Being in good health will always open a door for you to improve and get better. Of course, everyone wants to succeed in their careers. Whether you are trying to climb the corporate ladder or simply want the personal satisfaction of knowing you are using your talents to their full extent, improving work performance should be on your radar.
However, numerous health issues and distractions, even obligations, can hinder you from performing your job duties to the best of your ability. This, in turn, affects your productivity which can prevent salary raises or even promotions. To help you with this, here are the 7 simple strategies that will help you stay healthy and in shape at work:
Table of Contents
1. Read Everyday
Allocate some time every day to read, refine skills and learn something new. Take notes, identify what you learned, and determine how you can apply your findings personally or in the workplace whenever possible; in this way, you are learning more actively and also building a reputation and establishing expertise for yourself.
With change happening all around you, the quickest way to increase productivity, improve performance, and maintain a competitive edge is to stay fully abreast of the latest tools, trends, and technologies in your industry. Whether you’re sitting on your thinking chair or sitting on one of your outdoor area rugs, reading a single chapter from a personal development book or an excerpt from an industry-related article every day should be your goal.
2. Set Attainable Goals
If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. Set consistent and attainable daily goals that will give you a sense of accomplishment that keeps you moving forward. By thinking strategically, you can use these short-term goals as your stepping stones to achieve your long-term goals.
Also, make sure that your goals will stretch your abilities so you can improve, but are not too high that you will struggle to meet them. Determine what goals are critical, urgent and create the largest value and benefit to the business. Write them down and review them on a regular basis. You might even want to display them prominently in your workspace to increase motivation and to allow your co-workers to see them and encourage you to reach them.
3. Take Short Breaks
You may think that working eight hours straight with no breaks is the best way to get the most work done. However, if you don’t take breaks to stretch, take a walk, chat with co-workers, or get a healthy lunch, you could be doing more harm than good. Short breaks keep you fresh and motivated and could ramp up your productivity. Even moderate exercise, such as going up or down a flight of stairs in your office building will help relieve unproductive stress.
If you tend to get absorbed in work and forget to take breaks, set alerts on your computer or phone to remind you. If being around coworkers motivates you, schedule breaks to coincide with others in the office so you can chat or brainstorm while you recharge.
4. Limit Distractions
Distractions can come in different forms. They can include emails you feel you need to answer right away, surfing the internet just for fun, co-workers constantly coming into your office with questions or to chat, or a phone that never stops ringing. Though ‘multi-tasking’ may seem like a good way to be productive, it will hurt you in the long run.
Learning how to focus is a key trait of productive professionals; distractions are a hindrance in productivity. Avoid distractions by closing your office door, setting your phone to vibrate, or making a deal with yourself to only check email once an hour. If distractions are coming from coworkers, have an honest conversation with them and ask if they can hold off on talking to you when you’re deeply involved in a project.
Don’t lose sight of your vision, mission, and values while setting a goal. Remember, sustainable success is rarely about revolutionary breakthroughs, it’s invariably a process of evolution that feeds off consistent progress.
5. Get Moving
The benefits of physical exercise to your brain are numerous. A little color in your cheeks is a good thing for the boss to see, and the circulating blood will help keep your mind alert and attentive so you can stay on task at work.
Walking during lunch is a great idea. Not only are you burning calories, but you’re de-stressing and refreshing. Find a walking partner whom you can depend on for a daily walk -someone who will drag you out even if you claim you’re too busy. If you really can’t get out during lunch, park farther away than you normally do so you have a short walk to work in the morning and evening or make it a habit to take the stairs instead of the elevator.
6. Have a good night’s sleep
Experts suggest that even mild sleep deprivation can be damaging to your productivity that’s even worse than not eating for days. So, is 6 hours of sleep enough? Well, most adults like you need 7 to 8 hours of good quality sleep on a regular schedule each night. However, getting enough sleep isn’t only about total hours of sleep. It’s also important to get good quality sleep every night so you feel rested when you wake up. You may check an online sleep cycle calculator to plan out your sleep routine.
Sleeping well on a regular basis keeps us sharp by improving logical thinking, heightening our sensory perceptions, and enhancing our ability to problem solve, pay attention, be creative, and make good decisions. Sleep is a vital component of pretty much all the characteristics that make for an exceptional leader at work. The only way to keep growing and improving at work is to consistently get a good night’s sleep.
Make sleep a priority in your own life by advocating for your personal sleep needs, practicing good sleep habits, and enlisting the help of sleep tools if necessary. Unfortunately, if you have dreadful insomnia, you may consider turning to some sleeping aids like weighted blankets to help you get better sleep. You may also want to consider creating a calming environment with quality home furnishing products that can provide you with the very best.
7. Don’t Forget to Reward Yourself
Set clear milestones for every interval success and reward yourself from time to time. Breaking a long project into chunks of mini-tasks with individual milestones and success metrics will keep your morale high and energy levels soaring.
Whether it’s binge-watching your favorite series in your comfy organic mattress, going on a vacation or just streaming your favourite shows, learn to give yourself simple pleasures that you enjoy in life. Without it, stress and burnout levels increase and productivity declines. Stress can impair your immune system, increasing the risk of illness, so minimizing it is essential.
Make sure to schedule time away from the office to expand your horizons, re-energize, and maintain a healthy work-life balance. Go for a vacation or take a long break to help you recharge your batteries. It will get your mind off work, especially if you’re having a conflict, such as a problem with your boss, a co-worker, or a project.
Keep in mind
Good health and an acceptable work-life balance lead to better productivity. To sustain peak performance over the long term and avoid stress and burnout, you need to be physically and mentally healthy. Eat well, sleep sufficiently and try to squeeze some exercise into your routine on a regular basis.
