twisting while standing or sitting in a chair. Repeat this on the other side. This exercise opens the lungs and improves oxygen circulation.

To stretch your upper back, stand up, place your hands on the table in front of you, take a few steps back and reach down and forward. During this exercise, your back should be straight (no bending in the lower back) and you should be looking at the floor.

You can also call a colleague, stand opposite each other at a short distance, clasp your hands in the lock, put them on each other's neck and bend over at the same time. It turns out that you will push each other to the floor, stretching your back. At the same time, make sure that the angle between the hips and the body is 90 degrees, the back is straight, and the partner is able to withstand this load;)