Most of us give a lot of thought to our career paths in the workplace. We plan for everything from meetings, presentations, client interactions and even whose turn it is to pick up Starbucks for everyone! So, I have a question for you! How many of us actually have a plan for our health and wellness path at the office?
When the cleaning bug hits, we tend to makeovers our closets, pantries and refrigerators. We clean out our cars, and every now and then our purses and wallets get a good clean out, too. But how many people make over their office environment? Let’s face it – we spend way more time at the office than we do in our own homes. Are you creating an office sanctuary that is conducive to your health and wellness?
I could get all Feng Shui and tell you how much more productive you can be when you clean out/off our desks, drawers, files, and so on. Put a plant over here to help purify the air. Put a vision board directly in your line of vision whilst sitting at your desk and see what you can manifest (it’s so true by the way…you can manifest so much. Take a corkboard…wait, we will get to this another time.) But today, that’s not what I am talking about.
Create an office environment that sets you up for HEALTH success. And not just so you can climb up the corporate ladder. The kind of success that I am talking about is the kind that will keep you around so long, you may climb right through the roof and into the next couple of decades. I am talking about your success at being healthy and thriving in the office.
What does the inside of your office fridge look like? What’s in your top desk drawer? (C’mon, you can tell me – we are all friends here.) Take a good look and toss anything that does not support you in some nutritional manner. (Buh bye Snickers bar!) Next, bring in the good stuff (and this is where a little Sunday prep pays off in spades.) Bring in a container of hummus with sliced peppers, cukes and carrots. Keep a jar of almond butter on hand for those apples. What apples you ask? Put a pretty bowl filled with fresh fruit like apples, bananas, or clementines right on your desk. Who needs a bowl of sugary M&M’s when you can have gorgeously vibrant fruit in arm’s reach? Stock up your fridge with full-fat, plain Greek yogurt and fresh berries, that way you can make a beautiful yogurt parfait for breakfast or as a late afternoon snack….sprinkle some raw, unsalted nuts or seeds on top and voila! Who’s healthy now?
Make a healthy lunch club with your coworkers! Assign one day for each member of your team or department, or agree to bring one dish and make a smorgasbord every day. For instance, Suzy brings in lunch for everyone Monday, Janet brings in Tuesday and so on. Or Suzy brings in quinoa for everyone, while Janet brings in roasted veggies, etc. You get the picture! It can be themed (Mexican, Asian, Italian) or not, just make it healthy and delicious! Not only will you save money, but you won’t skip lunch anymore or rely on unhealthy takeout. Not only does the disconnection from the outside world give you a breath of fresh air, the socialization with your teammates goes a long way.
Have you ever heard of “Deskercise?” If not, google it and Jessica Alba will pop up. Even for those of us who work out 1 hour a day, that still leaves about 15 hours of awake time where we are not moving much, especially if we sit in front of a computer for 8 hours a day. Try a couple of exercises right at your desk. If you have open-minded coworkers, start a plank challenge for everyone (just make sure to wear pants that day.) Lunge to the bathroom, instead of walking. Instead of bringing a humongous bottle of water, bring a smaller one so that every hour you have to get up to refill it. Every little bit helps!
If we only prepped as much for our own health at work as much as our fiscal goals, imagine what we could accomplish!
