With the end of the holiday season comes the start of the New Year. Whilst most of us set ourselves New Year’s resolutions for our personal lives, we can forget to make changes to our professional lives. Here are four New Year’s resolutions to make your work life healthier.
We can get caught up in a busy work environment and all the worries that come with it, and forget to ground ourselves in the present moment. Calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings and thoughts can help to create a healthier work life as you ensure that you focus on the now, rather than the future.
One quick exercise you can perform to help bring yourself back to the present is a mindful breathing exercise. Take a few deep breaths, and as you do so, gradually close your eyes. From here, begin to breathe how you normally would and let go of your thoughts. Whilst this is easier said than done, one helpful method to achieve this can be to count your breaths. As you breathe, count to ten, taking the focus away from previous thoughts and feelings and to the now.
Standing up from your desk and walking around the office for five minutes every hour during the workday could lift your mood, combat lethargy without reducing focus and attention, and even dull hunger pangs, according to a study conducted by the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.
The act of leaving your desk can help you to regain focus on what needs to be done, and also provides a period of rest for your brain. If you’re not able to take a short walk outside, a journey to the kitchen for a cup of tea or water could be a useful way to gain those extra steps and to clear the cobwebs.
A poll carried out by the BBC found that 54% of those interviewed regularly worked through their lunch break, with 53% believing the culture of not taking lunch breaks to be widespread in their workplace. Working during your lunch break could be negatively affecting your mental health, as you miss the opportunity to refresh your mind.
Your lunch provides the perfect time for you to take a break, unwind and get ready for the afternoon ahead. Those that take a lunch break tend to be more likely to be productive at work, so it’s important to eat healthily, take exercise, get out into the fresh air, and take a proper break from work during your allotted time.
Sometimes you just need to talk about your thoughts and worries with someone. CiC’s UK Employee Assistance Programmes, offer everyone in your organisation access to 24/7/365 confidential support and advice services.
Our EAP consultants are fully qualified, and can help clarify the issues that you are facing and, if appropriate, put you in touch with an expert for further assistance.