How to Make Your Office Healthier

Let’s face it, working in an office all day can make a person fat.  And while I work from a home office, a lot of those habits stuck.  It’s especially hard when you have colleagues who are excellent bakers because not only is it fun to socialize around a big tin of brownies, but it’s fun to eat one...or some.

If the warmer weather is making you cringe when it’s time to don the shorts and sleeveless shirts from the lack of exercise and abundance of snacking in your office, here are a few ideas to make your day a little more healthy...without having to make major changes.

• Start a healthy snack club.  Ask each co-worker to bring in a healthy snack to share with the the group and set up a community snack bar with smart snack options.  This way, when you convene in the break room for water cooler talk...you won’t be tempted to raid the snack machine or your co-worker's fudgy brownies. 
• Find a walking partner and take a stroll regularly during lunch.  I say regularly instead of daily because days with back-to-back conference calls are inevitable.  Starting with realistic expectations will make it more likely that you’ll meet them.  And if you exceed them?  Even better!
• Keep a set of five pound hand weights under your desk.  I’ve started doing this in my home office.  Next time you have a conference call or a webinar to attend...put it on speaker and do some reps while you work.  If you’re in an open workspace, grab some headphones.  You might get a chuckle from your colleagues who walk by, but you know who will have the last laugh when you’re rocking the lean guns and they’re not.
• Drink more water.  If feasible, pack three reusable bottles of water in the morning before you head to the office.  Line them up on your desk and try to drink one before lunch, one during lunch, and one by the time you leave for the day.  Just make sure you stop by the restroom on the way out if you have a long commute home.  Trust me.

Taking steps to be healthier at work are not only going to benefit your waist line, but it will also help you deal with the stress of the job and clear your mind.  All this means you’ll be more productive...who knows...maybe those healthy changes will lead to a raise.