Since we’re all for bettering your life (and ours), we found some quick (we’re talking one-minute quick) things you can do to make your work space that much more pleasant and, yes, actually healthy.
1. Desktop Garden
Even if by some off chance you don’t buy into all the physiological underpinnings of why desktop foliage might be good for your health (y’know, filtering the air), it’s definitely nice to look at. And that counts for something. But in case you needed a bit of extra coaxing, there have been studies that show cacti can actually reduce computer radiation. We say, grab two.
2. Download the Ergonomics App
3. Sit on a Stability Ball
4. Create an Oasis
5. Drink Water
Shall we state the obvious? Water is good for you. But wait, there’s reasoning behind our superfluous repetition. Staying hydrated keeps your energy levels high, may help you avoid those bacon-and-toasted-marshmallow doughnuts, and helps your skin stay luminous, even with the dry office air.
6. Eat a Banana
The simple addition of a banana to your green smoothie will give you more health benefits than you might expect. They contain tryptophan, a protein that your body converts into serotonin, which can relieve the stress of a particularly hectic day and improve your mood.
7. Wipe It Down
Accidental spillage from your sushi lunch, interoffice mail making its rounds (and possibly passing on that elusive cold)—let’s just say things can get a little germy. Make a habit of wiping down your keyboard, phone, and your desk. Think of it as giving your immune system a helping hand.
8. Light It Up
For some of us, winter months outnumber the summer. And by month eight of 5:00 PM (or earlier) sunsets, our moods are anything but high. To thwart seasonal doldrums and our vitamin D deficiency, light-therapy desktop lamps mimic natural sunlight to stave off those winter blues.