Today's Career Tips

Guilty Of These Work Hazards?

 

 

What are the bad habits in the office that’s putting your health at risk?

By SC Chua for Yahoo! Southeast Asia

Not eating breakfast


You wake up late. You rush to work to make it just in time. Are you forgetting something important? Yes, breakfast. Most people skip breakfast so that they can sleep in longer and still get to work on time. Big mistake.

Eating a well-balanced breakfast is what will give you fuel to last through the day (or at least before lunch). Says Dr. Thavenesh Ramachandren, "Eating breakfast first thing in the morning helps stabilize the blood glucose load, which in turn regulates appetite and energy.

Meanwhile, over-eating throughout the day is prevalent amongst breakfast skippers. Also, they are more often associated with an increase incidence of type 2 diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease." Go on—sit down and have a bowl of oats before heading to the office. Your health will thank you for it.




Sitting in front of the computer for too long

You're busy working on a proposal and before you know it, two hours have passed without you getting out of your chair at all. Productive, you say? Not quite.

"Oculomotor fatigue [that's eye fatigue in plain English], mental health problems such as depression are just some of the conditions associated with prolonged computer use," says Dr. Ramachandren. "It is also very like that people who use computers for too long adopt poor postures with persistent strain on their shoulders, neck and paravertebral muscles."

Another fact that is important for you to know? Women who sit in front of computers for too long—approximately 21.5 hours per week—are also at a greater risk than their counterparts in developing depression. Time to take a break, we say!



Not choosing the right food for lunch

Hand's up—who's guilty of eating fast food most of the time for lunch? We don't blame you, what with work piling and lunch hour being too short to fully enjoy a proper meal. Plus, work stress and deadlines often make us crave for fried food and carbohydrates, which aren't exactly healthy choices to begin with. But that doesn't make it an excuse not to eat right for lunch.

Says Dr. Ramachandren, "Eating fast food is associated with many negative effects. Abundant calories, high saturated and trans fat, excess salt and additives all lead to serious health complications. Fast foods also often come in huge portion sizes that tend to promote over-eating and obesity."

Still not convinced? How's this for more reasons to go healthy during lunch: A study in London showed that people who regularly consumed processed food that contain high amounts of fat and sugar have a 60 per cent chance higher to succumb to depression.



Not taking enough breaks

We get it—your deadline is creeping up. But that doesn't mean you work around the clock, glued to your computer and desk. Taking regular breaks from work will allow you to recover from stress. Also, it helps to clear clutter in your mind, which may give you a better idea on how to solve that work problem!

"Meeting deadlines often involve acts of forgotten meals and intense work, which eventually lead to total body exhaustion and an irreversible mental strain," says Dr. Ramachandren. "A short break allows for recuperation of the brain and body, and helps rejuvenate thoughts and emotions." How long of a break is good enough? Experts say a short two-minute break every hour will do wonders for your brain.



Happy hour frenzy

It's Friday, which means it's time to have that glass of Shiraz you've been wanting all day long! Happy hours with your colleagues are great to establish camaraderie but indulging in it all week long isn't exactly a wise idea. "Happy hour activities often lead to alcoholic binges with less than desirable physiological sequelae," says Dr. Ramachandren.

"Excessive alcohol consumption impairs coordination and rational judgment leading to a confused state and increased risk of accidents." Nobody wants to be known as the office alcoholic so take it slow on the happy hour sessions. Also, last thing you want is to have a massive hangover the next day at work.




Smoking when stressed

Work is getting to you. So what do you do? For some of you, it's time to light up a cigarette. After all, it helps you de-stress. Or so you think. Unfortunately, many office workers turn to cigarettes to help them cope with being overwhelmed at work. But here's what you need to know—while it may seem calming at first, nicotine is in fact a powerful stimulant that can lead to higher levels of anxiety. Not to forget how harmful it is for your health in the long run.

"Tobacco use is universally recognized as a major risk factor for cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, causing nearly five million deaths a year worldwide," says Dr. Ramachandren. "Smoking has also been linked with progressive cognitive decline and dementia." Our advice? Stub it out and opt for something more effective (and healthy!) like yoga to deal with your work stress.