14 December 2020 · MGM News

Health At Work

Stress

Workplace stress can contribute to anxiety and depression. Stress can manifest itself in physical symptoms of headaches, heart palpitations and fatigue. It can interrupt your sleep and affect your decision making, motivation, productivity and accuracy at work.

According to the SuperFriend annual indicators of a Thriving Workplace Survey Report 2019, over 50% of Australian workers have experienced a mental health condition and two in five believe their workplace either caused their condition or made it worse.

If you’re suffering from stress at work, it’s important to talk to your employer. Australian employers have a duty of care to protect their workers from work-related mental health hazards and risks.

If ignored, stress can lead to more serious mental health issues like anxiety, depression and substance abuse.

Healthy Eating

One of the best ways to boost your mood, maintain your energy levels and support your brain health is through diet.

Food is the fuel that powers your working day, so choose fresh food that offers a steady supply of energy to keep you going. A high fibre diet consisting of nutritious fruits, vegetables, beans, lean protein, dairy and whole grains, is far more beneficial than a diet of highly processed snack foods.

Starting your day with a healthy breakfast can boost your energy levels in the morning and keep them steady for hours to help you concentrate.

Most of us can’t start work without a caffeine fix, but it has been widely said that over-doing caffeine can over-stimulate the nervous system, raise your heart rate and may contribute to anxiety levels. Caffeine can also reduce the absorption of certain vitamins and minerals like iron. Try alternating cups of tea or coffee with herbal teas or water to balance your overall intake.

Choose healthy options for lunch and avoid processed snack foods that contain little nutritional value and are too high in unhealthy fats (like saturated), added sugar and salt. The quick rush of energy they might give you won’t last! This interactive tool can help you build a healthy lunchbox for you and your family.

Try not to eat at your desk. You could use lunchtime as an opportunity to take a break from screen time. Go for a walk, sit in the fresh air and practice mindful eating. You can find more healthy meal and snack ideas at Eat for Health and the Baker Heart & Diabetes Institute.

Back Pain

Many of us spend a lot of time sitting at our desks and poor posture can lead to back pain. Excess weight, stress and lack of exercise can also lead to back pain.

If you suffer from recurrent back pain, make sure your desk is properly set up.

Choose a comfortable, supportive chair
Keep wrists and forearms level if using a keyboard
Rest feet flat on floor, avoid crossing legs, use a footrest if necessary
Keep top of screen at eye level
Have the keyboard straight in front of you
Avoid glare on the screen
Wear appropriate glasses if required

Another cause of back pain is lifting heavy objects incorrectly or twisting while carrying heavy objects. Learn the correct way to lift and carry heavy weights.

Sedentary Behaviour

Sitting for long periods of time is linked to an increased risk to health. Sitting for long periods is thought to slow the body’s metabolism and affect our ability to regulate blood pressure, blood sugar levels and break down body fat for energy.

If you spend most of your day sitting at a desk, set a reminder to get up every half hour and take a few minutes to walk around.

Regular exercise

Regular exercise can boost your energy levels and the more often you exercise, the more you can benefit.

It may seem counter-intuitive when you’re feeling tired or lethargic but gentle exercise could help boost your energy levels. Even a simple 15-minute walk outside can help to clear your head and leave you feeling refreshed.