Is your business making you sick

Is Your Business Making You Sick?

Our business environment could actually be making us sick. Think about it. We sit in the same chair in the same position for hours at a time. We breathe the same air in and out… in and out… get the idea?

On a hot day in summer the heat can be unbearable and if you have air conditioning that just makes things worse, by removing all the moisture from the air.

Skipping breakfast and eating on the move whilst answering the phone or on the way to the bank leaves our body in despair. The highs and subsequent lows in blood sugar levels make us hyper one minute and grouchy the next.

All the electronic equipment around us… from fax machines, mobile phones, printers, computers and monitors create an unhealthy electromagnetic field all around us.

Sorry for the doom gloom but take heart — with small changes we can counteract most of the above.

Start the day with a good healthy breakfast — nothing beats porridge and a nice cup of tea. Keep some fruit on your desk — nothing beats a banana for a mid morning snack. Hey don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that porridge, bananas & fruit are the only combination, but they work for me. I find that foods that release energy slowly keep me going all day.

Drink plenty of water — I know that we have heard this before but I feel that it must be repeated again. Water serves to remove the toxins from our body and helps our skin to stay hydrated. How much water is enough? A glass an hour is sufficient.

Move all electronic equipment that you can away from your sitting area. Does that printer need to be so close? Use a headset when talking on the mobile and buy an anti glare screen for your monitor. Hide all your wires. Not only are they a hazard but the also make our minds cluttered.

Stop being so intense all the time! When typing, caress the keyboard rather then hammering it so hard. Keep your monitor at eye level and get a cordless mouse and keyboard that you can move around to suit your posture. Buy a decent office chair with arm rests — did you know that if you have arm rests and use them, you reduce the pressure on your spine greatly.

By taking simple measures you can greatly reduce your chances of getting repetitive strain injury (RSI).

Stress is another major issue we all face. Computers not connecting to the internet, phones constantly ringing, email responses not arriving on time and far too much spam! Buy a decent spam filter and every time you feel stressed out go for a little walk. If you followed the advice about drinking plenty of water — you will help to alleviate stress, as you will be forced to get up and go to the loo regularly!

Taking regular short breaks will actually serve to make us more efficient and productive in the long term and cut down on the number of days we are ill. Enjoy your working day.