Don't Just Get Work-Life Balance, Get Work-Health Balance

The age of the pandemic has brought about many changes in the way we work. Work-from-home, remote work and hybrid working models have all become the norm in this shifting work environment.

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While the preferences and opinions vary on each of these work models, there are several pros and cons that come with them. For example, some people prefer WFH as opposed to the long commute to the office. Others believe WFH has extended their working hours since there is no clear separation between the home and office.

Regardless of the mode of working, there has always been a constant struggle to find work-life balance. Work-life balance is understood to be the division of time between work activities and family or leisure activities. It’s an idea aimed at fostering a sustainable way to work while ensuring the employee’s wellbeing.

Although there has been a change in organizational culture due to the shift in work models, there are still aspects of work that take a toll on an employee’s health and wellbeing.

Not having enough physical movement, leading a sedentary lifestyle and looking at the computer screen for extended periods of time have contributed to many common workplace-related health issues such as:

Lower back pain
Eye strain
Obesity
Heart Disease
Hypertension
Stress
Anxiety
Poor blood circulation
Edema (water retention) in legs from sitting too long

In the new normal, it is not enough to just strive towards work-life balance. It is also important for us to achieve work-health balance to ensure sustainable work. Work-health balance places focus on maintaining health and wellbeing even within regular working hours. It encourages employees and organisations to adopt a holistic approach towards health and wellbeing in the workplace.

Here are some ways in which you can maintain work-health balance:

Healthy eating

A healthy day starts with a healthy breakfast, but many people find it difficult to fit healthy breakfasts into their busy work schedules. Many of us tend to skip breakfast all together to be able to rush out of the house on time, or log in on time. Nevertheless, having a healthy, hearty breakfast keeps us full and energised for longer throughout the day, thus helping us to avoid high-calorie and unhealthy snacking. Talking about snacks, remember to choose healthy foods, such as fruits, nuts, high-nutrient and high-fibre foods for snacking, instead of oily, high-salt and sugary foods.

Lunches should be light and packed with nutrients that will fuel you through the rest of the day, without making you feel sleepy and sluggish.

Dinners should be eaten 4-5 hours after your lunch and about 3 hours before bedtime. Eating too late or too close to your bedtime can lead to indigestion and weight gain, since your metabolism will be slowing down.

Keep yourself hydrated

It is recommended to drink around 8 glasses or 2 litres of water every day. Drinking enough water is important to maintaining our body fluids which aids several key processes such as digestion, circulation and elimination of toxins from the body. Staying hydrated also helps you remain focused and alert through the day.

Oftentimes, we forget to drink enough water and do so only when we feel very thirsty, this is especially true in cold weather. Make it a habit to drink water at specific times throughout the day. Drinking water just after waking up helps to kick-start and rehydrate your system after sleep. A glass of water 30 minutes before meals aids digestion. Also, remember to keep a bottle of water at your desk.

However, do bear in mind that many foods we eat also add to your water intake. Many fruits and vegetables have high water content, so you can pack fresh fruits as a snack to help you hydrate at work. Other beverages also count, but remember to stay away from too much caffeine, high-calorie and sugar-laden drinks.

Have a proper sleep routine

Long working hours compounded with the list of house chores we need to complete, along with some relaxation time, can extend our bedtime and cause us to sleep later than we should. Added to this, the need to wake up early to be able to take long commutes to the office means that many employees are getting less than the recommended 7 hours of sleep per night.

Getting enough sleep is often a matter of keeping a proper schedule. Manage your time smartly at work and at home to help you to be more efficient. Also, avoid the temptation to binge-watch TV shows or browse your social media before bedtime. Instead, use the time before bed to listen to soothing music or to meditate to help you relax and wind down.

It is also important to sleep and wake up at the same time every day to help you to set a proper sleep routine.

Maintain proper posture

Sitting for long periods of time at the computer forces us to push our faces/heads forward towards the computer screen and causes our spine to become poorly aligned. This contributes to the development of poor posture that puts pressure on the neck, shoulders and back and leads to various musculoskeletal conditions such as back, shoulder and neck pain. Doing exercises at your desk can help to relieve pressure and correct your posture.

Take regular breaks

We might think that taking regular breaks leads to decreased productivity, but it actually can be beneficial. Taking regular 5 to 15-minute breaks every hour can help us to refresh our minds and refocus our attention on our task.

Getting up to take a break is also important to improve blood circulation and prevent edema in the legs. Take a short walk or do some stretches to loosen up your body. Also, remember to do eye-strengthening exercises to prevent eye strain.

Get routine health check-ups

The stress of a busy work routine can get to us. Because of our hectic lives, we tend to ignore the signals that all might not be well with our health. It is very important to get regular check-ups and keep yourself updated on your health to be able to maintain a good work-health balance.

There are several conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, where early intervention and treatment can greatly impact the recovery and outcome. Make use of health apps such as JioHealthHub to book doctor consultations and diagnostic tests to understand your health status better.

Disconnect & de-stress

In the age of continuous digital connectivity, it has become difficult for us to put our smart devices down. We often feel as if we need to be constantly connected to our colleagues and teams, and keep checking in with whatever is happening at work.

However, to keep our minds and bodies healthy, we must learn to disconnect from our devices and our work, and take time to de-stress. One of the best ways to do this is by spending quality time with our family and loved ones. It is also healthy to take up interests and hobbies that we enjoy.

Practice yoga and meditation to relax, or listen to music to unwind at the end of a long work day. Whatever you choose to do, it should be something you enjoy besides work.

Whether you are working from the office, or from home, your health should always be a priority. In today’s post-pandemic world, it is no longer enough to get work-life balance; we must also strive to get work-health balance.

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