This article is from Cleveland Clinic Wellness 360-5. They offer a very informative email newsletter and
website. Find them at http://www.360-5.com
10 Ways to Boost Your Wellness at Work
By Cleveland Clinic Wellness Editors
#1 Go green
Get a nature fix (without going
outside)! Buy a plant for your desk
— it reduces fatigue and discomfort
and improves performance and
mood.
Interacting with Mother Nature is
uplifting to your spirit and soothing
to your nerves, but it’s harder to do
during the cold winter months. To
continue enjoying nature’s healthboosting effects, invest in a plant
for your desk (or wherever you
spend the majority of your time). A
Japanese study found that mood
and performance improved among
female students who performed a
cognitive task in a room with a
plant in it, and a Norwegian study
found that workers with plants in
their office reported 20 percent to
30 percent fewer physical
symptoms — including fatigue,
cough and dry throat — than
workers with no plants.
#2 Be thankful
Research shows giving thanks improves mood — even at the office. The key to workplace happiness:
Remember what you like about your job.
Some days it’s hard to remember what we like about our job. But reflecting on its benefits is exactly
what will make us more appreciative of the daily grind. Expressing gratitude helps us cope and stay
positive. That doesn’t mean you should try to be so blissed out that you ignore problems. Complain
constructively. Use a journal to brainstorm solutions — even when you don’t feel like it.
#3 Stay on the ball
Here’s a resolution for brain and body — replace your desk chair with an exercise ball. It strengthens the
core and boosts concentration.
You might not associate a large, inflatable, bouncy ball with improved productivity, but using what the
fitness industry calls a stability ball as a desk chair can keep your core muscles and your mind engaged.
In fact, a rapidly growing number of schools across the United States have replaced their traditional
chairs with stability balls, according to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times — the physical challenge
of balancing on the balls helps keep otherwise easily distracted students mentally engaged. You needn’t
be a child to benefit; sitting on a balance ball requires your core muscles to engage and grow stronger,
and this minor physical challenge gives your brain enough of a task that it becomes more alert. Try the
Balance Ball yourself!
#4 Get up, stand up!
Do you spend most of your day sitting down? Stand up for heart health. Taking mini activity breaks can
help boost your health.
From sitting at a desk all day to plopping down in front of the TV at night, most of us lead a very
sedentary lifestyle. Even if we work out regularly, all this downtime takes a toll on our health. Turns out,
people who sit on their duff all day without taking breaks are at greater risk of a slew of health issues
than those who get up and walk around regularly. Sitting for prolonged periods of time is linked to larger
waistlines, higher blood pressure, lower levels of “good” HDL cholesterol, increased levels of
triglycerides, and higher levels of inflammation. And that even goes for gym rats. Yikes. According to the
study’s researchers, 30 to 60 minutes of activity a day can’t undo the effects of sitting for eight to 12
hours at a time. But standing up and walking around periodically throughout the day can help. They
recommend standing during phone calls and meetings, walking over to a person’s desk instead of emailing them, and making frequent visits to the water cooler and bathroom.
#5 Break for lunch
Got more work than you can
handle? Resist the urge to hunker
down and skip lunch. Taking breaks
increases productivity — and
lowers stress.
When you’re under the gun,
pushing yourself harder to get
everything off your plate may
sound like a good idea, but
unrealistic deadlines will only stress
you out more. It is also the quickest
path to mental exhaustion. On-thejob burnout isn’t just bad for
morale — it can hurt your heart.
According to the American
Psychological Association, chronic
work stress can cause inflammation
that leads to cardiovascular
disease. Instead, take a step back
from your work. Get some fresh air
or call a friend. Remind yourself
that even if you can’t control how
much work you have, stressing
about it won’t get it done any
sooner.
#6 Step outside
No time for the gym? Lace up your shoes and head outside for a walk instead; it’s as good for your heart
as a more intense workout.
Your schedule is jam-packed and there’s not enough time for a full-fledged workout. May as well hang
up your shoes and try again tomorrow, right? Science says no — moderate exercise is just as effective at
preventing cardiovascular disease as more vigorous workouts, according to a Harvard study. Keep a pair
of comfortable shoes in your desk drawer and head out for a lunchtime walk on those days you don’t
have the time or energy for your regular routine.
#7 Laugh it up
Heading to a brainstorming session at work? Goof off a little first. Research suggests that being in a good
mood boosts creative thinking.
A new study published in the journal Psychological Science has found that being in a good mood boosts
creative thinking. And, say the study’s authors, doing things at work that put us in a happier frame of
mind shouldn’t necessarily be viewed as a waste of time. Watching funny videos, for instance, helped
people perform better on a series of tests that required creative problem solving. Of course, that
doesn’t mean your boss will agree with you on this one. Lift your mood before work or during your lunch
hour by listening to humorous podcasts or hanging out with the office clown. Besides boosting
creativity, laughter is also a great way to relieve stress.
#8 Surf the web
Goof off (a little) at work: A recent study found workers who surfed the Web for fun were more
productive than those who didn’t.
All work and no play may make you dull in more than one sense of the word: A 2009 University of
Melbourne study found that workers who engaged in frivolous Web surfing — for less than 20 percent
of the total time they were at work — were 9 percent more productive than those who didn’t. The
researchers theorize the brain can work more effectively after it has had a chance to take a break from
concentrating. If your boss catches you watching videos on YouTube, just tell her that you’re doing it for
the good of the company.
#9 Think positively
Nervous about an event? Take it as a good sign. A Harvard study shows that putting a positive spin on
your jitters improves performance.
If the thought of an upcoming speech or presentation has you quaking in your boots, don’t resign
yourself to giving a subpar performance. A recent Harvard study found that in students taking the GRE,
those who were told their nervousness would improve their performance got better scores than the
group who wasn’t told anything about their jitters. Before you embark on your anxiety-producing task,
imagine your anxiety as a positive force that’s heightening your alertness and focus, and prepare to
shine.
#10 Choose wisely
Looking for a job that brings you less stress and
greater productivity? Choose a company that offers
parental perks like on-site child care.
Whether you’re a CEO looking to improve employee
morale and productivity, or you’re a nine-to-fiver
trying to find a job that will bring you less stress,
take note that companies that offer flex time and
on-site child care to parents will give you all of those
things. That’s according to a Northeastern University
poll of 4,000 working parents. If you’re trying to
choose between two jobs, one of which offers
parental perks, don’t underestimate its ability to
improve your quality of life. The study found that
people who worked at family-friendly firms had
fewer headaches and stress-related illnesses.
Meanwhile, those at companies without those
benefits were 62 percent more likely to experience
job-related sleep issues and three times as likely to
be treated for high blood pressure and diabetes.