Why Personal Health and Wellness Skills Matter Large

Why Personal Health and Wellness Skills Matter

May 19, 2023

​Health and wellness aren't directly related to work most of the time. However, these skills are still valuable to succeed at work. According to United Way of Adams County, health and wellness are needed to "achieve a healthy balance in work and life."

Overall, it's important to keep track of your health in order to stay productive and motivated at your job. This includes your physical and mental health. Below are some examples of areas to keep track of.

Nutrition

When you're caught in a busy work schedule, it's easy to fall into unhealthy eating habits. This rings true if you're eating out every day, going down the "fast and cheap" route. If you feel pressed for time, the temptation to make certain food choices seems to grow stronger.

Thankfully, there are some simple habits you can use to help break the cycle. For example, if you feel rushed in the morning, do not feel like you have to eat a lot for breakfast. Also, consider bringing small, healthy snacks into the office such as fruit, nuts, or Greek yogurt. Finally, consider bringing a small lunch to work. It does not have to be much, but it will help you resist the urge that comes from going out.

Avoiding Injury on the Job

Avoiding injury and accidents are both important parts of your job. Even if you don't work in a dangerous atmosphere, injury can still happen.

Many workplace injuries are caused by overexertion. This includes pulling, lifting, pushing, and other activities. For example, many workplaces require some or all employees to lift heavy objects as part of the job. Lifting improperly, especially repeatedly, can lead to back injuries.

Injuries can take place at work with machines or other items around the workplace. Some people think about injuries at work, imagining an environment similar to a factory, but work-related injuries can even happen at everyday places such as the grocery store.

Even seemingly harmless office actions are common causes of injury. For instance, many office workers have back pain from sitting at their desk all day. Some even get injuries from repetitive typing and clicking. Thankfully, there are practices and user-friendly equipment out there to help avoid these kinds of injuries.

To avoid injury at work, make sure you understand your employer's safety policies. These policies comply with OSHA standards for a safe work environment. Avoiding workplace accidents is easy if you follow these guidelines. After all, they are in place to prevent injury – and accidents that cause injury – in the workplace. Feel free to research healthy habits that will help you avoid injury.

Illness

It should go without saying – if you're too sick to come into work, take a sick day! You should never think that coming into work sick is a brave endeavor. By staying home, you avoid worsening your condition and spreading it to fellow coworkers.

On the other hand, you might have a "mild" disease such as a cold. Depending on how bad the cold is, you may or may not be able to come into work. However, these disease are still contagious. Avoid coughing or sneezing in the direction of coworkers. Also, consider keeping a bottle of hand sanitizer with you.

Staying in Shape

Regular exercise should be a given if you are trying to stay in shape. This goes especially if you work at a job where you are sitting at a desk all day. Your physical health can affect your mental health. Some CEOs even prioritize their workout over aspects of their job!2 Because of this, staying in shape can help you stay motivated and keep a positive attitude.

Earlier in this article, we talked about office-related injuries. Did you know that these injuries even happen to people who regularly exercise outside of work? In addition to staying in shape outside of work, you can also get some physical activity at work. This article from The Muse lists a few examples. These include:

  • Stretching
  • Getting up from your desk every once and a while
  • Hip flexes

Managing Stress

Stress isn't something that would normally come to mind at the words "health and wellness." However, work provides several sources of stress, and it can take a heavy toll on your work ethic. When keeping track of your wellness, mental health is just as important as physical health.

When you're under stress, focusing on work becomes difficult. It can have an effect on your mood and cause physical soreness. Additionally, too much stress from work can lead to anxiety, sleep deprivation, and other things outside of work.3

It's easy to see how a tiny bit of stress can snowball into other problems. That's why stress management is a valuable skill to have.

To manage stress, you might try exercising, getting a massage, or doing yoga. However, according to this article from The Muse, proactive coping is a good method to try. In short, this means adding something positive to counter the negative. For example, you may focus on positive things that happened throughout the day.

Remember: these tips are useful for short-term stress. Long-term or chronic stress is a different story. No matter which one you are experiencing, do not let it go untreated!

Other Resources

Here
are some additional resources for older workers to stay safe, so that they can remain
active and contributing forces within their communities:


References           

2https://www.themuse.com/advice/heres-the-habit-you-should-prioritize-over-work-if-you-want-to-be-successful

3https://www.themuse.com/advice/5-signs-youre-way-too-stressed-and-you-dont-even-know-it