Hale and hearty: Six ways of maintaining a healthy desk life

Doctors may discourage a sedentary lifestyle - which includes spending long hours sitting in front of your computer at work, but because you probably have no other choice, there are ways in which you can make your desk life healthy as well. Your job pays your bills, buys you pizza and keeps a roof over your head, which is why you have to comply to the rules whether you like it or not. Compiled from menshealth.com, here is a list of six ways in which you can make a healthy desk life perfectly achievable even if it doesn’t involve altering your diet or taking time out for exercise.

1. Conscious shrugging

You may already be doing it on a daily basis unknowingly, especially when the printer runs out of paper, or an error continues to pop up on the screen as you attempt to save something important, but shrugging is actually a great stress relieving move. Every time you feel lethargy kick in, simply take a deep breath, raise your shoulders as close to your ears as possible, hold the position for a while, and then release. When practiced multiple times during work hours, the stretch can do wonders.

2. Stress-ease fiddling

Recent studies have found that constantly having a little something to fiddle with can actually take your mind off stress and work-related anxiety. Many employees that work extended hours on the desk use small squidgy balls or similar objects to keep their hands busy - and this has actually been found to improve and enhance overall productivity. It boosts alertness and maximises performance.

3. Pump to your favourite jams

Don’t make this one a habit, but every now and then, when you have a moment free from work, it is perfectly healthy to plug in your headphones and listen to your favourite tunes. When saturated with work-related matters and other issues, your brain desperately needs to unwind and find a happy place. Pumping it to songs that you love stimulates the production and release of cortisol, a hormone that responds to elevated stress levels and regulates them accordingly.

4. Adjust that screen

If you’re going to stare at that computer screen for eight hours at a stretch, you definitely need to make it easier on your eyes and sight. The first thing you need to do is to adjust the brightness of the screen, and if possible, install an anti-flare film. Next, get into the habit of practicing the 20-20 rule - look away from your screen for every 20 minutes, for 20 seconds at something that is 20 feet away. This reduces the strain on your eyes and keeps your sight better for longer.

5. Chew like you mean it

Believe it or not, but chewing on a minty gum can actually boost brain activity faster than your trusty mug of hot coffee. Peppermint has the power to stimulate nerves responsible for inducing wakefulness and alertness. So next time they’re out of coffee at work, don’t jump to the conclusion that your day has been wrecked. Just pop a gum in your mouth and feel the difference. Added bonus: fresh breath all day long!

6. Turn up the air conditioning

It’s true, you might just have a stapler hurled at you for attempting to raise the air conditioning temperature, but researchers have proved that employees tend to be more productive and alert in warmer conditions. This means the lower the temperature, the more you’ll miss your bed and blanket - something that’s bound to take your mind off that long overdue submission.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 1^st, 2016.

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