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When it comes to keeping healthy at work, there’s more to it than packing a nutritious lunch, or doing stretches at your desk.
While homemade lunches and staying active are definitely helpful in supporting better health at work, it’s also important to take care of your mental health throughout your working day.
A positive, healthy mindset is key to fueling a productive day at work, but it’s not always easily achieved. Stressful projects, negative colleagues, too-short deadlines, and staring into a screen all day are just a few of the things that get in the way of preserving our mental health at work.
Luckily, there are a few, straightforward tips you can follow to safeguard your mental health at the office. Learn how to keep a healthy mindset at work with these 5 tips.
How to Protect Your Mental Health at Work
1. Drink more water than coffee. It’s all too easy to turn to coffee and other caffeinated drinks to stay alert and focused when we’re at work. The problem with this though is that overdoing the coffee and skimping on water not only makes us dehydrated, but can also end up backfiring as far as energy levels go. Too much caffeine can lead to feelings of restlessness, and even muscle tremors, thus robbing us of our energy and ability to focus. Try to balance out your coffee intake with drinking plenty of water throughout the day. Staying hydrated is key to staying focused.
2. Take your breaks outside. Whenever you get the chance throughout your working day, get outside. Not only will you be able to refresh your mindset by getting outdoors, you’ll also be able to catch up on vitamin d, which is key for boosting your mood and keeping anxiety at bay.
3. Keep things tidy. Keeping your workspace tidy is an effective way to keep your mind more focused and free of distractions. Clutter is not only distracting, but it can actually engender stress. Fuel a productive mindset by keeping your workspace tidy and clean throughout the day.
4. Be mindful of the company you keep. Just as positive energy is contagious, so is negative energy. When you’re in the office, be mindful of the people you surround yourself with, whether it’s before meetings, during lunch, during breaks, or even over after-work drinks. Negative, pessimistic vibes can quickly and easily throw off a positive mindset, no matter how resilient you are.
5. Set tangible goals. One surefire way to quickly boost your self-esteem and also keep your mood elevated is to set goals and achieve them. Set tangible goals every morning when you start your day, and take active steps daily to reach them. Some goals may take a day to reach, while others may take longer. However, by actively setting and reaching your goals, you’ll be building a stronger self-image, while also bolstering your self-esteem.
Related: How to Plan for a Stress-Free Workday
