Lower-Back Pain
Low back pain is an office health risk that’s extremely common among both men and women. Sitting for hours isn’t doing your posture any favors, and results in slouching that can put strain on the lower back. But constantly pushing your shoulders back into a straight, awkward position can also have negative effects. To prevent this, be aware of your posture while you sit, and don’t forget to stand and stretch every so often to give your back a break.

Other Muscle & Joint Pain
We’ve mentioned this before, but 85 percent of Americans suffer from muscle or joint pain at some point during their lives. Pain doesn’t discriminate, men and women are equally effected, and in more than one place on the body. The most common areas include the knees, neck and joints. These office health risks can be avoided, if you remember to switch from sitting to standing periodically throughout the day. The key is small movements at designated intervals. Once you’re home for the night, take a walk around the block and perform a few stretches before bed. It will help both physical and mental stresses.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
If you’re constantly at a computer, chances are you’re typing the majority of the day. If you’re not, then gripping a pen and scribbling notes can eventually cause carpal tunnel syndrome. Any motion that’s repeated isn’t ideal for the wrists. Before you have to result to prescriptions or surgery, stop and stretch your wrists during the day. If you have a keyboard platform, you can adjust it so the wrists are in the most ergonomic position to prevent any kind of strain.

Eyestrain
Beyond damaging your wrists, eyestrain is another common office health risk experienced among desk workers. After staring at your computer for several hours, you may notice your vision start to blur and your eyes become more sensitive. Headache, neck strain and dry eyes are another symptom of eyestrain. Prevention starts with making sure the computer screen is an adequate distance from your eyes. You can use one (or both) of our monitor arms to help you achieve the best placement. We’ve covered eyestrain prevention extensively in a previous post, so learn more HERE.

Stress
Stress—it’s probably the most common office health risk experienced today. It’s the biggest cause of employee illness and absences, which means productivity loss. Less serious stressful situations can be controlled by breathing and relaxation tools. Another option is to walk away. Leave your desk and take a break, then face the problem head on. In case you missed it last week, check out our post on “How to Cope with Office Stress” to learn more about how to deal with difficult work situations.

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You can first start to manage office stress by getting your body back in shape. It’s no surprise that stress affects both the mind and takes a toll on our physical health. To begin to cope with stress, eat healthy foods like green vegetables and foods high in omega-3 fatty acids, like flax seeds. Skip the greasy hamburger for a grilled salmon salad and watch your mood lift in the afternoon.

Of course, don’t forget to exercise regularly and move as often as possible during the workday. Make sure to stand for at least thirty minutes every hour, or take short breaks to stretch and walk around the office. At the end of the day, head to bed early. Office stress is only intensified by sleep-deprived minds, so shoot for 7-8 solid hours each night.

Another option to deal with office stress is to make your workspace feel more like home. Bring in family photos or small nick-knacks to place on your desktop. Add a few plants to spruce up the environment and help you relax.

According to the Huffington Post, hospital patients with indoor plants reported having lower stress levels than patience without them. Of course your office isn’t a hospital room, but plants will have the same effect nonetheless!

Although it may seem impossible, it’s important to learn how to say no. Taking on more than you can handle can leave you overextended, overworked, and overstressed. If you feel a project is starting to be more than you can handle and someone asks you take on just one more thing, calmly but firmly say no. Then you’ll have more time to focus on producing quality work on time.

Being glued to your desk for hours on end really does have an effect on your stress levels. So with that in mind, schedule a portion of your day that’s just dedicated to you. If you don’t have time for a full lunch break, try to carve out at least 20 minutes to walk around the block, read or sit outside. But the main thing to remember is to get out of the office for at least a little while. You’d be surprised how far a little sunshine can go in relieving office stress.

To follow up with getting out of the office, make it a field trip and bring a few coworkers along. Spend time together not talking about impending deadlines and projects, but instead try to get to know each other. Having quality social time allows you to unplug for a bit and relax your mind.

Office stress will never fully be eliminated, but there are tools to help you manage it that can lead to fulfilling, long-lasting careers. How do you cope with stress at the office?

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1. Laugh
It’s no joke, laughing causes immediate stress relief (no pun intended). According to the Mayo Clinic, laughing has both short-term and long-term benefits. Laughing enhances the amount of oxygen in the body, and ultimately stimulates your body’s organs and releases mood-boosting endorphins to de-stress. It also increases your heart and blood pressure slightly that leads to a relaxed feeling afterwards. So with that, take a short break and watch a funny YouTube video or Google pictures of adorable animals—something to help you smile and de-stress.

2. Eat
Yes, you can de-stress by healthy eating. There’s nothing worse than having a mountain of work to do while feeling those hunger pangs strike. That only results in unnecessary stress and the inevitable overeating. Instead, keep healthy snacks nearby that you can enjoy to stay relaxed and focused on the task at hand. Take a short break, a deep breath, and enjoy your snack. Nuts, avocados or a hardboiled egg are smart choices that won’t lead to inadequate nutrition and will keep you full.

