5 Moves to Maintain Your Wellness During the Workday

Whether you’re just starting out in your career or have been kicking butt (professionally) for decades, we ladies need to take care of ourselves every single day if we’re going to make it to retirement without keeling over. Here are five super simple, daily moves to help you maintain your wellness while at work:

Meditate

Make a commitment to yourself to sit quietly—or with a guided meditation—every day, before work and right when you get home. Starting and ending the workday with a three-minute sitting meditation has absolutely changed my life. After weeks of feeling stressed and anxious, I turned to Terri Cole, who—in a blog post—not only explains the simplicity of this practice, but the necessity. Treat yourself daily with quiet personal time, free of to-do lists and judgmental thoughts.

Walk

As they say, sitting is the new smoking. According to a study by the American Heart Association, heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women—killing one in three women every year—and sitting for too long has been linked to cardiovascular disease. Twice daily, take a quick lap around the block to re-connect with nature. It’ll not only get your creativity flowing, it’ll keep you heart healthy.

Stretch

Speaking of long hours of sitting, it’s also been linked to muscular issues. Sometimes I catch myself with my shoulders tense, my hands feeling tight or my neck slightly leaning forward. In these moments, give your arms, legs and neck a much-needed stretch while at your desk. Reserve five minutes at night for full-body stretches to keep your muscles pliable. Need a resource? Check out this bedtime yoga routine led by Rebekah Borucki.

Chat

Socialize for health's sake. When it's time to celebrate a productive day, head to the kitchen and chat with a co-worker while you fill up your water bottle. If you’re a solopreneur or work at home, now‘s the perfect time to catch up with mom or a friend.

Snooze

Whether you need to sit quietly with your eyes closed for five minutes, or take a 20-minute siesta, I’ve found that a quick rest mid-day helps me recharge and pumps up my productivity in the afternoon. Reserve a section of your office for rejuvenating relaxation. From nap pods to comfy couches, having an area of the office dedicated to rest is beneficial for employees and the company. (NASA sleep researchers reported that about 20 minutes of sleep can boost performance by 34%.) If you work from home, all the better.

By incorporating at least one of these five moves into your workday, you’ll feel massive results in your productivity, decreases in your stress levels and will have more sustainable energy throughout the day. Let me know in the comments which tip you’re committing to today.