A significant number of persons in Malta are required to sit at a desk and stare at their computer screen for most of the day. The health consequences of these are not encouraging.
A healthy life leads to a happy life and if you are one of those persons with a desk job you should look into taking initiatives to mitigate the dangers associated with it.
Did you know that according to experts sitting is the new smoking? Sitting for long periods is associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. In addition, starting at a computer screen all day can damage your vision.
Unfortunately for some of us, it is impossible to conduct our daily tasks without staying at our desks and in front of our computers. For people with jobs in information technology and those that have software developer jobs, this is inevitable. If you are one of those persons, here are a few tips that can help you stay healthy at work.
Protect Your Eyes to reduce eyestrain, headaches and fatigue
Prolonged exposure to computer screens has been linked to increase in retina cell death that causes central blindness. Preventive measures include installing an eye protector to screens that help absorb harmful high-energy in retina cell. If you have the habit to spend your free time using your smartphone after a day’s work, these protectors are also available for smaller screens.
Special eye-wear lenses are also available to protect your vision even for those who don’t have eyesight problems. As always, prevention is better than cure! The last tip that doesn’t come at an expense is the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
Stand up and move more often to refresh your mind and body
A little walk around the office every once in a while will only take a few minutes. Apart from combatting the negative effects associated with prolonged sitting, such an exercise will help you keep a fresh mind and ultimately maintain a better workplace that leads to better performance.
Snack on healthy food and stay hydrated
Sitting all day may also mean that you might munch on unhealthy food at your desk. To avoid this from happening stock up on healthy snacks such as nuts and dried fruits. Most importantly, make sure you don’t have your lunch at your desk. Hydration is equally important. Keep a glass of water on your desk and to get a refill as soon as you run out.
While studies show that office jobs are linked to certain health risk, employees with such jobs do not have to sacrifice their well-being. The above tips are simple solutions that will not only safeguard your health but will also keep you happy in your work environment.
Encourage your colleagues to take up these initiatives too. Besides doing them a favour you will also get support and motivation from each to stick to these new rules.
Are you a foreigner seeking a job opportunity in Malta? For any guidance about your career and to discuss new job opportunities please do not hesitate to contact our team at [email protected]