26 Jan How to Maintain a Healthy Work Environment
By: Megan Jones
Work…many of us may spend the majority of the week working or recovering from work. No matter how much or little you may love your job work can be taxing, stressful, and overall exhausting. But to maintain a healthy work environment and avoid burnout it is important to create an environment that can be relaxing. Let’s talk about how to decompress at work to help you maintain a healthy work environment!
Why is a Healthy Work Life Important?
For starters constantly being in a stressed state at work can make employees prone to mistakes, increase the likelihood of burnout and companies having poor employee retention. Now of course, work cannot always be relaxing and no matter how much we may try there will still always be stressful times. But there is a lot we can do to ease the stress of work and make ourselves more productive throughout the day!
Get Fresh Air
Going outside or taking a walk on your breaks can provide you with the opportunity to enjoy the weather and is a great way to destress from work. Taking a walk can boost your endorphins to keep you productive and happy throughout the day. But overall, being outside can take you away from your work setting and provide mental clarity and relaxation.
Try Meditation
If you are anything like me, meditation does not come naturally. It can be difficult to relax the mind or you may not find it relaxing at all. But, there have been numerous studies showing the benefits of meditation reducing stress, anxiety, and improving mental clarity . If you are interested in trying meditation a quick google search yields hundreds of options to try. Consider trying a five-minute meditation when you are on your way to work!
Listen to Music
Music is a great way to stay motivated and depending on the genre it can boost your mood or ease your stress (just remember to wear headphones so it is not distracting to other employees). Moreover, certain genres of music can boost your productivity and help you stay focused throughout the day. Check out all the benefits of listening to music while working! But, ensure you pick a good genre of music as some music can be distracting to you and have the opposite effect. If you are looking to find your perfect work playlist check out these playlists from Spotify!
Have a Snack and Drink Water
Sometimes in the middle of work it can be hard to pull away for lunch or even remember to stay hydrated. But next time make sure you schedule time for a meal break or snack break. Your brain needs fuel to maintain its productivity and focus. Additionally, water is equally as important! Consider bringing a water bottle to work to remember to drink more water throughout the day! When it comes time for meals if you find it difficult or can’t pull away consider have a morning or afternoon smoothie, so you can fuel your brain while you work!
Socialize with Coworkers
Looking to destress? Spend some time by the water cooler and interact with coworker. You can get to know them and have a non-exhaustive conversation about the weekend or check in with how they are doing. Having a non-work related conversation can provide your brain with a break away from the stress of work. Even the little breaks to step out and check in with a co-worker can help you relax momentarily before you get back to work.
Create an ideal Environment
Your workspace should be relaxing to you. A few tips are to keep it regularly organized so you can easily find the items you need. But consider adding décor such as plants or pictures can boost your mood. Create an environment that makes you happy so you feel comfortable while at work!
Learn to Say No
This can be a difficult one for many of us. But learning to say no is an imperative skill. If you have too much on your plate you should not take on an extra project. We all want to be team players and help but, saying yes can overwhelm you and lead to burn out. Learn your limits and when you are close to capacity ensure you do not take on any additional projects or assignments until you have completed what you currently have.
We hope these tips help you stay relaxed, focused, and happy in the workplace!