3. Move
As you know, it’s so important to keep moving throughout your day! Not only will this help keep you fit, but also help you de-stress in a big way. Adjust your desk and stand for thirty minutes every hour, stretch, and talk to coworkers instead of emailing them. Movement has the power to boost creativity and endorphins, leading to a stress-free, relaxed work day. If you have time, go for a short walk around the block. Walking helps clear your head and take your mind off of whatever is causing you stress.

4. Breathe
When tension and panic start to rise, ever realize that you’re holding your breath? Deep breathing exercises are one of the most powerful ways to de-stress, and it only takes a second. Deep breaths increase the amount of oxygen in the body and stimulate a relaxed feeling, leading to reduced tension and stress.

5. Read
This may come as a shock, but reading is actually linked to reduced stress. According to the Telegraph, psychologists believe reading causes you to concentrate and focus on a literary world instead of the present one that’s causing you stress. Silently reading for as little as 6 minutes can help you de-stress by 68 percent!

How do you de-stress during the week? Share in the comments below!

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After a bit of research, we’ve come up with a few tips on how to manage stress at work, from sprucing up your workspace to having better time management skills.

Practice Time Management
When you first arrive at the office, take a second to settle in and prepare yourself. Take a few deep breaths or read a news article instead of diving into things head on. Then develop a priority list of tasks and work through as much as you can. For pressing deadlines or large projects, block a portion of your day to focus on that without any interruption.

It may not be extremely appealing, but try to tackle the task you don’t want to do first to remove some stress at work. Then it’s out of the way and you won’t have to worry about it when the mid-morning rush picks up or the day starts to come to a close.

Organize Your Workspace
Think of it this way: mess equals stress. If papers pile up around you, or regular junk, you may notice your stress level at work start to rise. Focus becomes difficult when your desk is littered with cards, papers or anything else that’s unnecessary.

Before you’ve even developed a list of things to do, organize your desk and have everything you need within arm’s reach. Then you won’t have to stress about finding that lost phone number or random Post-it note. It’s always calming to have familiar things around you, like family photos or personal touches to make your workspace your own.

Take a Lunch Break
We’ve mentioned this before, but a lunch break will greatly reduce office stress. You may not have a full hour or even half an hour, but 20 minutes of stretching, walking and eating a healthy lunch can completely turn around a hectic workday for the better.

No matter your time limit, get away from your desk. Your mind and body will thank you for it once the afternoon hits.

Improve Your Communication Skills
Improving communication skills to help eliminate office stress starts with bettering how you view yourself. Instead of seeking approval or blaming yourself for things that are out of your control, try to focus on the work itself. Then learn to actively communicate your needs, or talk with a trusted coworker about the stress you’re experiencing. They may have some great advice about how to handle it head-on.

Leave it at the Office
Occasionally it’s unavoidable to not take work home, but for the most part try to leave it at the office. Many workers suffer from a lack of work/life balance, which ultimately affects productivity and your stress level. Once the day comes to a close, look back at the things you’ve completed and take note of your accomplishments.

The commute or public transit ride on the way home can be rough. Before you leave, spend a few minutes in your office in silence without frantically worrying about everything you didn’t accomplish. There is always tomorrow.

How do you manage office stress?

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Today, I thought we could talk about preventing and “treating” stress with food. And no, I’m not talking about emotional eating—something we do in response to stress. I’m talking about healthy foods that you can incorporate into your diet on a regular basis to help promote overall relaxation 24/7. Sounds good, right? I thought so too.

So without further ado, allow me to introduce you to 10 foods that you should be eating to promote relaxation, health, and an overall sense of “ahhhh.”

1) Asparagus: This green veggie is high in folic acid, which can help stabilize your mood.

2) Milk: Milk is high in antioxidants and vitamins B2 and B12, as well as protein and calcium.

3) Beef: Beef contains high levels of zinc, iron, and B vitamins, which are also known to help stabilize your mood.

4) Cottage Cheese: Cottage cheese is high in protein and calcium—it will keep you fuller longer and won’t spike your blood pressure which can stress you out. Mix it with fruit that is high in vitamin C like oranges or strawberries and you’ll have a stress-busting snack or breakfast.

5) Almonds: A good source of Vitamin B2 and E as well as magnesium and zinc, almonds are high in fat, but most of the fat is unsaturated. Like vitamin C, vitamin E has been shown to fight the free radicals associated with stress, and in particular, those free radicals that cause heart disease.

6) Tuna: A great lunch option, tuna is high in stress-fighting vitamins B6 and B12.

7) Blueberries: Very rich in antioxidants, blueberries offer a high-fiber, low-calorie fruit option that is also rich in stress-fighting vitamin C.

8) Crispy Rice Cereal: Although they aren’t low in sugar, cornflakes and crispy rice cereal are fortified with B vitamins and folic acid to help reduce stress.

Next time you’re feeling stressed out, it might be a good idea to take a look at your level of activity and your diet. By switching to a standing or adjustable height desk you’ll burn calories and get rid of the excess energy associated with stress, and by adding these healthy options into your diet, you’ll be well on your way to bliss.

Remember, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”  – Hippocrates

What foods do you incorporate into your diet to help de-stress?

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