Working women health tips

Doomed to a cube

Typical workspace in many lines of work is a cube or similar tiny, cramped, confined space that was not designed for much else but sitting surrounded by piles of papers. Then, you will open a beauty magazine and find out that sitting for hours at end in a tiny space is unhealthy, but that there are many great exercises that you can do in your office which will make you fit and healthy. And then they speak of, in example, Pilates. To be honest, there is no space for such exercises in there, and it might seem odd to jump, stretch and bounce around in your workplace if you share it with (many) others. But there are some health tricks you can do even if you work in a cube.

Health stash in a drawer

Most cubes are equipped with surplus drawers. Use one of these to store a few trifles that can help you. A few healthy snacks or a piece or two of dried vegetables for nibbling when you feel hungry but know that there are healthier things than coin-machine snacks. A bag of decaf herbal tea; if you like to sip all day, to switch to in the afternoon, and avoid caffeine overdose. Is there a cold running around in the office? Most colds are spread not by air, by direct contact. Touch an object that someone infected touched before you, then rub your eyes, touch your lips or nose, and there you go. But, if you regularly clean your hands with a sanitizing gel, you are likely to avoid catching cold. Store one in your drawer. There might even be place for a pair of running shoes, if you get to go out on a break and would like to walk or stretch or run.

Circulate

This might sound incredible, but there is enough blood vessels in every one of us to line them up and reach the Moon and get partway back. Your poor heart has to pump blood through all of that. Then, there is the lymph, which relies solely on muscle contractions to circulate. Gravity is the enemy. If you sit motionless all day, blood will be returning from your lower regions slowly, and lymph will just drain into your legs. Ever felt how your shoes seem to shrink in the afternoon? They don't, but your feet swell because they get filled with blood stuck in vein pouches and lymph vessels. Move around as much as you can to help circulation. If you can't leave your workplace every now and then, try to keep some frequently needed things just out of reach, so that you must stand up or make a step to get to them.

Repetition is the key to injury

Endless typing, dragging the mouse all day long, maybe this sounds familiar? These repetitive actions are principal cause of repetitive stress injury, muscular injury that comes from such endless movements made from an uncomfortable position. Relax your muscles, find a more comfortable position, and take a short break from typing at least every hour.

Water your plant and yourself

We evaporate constantly. Keep in mind to sip water all day long. It might keep the hunger (and consequent visit to the snack machine) away, and it will help you to stay fresh and focused, and helps to ease symptoms of a cold.