Happy New Year everyone!
At the beginning of a new year we are all full of intention to have a healthy and happy year. It’s a great feeling but can be fleeting if we don’t live up to the expectations we have set for ourselves. One of my goals with The Office Yogi is to show you that healthy living can consist of small actions that over time add up to big results.
When I feel overwhelmed with a goal or task I keep coming back to the quote “a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”. It’s so true, we never leap from one point to another… it’s always one foot in front of the other and eventually we get there while hopefully enjoying the scenery along the way.
So to help you with that first, second and third step I thought I’d share some of my tips for staying healthy at work, mind and body. Another goal of The Office Yogi is to help you see how you can seamlessly incorporate healthy habits into your day. You probably already feel chock-o-blocked full, so these tips are easy, short and sweet!
Drink your water!
Get a reusable water bottle, one that you like, keep it close by and take it with you. A few of my suggestions are: no plastic, find something you like that you can fit in your purse or bag, and keep it filled. I like the selection at Winner and brands like Kleen Canteen, Sigg and S’Well.
It took me awhile to develop the habit but I actually feel a little naked when I go out without my water bottle. Kinda the same feeling as forgetting your phone (oh the horror!!) But it takes time to develop a habit (21 days they say) so for 3 weeks make a conscious effort to include hydration into your day.
Move often
One of the bonuses of drinking more water is that you have to go to the bathroom more often. How is this a bonus? It gets you up from your desk and makes you move. In addition to your bathroom walk 😉 I would recommend setting a timer to go off once an hour, or AT LEAST once in the morning and afternoon, to remind you to move. Not sure how to move or what to do? Have a bad back or tight shoulders and would love to stretch them out? Check out our videos… there are many so you’re sure to find one that works.
Breathe deeply
There is really no excuse for not having enough time for this one since you are breathing already! All you have to do is bring your awareness to your breath. By just noticing the breath we tend to make it deeper and slow it down. You can close your eyes and when you are breathing in, notice that you are breathing in and when you are breathing out, notice that you are breathing out. It’s as simple as that. And of course there are lots of videos on my site for various breathing techniques
Tidy up your desk
Say what? What’s this got to do with health? Believe it or not, cleanliness is a big part of the tree of yoga, we call it saucha. Cleanliness of mind, thoughts, what we put in our bodies, etc. But we do not want to discredit our surroundings. I think we can all agree that if our homes and desks look like a tornado hit, the thoughts are probably swirling around in the mind pretty quickly too. And if you want to take it further, bring in things you enjoy to have at your desk or in your cube. Pictures of family, friends, vacation spots, plants, quotes that resonate with you, even crystals all help to create a more serene and peaceful workplace. We spend so much time at our desks; why not make them as pleasant as possible.
See the light
No epiphany or major life change needed here. What I mean is go see the outside a few times a day. If you don’t sit near a window, go to the light on your breaks or at lunchtime. And if you can at all, step out into that light… unless it’s torrential rain. But even then, as my Dad always likes to say “there is no bad weather, just bad clothing choices”. Connecting to nature is a great way to keep us grounded and eases stress. If there’s nothing natural around you, look up at the sky, it’s always there. What does it look like? What does it feel like? Watch the clouds or birds for a few moments. Feel any stress you have floating up to the sky and let it stay there.
So now it’s your turn. What are your healthy workplace tips? I’d love to hear any you may have to share!