More and more Americans are returning to the office after nearly two years of remote work, and while some workers might be excited about the notion of escaping the cabin fever they endured throughout the pandemic, others might have their reservations. They have good reason—even without the risks of a pandemic, offices can be fairly unhealthy places, both physically and mentally.
And yes, most people are aware of this on some level. Back in 2019, before anyone had even heard of COVID-19, Forbes reported that 87 percent of office workers wanted healthier workspace options, including fitness benefits, healthier lunch choices, ergonomic chairs, and sit-stand options for their desks.
But let’s get specific: What are some of the ways your office could be negatively affecting your health, and are there any steps you can take to mitigate those effects without needing a major office overhaul? Here’s what you should consider…
Air Quality Most offices have notoriously poor air quality, so much so that the Environmental Protection Agency has a term for it: Sick Building Syndrome. When you’re working in an office, you’re exposed to many pollutants, from the unhealthy aerosols given off by cleaning supplies to any airborne viruses spread by co-workers. If you have the luxury of a window, and the weather is agreeable, keep that open. It also might help to have an air purifier or even a fan set up by your desk to keep the air moving. And if you can, encourage your employer to switch any custodial team’s supplies to nontoxic cleaning products and to change the HVAC vents regularly.
Light The problem with the light in your office is twofold: You’re probably not getting a lot of natural light, and instead you’re getting a lot of artificial light (including a lot of light from screens). A lack of natural light is bad for your body’s internal clock. A recent study from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine showed that people working in offices where they don’t get exposure to natural light end up sleeping 46 fewer minutes per night on average compared with those who have windows and sun exposure. Light from computers is often what’s known as blue light, which potentially does harm to your vision. If you can, take frequent breaks from staring at your screen and step outside for a little bit of sunshine instead. If you’re especially sensitive to blue light, you can try wearing special glasses made for filtering out blue light.
Physical Activity Are you sitting at a desk all day at work? That’s not good. According to an analysis of 13 studies by the Mayo Clinic, sitting for a collective eight hours or more every day is just as bad for you as smoking or obesity. Some deskbound workers opt to use a standing desk, but if that’s not a comfortable way for you to work, you could simply set an alarm to go off every half-hour as a reminder you need to get up and move around. Take a brisk walk around your building or parking lot to stretch your legs and get your blood flowing.
Poor Posture Along the same lines as sitting too long is the problem of poor posture. While hours of sitting can cause a problem, there are other culprits that drive you to hunch over. Your computer screen and keyboard might be too low, forcing you to lean down. Change up your workspace by raising your screen or the surface where your keyboard rests. You should be staring straight ahead at your screen and your keyboard should be even with your forearms when your elbows are bent at a 45-degree angle.
Mental Fatigue When you worked remotely throughout the pandemic, you might have had the flexibility of setting your schedule and breaking up your hours when you’re most productive. When you’re working in an office, it’s very likely you have no option but to work the 9-to-5 business hours. These long periods of concentration can be a drain on you mentally, particularly if it’s exacerbated by stress, sensory distractions, or workplace drama. If you can, take frequent breaks, even if it’s only for five minutes. Disengage from work when you leave the office and get plenty of sleep at night so you can approach each day feeling refreshed.
Nutrition Unless you take the time to pack your lunch every day, your options for food are usually limited to takeout from the nearest restaurant or deli. Depending on what you order, you could end up with a meal that has double the calories, fat, and sugar of something you would bring from home. If you’re looking to improve your diet when you’re at the office, the best thing you can do is take 10 minutes to pack a lunch every day (leftovers from last night’s dinner work great). If that’s not an option, at least keep your desk stocked with plenty of healthy snacks like nuts, fruit, and whole-grain crackers.
