HEALTH AND WELL-BEING Maintaining Your Health At Work

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Walking with your co-workers to raise money for a good cause is a great way to reduce your risk of ill health. Here, BankUnited employees get fit at a charity walk.
Walking with your co-workers to raise money for a good cause is a great way to reduce your risk of ill health. Here, BankUnited employees get fit at a charity walk.

(NAPSI)—Researchers say that when it comes to keeping healthy, too many Americans are sitting down on the job. That is, the average worker spends 13 hours a day in a seated position. Leading such an inactive lifestyle can increase your risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

What You Can Do

Fortunately, you can follow five easy steps to fitness in your workday:

Walk and Talk: When you meet with your co-workers, do so on your feet. A less formal environment can spark new ideas as you walk along, plus your blood flow increases and more oxygen travels to your brain.

Get Moving: Park at the back of the lot, take the stairs and walk over to a coworker’s desk rather than calling. Join co-workers on walks for charity that will benefit your health and the community.

Successful Snacking: Just about everyone has faced the break room challenge—you walk in to find a box filled with potato chip bags and a bowl of candy taunting you. Save yourself the frustration and instead of these snacks try a tray of fresh fruit and vegetables, popcorn with low-sodium content or a homemade trail mix to satisfy your 3 p.m. cravings. Additionally, try replacing soda in your daily regimen with water or all-natural fruit juices without added sugar.

Touch Your Toes: Remind yourself to take a brief break at the top of every hour to stretch your body. As you sit hunched over a computer, your neck and shoulder muscles tense up, resulting in future discomfort. Engaging in stretches will help keep you nimble and comfortable throughout the day.

Pursue Happiness: Perhaps most importantly, take a moment for yourself every day to dial into your mental well-being. Developing a positive relationship with co-workers, rewarding yourself for accomplishing goals, and taking time to practice gratitude will help to curb stress.

What Others Are Doing

Many companies have recognized this and approached it head-on with office wellness initiatives. “A productive company is one that wishes the best for its employees and acts in their best interest,” said John A. Kanas, chairman, president and CEO at BankUnited. “At our headquarters, we opened our own café offering healthy dining options and are building a gym for our employees. Our employees have embraced our wellness program and even started clubs for running, walking and Zumba exercises.”

Learn More

For further facts on this, go to www.bankunited.com.