Workplace wellness tips that really work!

If you are not happy at work, it is easiest to blame your boss and colleagues. How about taking some effort to create that balance and harmony at the workplace?

The human resource department is highly significant, and an employee’s entire efficiency, competence, and productivity depend upon how well he is, mentally and physically.

‘Calling in sick’ is probably the most common practice when a person is not fit enough to make it to work. The entire work schedule, as well as individual productivity is disrupted if the employee starts calling in sick at regular intervals. If it is a chronic condition, then it can’t be helped.

In due course, the employee either tries to deal with pending work flow, or else, starts looking for another job. However, there are health conditions which take their root at the work place, and those need to kept in check consciously, for wellness at the workplace. Here are a few tips to help you get productive at the workplace.

Wellness at the workplace includes both mental and physical wellness.

 Physical wellness at the workplace:

A good day at work is related to how good you feel in the body. Unending meetings, and conference calls can make you ignore health conditions. And then, one day you wake up to crippling back pain, or discomfort in the joints. You might barely have the time for breakfast. So, we suggest you have a healthy breakfast, and then the exercise can come at work!!

Your work station can be your mini work out arena. Use your body weight to perform resistance exercises, and stretches.

1. Sitting Erect:Keep your spine straight, with both the feet planted firmly on the floor. Breathe in deeply, and exhale evenly. A good sitting posture can eliminate half of your work woes. Sitting erect reduces pains in the joints, and hunched shoulders, which put unnecessary pressure on the lower back.
2. Arm Extensions:Do arm extensions if you spend a lot of time typing out documents, or creating ppts. Every half an hour, extend your arms out straight from the elbows, and spread your fingers out in a wide span. Catch hold of each finger, and give a gentle tug for a couple of seconds, and feel the stretch all the way to your shoulders.
3. Hand Raises and Leg Extensions:If you have a private cubicle, then you can do this without feeling conscious. However, raise both hands over the shoulders, in sets of 40 seconds. Now, extend your legs in the chair, and hold the pose for 30 secs. This will stretch the entire back, and also fill the mind with tranquility.
4. The Seated Neck Roll:Gently do neck rolls from shoulder to shoulder, and then do a real slow neck turn. From a straight position, first turn the neck very slowly to the left shoulder, an inch at a time. When you reach the left shoulder, gently dip the chin, and try to touch it to the left shoulder. Hold for a while, and repeat the other side just as slowly. While you do these neck turns, you will be able to realign your back to a comfortable erect position. This will actually help you relax, and can also curb hyperactivity due to work stress.
5. Eat Smart:If you have long shifts, then you fall prey to unhealthy eating habits. So, do try, and sneak in some healthy cucumber sandwiches, peanuts, roasted almonds to munch on, at the work place. They can be good fillers in between meetings, and can boost physical and mental health. Caffeine is something that will make you more hyper at the work place. So, drink coffee only if you need an energy spike. Dark Chocolate or buttermilk are great substitutes for all office machine beverages.

 Mental Wellness at the workplace:

Physical stress converts into mental stress, and leads to work place behaviors like- temper tantrums, loquacity, gossip, lack of concentration, petty jealousies, and resentments. If you are the boss, and display all these negativities, then your employees either suffer in silence or turn aggressive. However, if you are an employee, then it could well mean the end of the road.

1. Group Silence:Every workplace should compulsorily have 3-4 minutes of silent sitting sessions. Employees in every department sit together in a circle, and just close their eyes, and think happy positive thoughts, and try and own up to their negativity.
2. Group Confession:At a decided time, every employee owns up to at least one negative trait in him/her.
3. Concentration:This is the key to success anywhere in the world. For this, try a simple breathing technique of counting the breath, as it goes in, to a count of 8. Repeat the same while exhaling. Now, this is harder than it sounds. The mind will eventually start its chatter, and interrupt your count. At this point, gently prod yourself back to the count. This breathing technique spreads awareness, and keeps the mind in the present. It also reduces anxiety at the time of making presentations, and public speaking.
4. Team Bonding:Everyone is so fiercely competitive that it disrupts the harmony at the workplace. Every individual has to learn to see the best in himself, and strive to get there. Team bonding is a great way to achieve this. Here every employee will be asked to acquaint himself with a person in his team, about whom he knows very little.

Of course, wellness cannot coincide in all the people at the same time. However, if one were to introduce it as a matter of policy, more and more people will be increasingly aware of how to create a harmonious work environment.