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If you’re like most individuals at the end of the year, you’ve probably started to think about your New Year’s Resolution and whether or not you’re ready to tackle the obvious choice – your health. Though you know this is probably the best option, a hectic life at work usually gets in the way of taking care of yourself. However, even with a jam-packed schedule, it’s not impossible. Making little changes at the office can result in big changes in your life.
Take the long way. Anytime you get up to use the bathroom, grab your lunch or walk to the conference room, take the long way – if you can manage to hit the stairs, even better. It may not seem like much, but any extra bit of activity you can add helps. Plus it’ll give you a little extra time to collect your thoughts and take a breather.
Make a routine. Most of us get so into our work that, before we know it, four hours have passed and you’ve hardly moved. Plan on taking a quick lap around the building every hour, making sure you hit a few flights of stairs. The extra movement will be beneficial both physically and mentally.
Plan ahead. Pack everything you can for your lunch ahead of time. You’re way more likely to grab a bag of grapes if they’re ready to go. Include healthier options like dessert flavored Greek yogurt and veggie chips with hummus to help with the sweet and salty cravings.
Drink more water. Of course, staying hydrated is an important part to keeping healthy, but the more water you drink, the less likely you are to go for another cup of coffee or a pop. Try to limit yourself to one or two cups of coffee in the morning and bring a reusable water bottle to sip throughout the day.
Track it. Seeing the progress of your hard work is satisfying and you’re way more likely to stick with something if you’re recording it. There are plenty of apps to log the amount of exercise, water and food you’re taking in. Keeping track of your small healthy choices will help you turn them into healthy habits in the long run.
Don’t go overboard. Although you may be excited to start off 2016 running, don’t go overboard. Start small, work your way up, and don’t get discouraged by the setbacks. Staying motivated will be much easier if the small changes seem manageable.
Finding a healthy solution that fits your lifestyle doesn’t have to mean committing an hour every night to lifting weights at the gym or running five miles. Making these small changes every day at the office will help push you in the right direction to a healthier and happy life in 2016.