It turns out your work life could be introducing lots of habits that can take a toll on your health. And, you may not even realize you’re doing them in the first place.
There’s good news though…. it’s never too late to change course. The following are some mindless workplace habits that may be influencing your health – and what to do about them.
- Skipping Breakfast. While the science is debated, most experts agree it’s better to eat breakfast than to forego it entirely. It can be easy to breeze through your morning on only a cup of java, but research suggests eating breakfast can help you kickstart your metabolism and help increase energy so you’re not feeling sluggish later on. Some experts even advocate for eating a donut over skipping, though that shouldn’t be a recurring choice!
- Eating a sad desk lunch. Your brain needs a break. Without one, productivity and your energy levels plummet. And, research shows that multitasking is inefficient, so you’re probably not getting much done by pushing through anyway.
- Not taking a sick day. A headcold can take a lot out of you, physically and mentally. By not allowing yourself to rest, you may be prolonging your illness. You’re also compromising the immune systems of your co-workers.
- Bringing your phone to the bathroom. Half of smartphone users ages 18 to 29 admit to bringing phones with them into the bathroom, according to a 2013 HuffPost/YouGov poll. If you do it though, you might be inviting germs into your body and back to your desk.
- Indulging in free office pizza. Be wary of food that’s been sitting out too long. The Food and Drug Administration recommends that cooked commercial food should sit out no more than 4 hours, as that’s the time in which bacteria can grow and multiply, according to a report in the New York Times. Consumer and homemade meals have an even shorter timeframe.
- Slouching in your chair. Bad posture equals bad health? Studies show that when you slouch you may be sending your mood downward, as well as contributing to bad posture. Slouching is frequently associated with staring at technology.
- Not unplugging once you get home. Burnout is real, and it can sneak up on you fast if you don’t catch the little habits that get you there. Mindless scrolling after dinner or checking your email before crawling into bed may seem insignificant, but it can contribute to mental exhaustion. Try stashing the phone once you walk through the front door…
huffposthealth.com August 4, 2015