Working full time is challenging and finding the time to keep up with family, social, household and personal health needs in a day can be such a daunting task. But it is necessary to take care of it all and just adapt whenever possible. This is most especially true for your health and personal needs. As they say, you cannot pour from an empty cup. That's why we have to be fully charged and motivated to tackle whatever comes our way every day.
A healthy diet
It is generally known that a healthy diet would be good for the body and also for our mental health. A lot would neglect mental health in this equation, but even if you earn a lot from the volume of work finished this may not be consistent if we don't take care of ourselves.
According to a study done by the American Dietetic association, people who have poor mental health, under stress are sluggish and not productive. This is because they either overeat or eat too little. To give your body and brain a big boost, it is a good idea to eat fruits and greens everyday. This would also push off toxins in the body that may be wearing you down.
Some brain foods that are also recommended to be added to a healthy meal are foods that are rich in omega- 3 fatty acids. Omega- 3 fatty acids are scientifically proven to fight depression and anxiety. Some symptoms of this are lethargy, loss of interest in life, nervousness and constant worrying. Apart from that, it is also good for the heart, eyes, for intelligence, communication and social skills.
To cater to your body's need for omega 3 acid, you can eat salmon, mackerel, tuna, herring, sardines and other seafood. You can also have nuts and seeds like walnuts, chia seeds, flax seeds etc. Using canola oil for cooking or frying is also a good idea.
Exercise is key
Apart from eating foods rich in omega 3 fatty acid, exercise is also a great way to keep both your body and brain at its 100 percent condition. There would be some struggles to find time to exercise while working, but you can also do short workouts during the day or in the office. That is, if finding time or going to the gym regularly is not a viable option.
There are also some benefits in doing that as your body would slowly get used to exercising and the risk of injury is very low. Around five to ten minutes of your day would be enough to keep your blood pumping and keep you pushing through towards your day.
There are some exercises you can do in your office or workstation while you're tackling the day's work. Here are a few of them:
- Oblique Twists. This is done in a sitting position on your office chair. Put your hands on the edge of your desk and make sure you have good posture. Straighten your back and spin yourself to one side as far as you can on each side. Ten repetitions of this is enough.
- Desk Push ups. To do this, face your office desk and put your hand on it wider than your shoulders. Then slowly lower yourself towards the desk and repeat this position in ten repetitions also.
- Desk Planks. This exercise is good for your shoulders and also the core or the middle of your body including your abdomen. To do a desk plank, like with the desk push up you need to lean against your desk straight. You need to keep your forearms and your elbows on the desk and your hands together. As with any other plank, hold position for 30 seconds, rest then repeat as you can.
- Chair or Desk Side Plank. Your forearm should be on the edge of your office chair or desk for the first position. The other arm should be raised towards the ceiling then hold this position for thirty seconds. Repeat as you comfortably can.
- Tricep dips. This is a good exercise for your chest and your arms, specifically your triceps. If you have a chair that wouldn't move or is without wheels, you can use it for this exercise. With your palms on the chair while you are facing your desk, straighten your legs in front. After this, you can lower yourself near the ground by your palms and arms. Ten repetition of this and it would be enough for the day.
- Seated bicycle. This exercise would work your abs and obliques for a shapely and toned core. First position would be to be in a sitting position with your back straight and your feet flat to the carpet. Put your hands behind your head and push your elbow towards the opposite knee which you must raise. Ten repeats of this on each side is good for a well balanced and holistic exercise.
- Spinning. This is an exercise that is good for your calves, legs and core. From your under desk bike, put your legs in a cycling position. Push the pedal and cycle for 5 to 10 minutes. It would be good to prevent yourself from having a sedentary lifestyle and put yourself at risk of certain diseases by doing easy exercises like this when you can.
At FlexiSpot, there is a wide range of under desk bikes that you can use. They are built to last and designed in a way with your health in mind. One example of this is the Under Desk Bike V9U, which is best paired with standing desks. You can balance work and keeping fit with this office addition.
It has wheels and is easy to use or move around when needed. It is comfortable to use and assemble. There are also eight resistance levels that would conform to your current fitness journey. It has an LCD display where you can see how many calories you've burned, your cycling time and also the distance. Truly something worth investing on. Why don’t you have one now!
