How to Change Your Working Lifestyle for the Better

It is often written about in lifestyle magazines, spoken about on podcasts, and advised by friends and family — how to change your personal life for the better. From relationship advice to meditation techniques, new diets and effective exercise regimes, getting that part of your world in order seems to be discussed far more regularly than sorting out your work life.

A balance between leisure and recreation time and the time spent at work is of vital importance to maintaining both a healthy mind and body, and this quick guide includes some pointers on how to achieve just that.

• Take more breaks
Across 27 nations surveyed in 2019, the average lunch break lasted 35 minutes. In the USA (which averaged at 36 minutes), 74% of respondents said they always get a lunch break, regardless of how long they have worked.

It is, therefore, a minor myth that US employees have some of the worst break times in the world. However, it must not be forgotten that there is room for more than just one break in a day. Taking regular breaks can actually lead to higher levels of productivity, with around 52 minutes of work at a time being the optimum level of focus. Not straining your brain for long periods of time should make you a more productive worker, but also a less stressed, less tired, and less grouchy one, too.

• Rest your eyes
Along with your brain, your eyes also need a good amount of rest to stay healthy. Many do not realize the importance of good eye care in the workplace, as the dryness or itchiness of eyes can very easily be seen as a necessary evil of working with computers, small text or in bright rooms.

It need not be that way. Digital Eye Strain, or Computer Vision Syndrome, is avoidable. Break away from your screen for 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away every 20 minutes. Along with resting your eyes, you should also make sure your workplace is lit properly, that you are minimizing glare on your screen, and that you wear any glasses your optician recommends you do.

• Improve your workplace
As mentioned, it is not only your own personal actions but also your workplace that determines how healthy you are while working. If you own a business, finding a workplace architect to improve and optimize your workplace for effective, relaxed and healthy working will benefit the productivity and, more importantly, lives of your staff.

Think about the natural light in your office or store, how much fresh air is available to employees, and whether any break spaces are adequate and comfortable.

• Collaborate and delegate more
Finally, one of the best ways of taking the stress and strain off yourself in the workplace to better enjoy the time you spend in it is to work together and delegate tasks more effectively. Very few job roles should include a full burden of responsibility; not only does collaborative working take pressure off you, but it also gets work done quicker and is often more enjoyable.