Continuing Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month

Looking for ways to embrace a healthy workplace? Look no further because it’s Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month! 

We’ve chosen a number of activities and are encouraging our staff to do at least one activity a week to make positive changes at the workplace and in their personal lives. Earlier this month, we outlined what you can do to stay healthy in weeks 1 and 2. Please see our original post here.

The first two weeks are now behind us and we are ready for more. We would like to reveal  our favourite activities for Week 3 and 4.

Week 3: Workplace Resiliency 

• Take Back the Lunch Break: Encourage people to eat a healthy meal away from their desks. Explain the benefits of getting away from your work, eating with friends or going for a quick walk. Often taking a break will make you more creative and productive.
• List your Work Stressors and How to Accommodate for Each of Them: Knowing your stressors and how to manage them helps you cope and to be prepared for future challenges. You will already know what to do, and that takes away a good bit of the stress.
• Start a Checklist of Good Work: How much water do you drink? How often do you stretch? How often do you break and change your focus? How frequently do you take a proper lunch break? Check your list for a week and make gradual changes if required.
• Meet a Friend for Lunch: Spend time catching up. Even better, organize a reunion of several friends. Determine a time for the next get-together before everyone leaves.
• Caffeine-Free Week: Go caffeine-free during meetings for one week. Ask people to bring water or healthy juices instead of caffeinated beverages.

Week 4: Workplace Safety 

• Improve Sleep Habits: Seek a program or information that covers the importance of getting sufficient sleep at night and how to improve sleep habits.
• Make Ergonomic Adjustments: Check that your chair is adjusted properly for you. Are the components of your computer at the proper height and location? Where’s the ideal place for the telephone? Are there piles of paper or equipment that might create an awkward position or make you reach further than necessary?
• CPR/First Aid Course: Help employees who want to learn CPR and first aid by offering a course onsite at your workplace. Been doing this on an annual basis for many years – our next session is scheduled for the end of October! If you are looking to conduct a course for your workplace, give us a call.
• Schedule Pandemic Planning: Plan for the worst and be prepared! Create a team that investigates the needs of your organization in case of a pandemic.  Been there, done that. Contact us if you need help!

If these tips helped you achieve a healthier state at your workplace, keep it up!

Thanks to Great-West Life for organizing this month and all of the ideas for healthy living. If you’d like more information about Canada’s Healthy Workplace Month, visit: http://healthyworkplacemonth.ca/en/