Career Planning for a Healthier Work Environment

It’s no surprise that sitting for 40 hours a week can be terrible for your health. Even if you make regular trips to the gym, you should beware of your chair– it doesn’t have your best interests at heart. While some people are lucky enough to have a job that keeps them on their feet, most people are crunching numbers, writing, and analyzing information. As we become smarter, and as technology grows, we become more sedentary. Plus, typing and sitting in a chair can give us all kinds of problems like back pain and carpal tunnel.

As you may have noticed, the weather is getting colder, and drugstores are starting to advertise flu shots. The wind and rain probably mean that you’re less likely to open windows and go for walks outside. You lose out on exercise, and the stuffy indoors creates a breeding ground for the flu virus to spread and infect. For you, a weakened immune system and gross virus means a few days of feeling miserable. For an employer, an unhealthy workplace can translate into  lost profits and decreased productivity.

No matter what you do, your health should be your top priority. Even though we hear this over and over, it’s an expression that’s tough to embrace, since we’re a society of incredibly busy and hardworking people. Taking a break to reassess whether we take good care of ourselves can be tough.

But let’s face it: the face of public health best practices is always changing. Two hundred years ago, it was uncommon for people to bathe regularly. Then there was hand-washing, which still hasn’t caught on in some parts of the world.

As employers and employees, we should take a step back to assess whether our work environments are conducive to our health and well-being. Even simple changes in our day to day office rituals can help us live better. While most of us focus on innovating in our businesses, we should also find ways to innovate for better health. Even though we consider ourselves an advanced society, we probably could do better — as evidenced by the high rates of heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and stroke.

Of course, health and safety standards will vary from office to office and by industry. The Centers for Disease Control has actually recognized this fact and compiled a list of resources for workplace safety by industry. There are a number of plans available for promoting physical activity, limiting the spread of contagious diseases, and decreasing tobacco use is workplace settings.

As a decision-maker or employee, you should keep these resources in mind for measures that you can take to make your workplace better. After all, the most responsible careers are healthy too.

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Original Source: www.justmeans.com/Career-Planning-for-a-Healthier-Work-Environment/34382.html