Increase your productivity with these 8 health and wellness tips for office workers

A healthy lifestyle is essential to be productive and motivated at work. But maintaining a healthy lifestyle is easier said than done. The Internet is full of health tips and tricks, but most of them are hard to implement in a busy work life. Plus, no one can tell you exactly where to start.

The perfect way to start your health loop is to first improve your diet, then improve your sleep, and finally adopt a healthy exercise program that works for you. This step-by-step approach will ensure that you have enough energy to start and maintain your exercise routine, and increase the likelihood that you won’t want to interrupt your health loop. Understanding these simple yet effective tips will help you stay healthy in a fast-paced world.

Here are 8 health and wellness tips from Yash Parashar, CEO of Mama Nourish, to boost productivity for office workers.

Plan your meals and prepare your meals. Weekly meal planning is a great strategy for professionals to maintain healthy eating habits despite their busy schedules. It saves time, helps control portion sizes, and reduces the chances of unhealthy fast food choices.

Reduce your sugar intake: We all know that sugary snacks and drinks are addictive but bad for you. It is best to avoid added sugar completely, as it contains only calories and no nutrients. Beware of hidden sugar in processed foods. A good solution is to cut out sugar five days a week and eat one meal with average sugar levels on the weekend. Also, read food labels carefully. Most ultra-processed foods come in attractive, colorful packaging, but food labels are difficult to read because the ingredients and nutritional information are written in a confusing way.

Eat a balanced diet: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) recommends a balanced diet of 2000 Kcal including millets and nutritional cereals. Millets include millets (250 g), vegetables (400 g), fruits (100 g), pulses (85 g), milk/cottage cheese (300 ml), nuts and seeds (35 g), healthy fats and oils (27 g). Keep this in mind while making your weekly meal plan. Even better, you can stick the meal plan on your fridge so that you and your cook know what to prepare and when. A well-planned grocery shopping will give you an added advantage.

Stay hydrated: The amount of water your body needs varies depending on the season, environment and physical activity. Drink enough water. A general recommendation is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day, totalling about 2 liters. It is useful to carry a water bottle and set a hydration timer or reminder.

Don’t skip breakfast: You may have heard the famous quote by nutritionist Adele Davis, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” Breakfast is the most important meal and with a little planning, you can include it in your diet by opting for easy and healthy one-pot meals. For example, moong dal chilla, soaked oats, idli, upma or a healthy salad will help you start your busy day on a positive note.

sleep well: Adequate sleep is essential for optimizing productivity and overall health. To ensure you get 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night, maintain consistent sleep habits, create a comfortable sleep environment, and minimize screen exposure before bed. Practicing relaxation techniques like reading or meditating before bed can also improve the quality of your sleep.

Practice yoga and exercise that works for you: Regular yoga can help improve posture, reduce stress and increase flexibility, helping to offset the effects of prolonged sitting. It can also increase energy and focus, contributing to increased productivity and overall health. Simple stretches, breathing exercises and meditation can also be done at work. In addition to yoga, light exercises such as a morning walk can also help keep you physically active.

Forgive yourself and don’t stress about it all. If you haven’t followed this program in a while, start again whenever and wherever you want. Stressing out by skipping training or eating unhealthy foods can be counterproductive. Embrace failure and get back on track without feeling guilty.