7 ways to set yourself up for success with workplace wellness (including brain food)
Can you imagine ending your workday feeling great?
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Hello all! I am writing this issue for everyone (likely almost everyone) who work in an office, work from home, or take care of family and home all day.
The thought of self-care at work isn’t the norm, but it should be!
Do you ever come home from ‘work’ and feel refreshed?
When I stare at the computer all day and don’t take care of my well-being through self-care practices, I pay the price — I end the day stressed.
Sometimes that stress turns into feeling depressed. It’s awful, so I do my best to do anything I can to avoid it.
What we do every day is all tangled up in our wellness, so we ought to make it as stress-free and energetic as possible.
Can you relate?
There is a flip side to this story though!
This is how my day looks when I practice workplace wellness as part of my self-care routine:
I feel more energy
I don’t get irritated as easily
My work flows better without mistakes
My stress levels at the end of the day are low
My evening is happier
Learn to set boundaries
It’s essential to learn to say no when your plate is overloaded already. You don’t want to dread going to work because of your workload. If possible, set boundaries about what you can do so you can enjoy your work and not go into burnout. This can have a huge impact on your overall well-being.
It may not always be possible to tell your boss you can’t take on more work, but you can have a conversation about your current workload and set some fresh and reasonable expectations. I think more often than not, a conversation will help a workload issue and your boss will be more appreciative of your hard work than you realized.
Hydrate! 🚰
I will say this one over and over again about wellness. Keep hydrated! The thing is when you’re busy at work, you might forget to sip on water because well… you are busy, but it is so important to hydrate!
Proper hydration is so good for your brain and it will help with energy levels too.
Make it easier to sip water at your desk by keeping a water bottle (one that you love) at your desk at all times. Make sure it is close by and easy to grab and sip. Even then, if you keep forgetting to sip, create reminders that pop up on your computer or throw some sticky notes up to remind yourself to ‘HYDRATE’.
Walk and stretch breaks
My favorite! Save your back and create more energy by getting up at least once an hour to walk around and stretch your amazing body.
We put pressure on our spine by sitting on our bums all day. That is called being sedentary, and it can lead to back pain, weight gain, and potentially reduce our years on this earth unless we get more active.
Of course, we’re not running marathons at work, but we can certainly put a few more steps in by intentionally taking movement breaks. I get it — it can be hard to pull yourself away from the computer. I am guilty of spending way too many hours at my desk without getting up to move.
A few ideas to get yourself moving more during the day:
wear sneakers so it’s easier to get into movement immediately
get a standing desk — give your spine a rest from the pressure of sitting and stand up a few times an hour
if you have workout equipment such as a treadmill or stationary bike, put them in your office. I moved my treadmill to my office — it has made a huge difference. I see it constantly, and I get on it for 5-minute intervals about 5 times a day
set alarms or pop-up reminders to get up and move or stretch once an hour or so
if it helps motivate you to see the checkmark, then track your movement breaks in a notebook, or on an index card
do you have space to put your own framed pictures up in your office? If so, add a few that are movement-inspired. Nature images, a collage of wellness images, or yoga poses in a frame might be a visual that gets you inspired to move. Honestly, I just thought of that tip while I was writing and I am going to do it myself!
20–20–20 rule for your eyes
Have you ever experienced dry, itchy eyes after staring at a screen for too long? Maybe some headaches and blurred vision? Yeah, me too!
We work on computers — that’s life! So blue light is going to be a part of our life, but we can help give our eyes a rest by following the 20–20–20 rule: for every 20 minutes spent using a screen, look at something that’s 20 feet away from you for a total of 20 seconds.
I admit, I don’t do this every 20 minutes. I probably only do it a few times a day, so this is a good reminder for me to do this practice more often. I am going to get this reminder on a sticky note front and center at my desk. I can tell you — it does feel like a true rest for my eyes when I practice this.
Give it a try!
Choose brain-healthy snacks 🧠
I have a weird comfort thing at work — I must have work snacks in my desk drawer.
One thing about this though — they need to be healthy snacks or else I will end up in an energy slump. Who wants to have a sugar crash right after lunch? Nope - nope - nope!
I love energy-boosting options such as berries, nuts, seeds, whole grain crackers, dark chocolate, and seaweed. I get odd looks when I am munching on seaweed when I go to the office. But you won’t find me hiding in the supply closet eating it! Seaweed snacks are delicious, light, and satisfying, so give me all the odd looks you want, then try one for yourself!
More brain-healthy and energizing food ideas:
edamame
boiled eggs
cottage cheese
pepitas
avocado
salsa and whole grain crackers
green smoothie
green tea or matcha
Here’s a super simple, brain-healthy meal you can make for dinner tonight. When I make this recipe, I take these action steps in the morning, which take about 7 minutes (or less). Doing a few minutes of prep in the morning erases so much stress in the evening.
>Prep salmon with seasoning and store in the fridge until ready to cook
>If using fresh broccoli, I wash and cut it, but I mostly use broc right out of the freezer so there’s no prep involved
>Pull the baking sheet out and line it with parchment paper
>Pull the saucepan, measuring cup, and fine mesh colander (for rinsing) out for cooking the quinoa. Why don’t you just get the quinoa out and ready to pour too!
Coming home from work with all of the above done and ready can make all the difference in your mindset and attitude about cooking dinner after a busy day.
Bonus »»»»» here’s the recipe!
Make an ‘I love me’ file (virtual or physical) 🩵
Keep track of small accomplishments and remind yourself often that you’re doing a great job.
I have always kept some sort of ‘I love me’ file to keep my accomplishments, projects that I completed, and emails where someone recognized me for my work.
It’s a great place to visit when you have a day that isn’t going so great.
Additionally, when it is time to have your annual performance review, you’ve got all of your accomplishments and projects all in one place!
Toot your own horn from time to time!
Nurture work relationships
Co-worker connections have the power to blossom into genuine, real-life friendships. Friendships are one of the secret ingredients for a healthy life. Building a community of awesome individuals plays a vital role in keeping your mind in tip-top shape, and strong friendships can sometimes help to melt away stress.
Embrace these connections, nurture your social circle, and watch your mental well-being thrive while at work.
There you have it! I hope that you can incorporate some of these wellness tips into your day for optimal wellness and energy!
Let me know if you already incorporate these wellness tips into your day OR share some of your own tips!
More ways to connect with me:
📱️Join me on the socials: Instagram + Pinterest are my favs
✍️Some reads you might enjoy ⤵️·
Until next time…
Cheers to a healthier and happier you!
I have so badly wanted to get a standing desk and have a portable treadmill that I can walk while I work!
Setting boundaries is a big one. Now that we are all connected 24/7, work issues can start creeping into our personal time. There is nothing that can't wait until the morning or Monday. Turn off the work computer and email notifications.