Healthy habits for returning to office life

We’re all still trying to adjust after 18 months of working from home life – the dreamy commute from bed to the kitchen, home-cooked meals, having time for at home workouts and walks around your neighbourhood, and for some of us… even PJ working!

Whilst the transition back may be a little… painful, there are also some great benefits to getting back into office life. 

To help you get back into the working life swing of things, read on for Clarissa’s top back to office life tips.

Find simple ways to stay active at work:

Sitting at your desk for 8 hours straight can feel exhausting, and there is a reason behind this. Not moving your body for long periods of time, signals your body to enter into sleep mode – resulting in fatigue and low energy. 

Try to make time to move regularly throughout the day, as when we increase our heart rate we actually release endorphins which can boost our energy and mood. 

• If you drive to work, park the furthest away you can to get some additional steps in before and after a day in the office
• If you take the train or tube to work, leave enough time to get off a few stops before and walk the extra distance 
• Take the stairs whenever possible over the escalator or lift 
• Try the standing desk technique- by standing for 10minutes every hour, this can break up long periods of sitting. Sitting less will also give your metabolism a nice boost!

Take productivity breaks

When working from home, we had more flexibility to take breaks and increased options with what to do with them! At the office, you may need to shift your break activities, but that doesn’t mean the break should be forgotten. Studies have found that breaks can reduce or prevent stress and increase productivity.

After quite some time with less socializing, take this opportunity to have a 10 minute catch up with a colleague, go for a walk around your office area or make a cup of tea in the break out room.

Plan ahead with healthy snacks and meals:

Having a busy schedule can result in less-than-healthy eating choices – quick-fix solutions become the only solutions when we are short on time and no longer in close proximity to our kitchens. 

To avoid an office life that is filled with picking up fast food and relying on office snacks, plan ahead and perhaps consider meal prepping! 

• Know your local go-to healthy eating spots to pick up quick options
• Grab your healthy lunch on the way to work, so you don’t end up picking up fast food when you are starving by midday
• Make two portions of your dinner the night before and bring them with you for lunch
• Keep a few healthy snacks in your desk draws for when the hunger pangs hit

Incorporate mindful practices throughout the day:

Returning to the office is no doubt going to add additional stress to your day to day routine. Commuting alone can press our stress buttons! But, building up your stress resilience and relaxation practices can be a great way to face the day with ease.

Consider introducing:

• Meditation
• 5-minute journaling first thing in the morning
• Yoga
• Deep breathing
• Short walks outside

Sleep

That extra commute first thing might be robbing you of that extra hour of sleep you have adjusted to. And whilst at the beginning that adjustment can be hard, there are ways to optimize the sleep hours you are still getting!

• Reduce blue light exposure at night – download blue light blocking apps on your phone and set a phone curfew one hour before bed
• Consider MEDA HUMANS Sleep beverage to help get you into a deep slumber
• Avoid eating heavy meals too close to bedtime