SAN ANTONIO — It’s an excuse we’ve all used: “I don’t have the time.” But if you don’t have the time to exercise daily, you can still make better choices to have a healthier day at work.
Katie Farrimond is a rehabilitation specialist at University Health. She said four things contribute to a better workday: activity, nutrition, getting enough rest and managing your daily stress.
“We sit most of the day,” Farrimond said. “There is something called a ‘dead butt syndrome’ and it's just that we sit too much and you lose muscle that you need. So it's very important to get up every 30, 45 minutes, even once an hour.”
To increase your activity, Farrimond suggests:
- Using a standing desk.
- Walking over to your coworker’s desk if you need to talk to them rather than calling or emailing them.
- Standing up if you’re on a long phone call.
- Using the stairs instead of the elevator.
- Taking a walking lunch break.
To better your nutrition, Farrimond suggests:
- Packing a healthy lunch like a salad with a lean protein.
- Bringing quality snacks like hard-boiled eggs, apples, cheese sticks or rice cakes with almond butter on top.
- Drinking plenty of water.
“Water is a biggie,” Farrimond said. “When you get dehydrated, it really does affect your brain. It'll slow your processing and it decreases your concentration. So, we really need water. I keep a water bottle on my desk.”
To improve sleeping habits, Farrimond suggests:
- Getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night.
- Going to bed at the same time and getting up at the same time every night.
- Keeping your bedroom cool and dark.
- Turning your phone off so it doesn’t light up or buzz throughout the night.
“The last one is stress management,” Farrimond said. “And this is the hardest one, but if we pay attention to our activity and our nutrition and our rest, that helps a ton, but also take time off.”
For stress management, Farrimond suggests taking your vacation time.
“Make time with friends,” Farrimond said. “Make sure you do some things that you enjoy like your hobbies and just remember to take care of yourself.”
For more ideas on how to have a healthier day at work, click here.