Working hard is something we’re all told is a good thing, and, for the most part, it is. However, when this hard work starts to affect your health, it’s time to step back and rethink. Sometimes work and the office environment, in particular, can be highly problematic for your health, and when this is the case, it might be time to start thinking of a new job altogether. Your health is far too important to sacrifice for work.
Luckily, there are some alternatives to this rather drastic solution. It is possible to make almost any workplace a healthier one for people to be in, and if you can do that, you won’t have to compromise; you can stay in your job and stay healthy too. Read on to find out more.
Take Breaks
As we’ve said, working hard is a good thing and a bad thing. It’s a good thing because when you achieve what you set out to achieve (and maybe more than that on an especially productive day), you will feel good about yourself, and you’ll know that you have done well. This will motivate you to do more. It’s bad as well, though, because too much hard work without a break will lead you to become overtired, unproductive, perhaps even burned out.
Notice we said ‘without a break.’ This is the key. Ensuring you take plenty of breaks throughout the day, no matter where you work or how busy you are, is crucial to your productivity and to your health. If you can take a break every hour for just 10 minutes, you’ll get a lot more done, and to a higher standard, than you would if you took no breaks at all, even if you’re technically working for less time. This will reduce the risk of eye strain from staring at a screen for too long, too.
Regularly Visit Health Professionals
There are ways to care for yourself in the workplace, but sometimes, if you want to ensure optimal health, visiting professionals is important. For example, while taking a break can reduce the risk of eye strain, it is not eliminating it. If you are suffering from vision problems, an optometrist is the best place to go to ensure that all is well. They can ensure that your eyes are working as they should, and if you are experiencing issues as a result of starting at the screen, they can recommend the best ways to overcome this.
Stress Relief
Stress relief is something that could be a crucial part of your well-being at work. Although some pressure at work is a good thing and can be motivating, helping you to move forward, too much pressure is demotivating and can lead to high levels of stress, which itself can lead to high blood pressure, weight gain, insomnia, heart problems, ulcers, and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Everyone should be able to enjoy their work, or at least not be stressed out by it, and even though some people thrive on tight deadlines and say they enjoy a high-pressure work environment, the truth is that even these people can become stressed after a while.
If you are feeling stressed, it’s important to do something about it. The first thing to do is to speak to your employer and tell them how you are feeling; try to come up with a solution that will enable you to work but that will also take the pressure off. You must also ensure that you are de-stressing at home. Take a relaxing bath, listen to music, go for a walk, take an art class, cook a meal… do whatever it takes to stop thinking about work when you don’t have to.
