Being Healthy on Your Own Schedule

The traditional nine to five workday is a thing of the past.  The digital age and the ability to work from anywhere at anytime has changed everyone’s schedule. We work when we need to and when we must to get the job done. Some of us work best in the morning while others are night owls.  It doesn’t matter what schedule you work, what matters is we make sure we live a healthy lifestyle no matter what our schedule may be.

Food

Some of us eat a well-balanced diet with proper meal planning and healthy choices.  However, most of us live on the go and our diet could use some improvement. We often skip meals to leave work earlier or if we become too busy, we do not make the time to eat.  In other situations, we might grab a quick meal at a local food court or fast-food place.  The days of everyone taking a standard lunch break at noon is no more and we must be aware of this when we plan our days out.  This can be done in several healthy ways.  The best option is to have a plan for the day and to have a scheduled break time. This can be early in the day or later based on your individual schedule.  The next best habit is to meal plan.  Go to the store with a list of what you need to make well balanced lunches and to pack a lunch every day.  You can have added a lot of variety or stick with something simple; it is a personal choice.  Just remember the more time and effort you put into this plan the better the outcome.  If meal planning is not in your plans, you can spend some time researching your area.  There are local restaurants everywhere with healthy options.  Order from these establishments more often to ensure you are eating a healthy diet.  Finally, fast-food won’t kill you in moderation.  Going everyday is a poor choice but an occasional meal from one of these places is better than starving yourself.

 Water

Water is the most important beverage out there and it is also the least exciting.  We like flavor and caffeine in our drinks and if we work hard, we are entitled to treat ourselves to these luxuries; however, we still must remember to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Caffeinated beverages taste great and give us energy, but they can be dehydrating if we consume them too often.  The first drink we should have in the morning should not be juice or coffee, it should be a glass of water.  Water helps wake up our bodies properly and it should be our first and last drink of every day.  After we have had our first glass of water then we can have our first does of juice or coffee.  If you have not tried this, you should do so.  You will feel better throughout the day and your overall health should improve.  Additionally, we need to make sure we stop several times throughout the day to day to rehydrate ourselves.  Offices have water coolers for a reason, being a gathering place to talk and relax for a few minutes is only a secondary benefit.  Hydrated individuals feel better and work more efficiently.  So, next time your work week seems to be dragging or you are not feeling great increase your water consumption.  Odds are you will start to feel better, have more energy, and overall health should improve.

Breaks

Stopping what you are doing to take an occasional break can sometimes feel tedious and annoying.  We work to get paid and we all want to work as little as possible.  We rationalize working 8 hours straight by thinking we want to get the job done sooner so we can have more free time.  This is also a poor decision and can lead to health issues.  If we spend too much time sitting and staring at a computer screen, we can develop back and eye issues.  Additionally, if we type long without stretching our wrists, we might get carpal tunnel syndrome.  It is important for us to get up and walk around every few hours.  We can get some fresh air, stretch our legs, and give our eyes a break from the brightness of computer screens.  A few extra minutes outside in the sunlight should sound pleasant and is good for both physical and mental health.  It is easy for time to get away from us when we get focused so we must be aware of what we are doing.  Set an alarm for every few hours or schedule a few extra minutes between meetings.  There is no right or wrong way to take a break.  The only thing that matters is we make the time to do it.

It is too easy to let the day control us.  We sometimes have too much to do and not enough time to do it.  This stress and pressure can lead us to over work, skip meals and breaks, and can affect our overall health.  Remember to slow down every few hours and make good decisions.  Your mind and body will benefit greatly in the long run and ultimately if should lead to us living a healthier lifestyle.