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Archive for category: Healthy Workplace

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Proven Ways to Put a Stop to Procrastination

Procrastination is defined as “the action of delaying or postponing something.”  Whether you’re the CEO of a large corporation or a stay at home Mom, we all procrastinate sometimes.  But why?  The following from Forbes Magazine will help you to delve deeper into the reasoning of why we put things off and provide you with tips to put a stop to your procrastination.

Forbes:  The Truth Behind Why We Procrastinate

For more information on how to be more productive, check out our previous post:  “Just Get Er Done.”

 

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Text Neck—Are You Guilty?

The posture adopted by many people when leaning over a cellphone while reading and texting is becoming a problem. This bad posture that can put up to 60 pounds of pressure on the upper spine — sometimes for several hours a day, is a growing concern with long-term consequences.  Learn more in the following from The Washington Post and if you are suffering from text neck contact an OT for an individualized solution.

The Washington Post:  Digital disabilities — text neck, cellphone elbow — are painful and growing

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#Access4All

The Rick Hansen Foundation, in partnership with the Government of Canada, has launched a great way to celebrate Canada’s 150th Birthday– creating a Canada that has Access4All.  Learn more about this awesome initiative below.   Together we can make a difference!

Rick Hansen Foundation:   Celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday by giving the gift of accessibility!

 

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A Practical Guide to Barrier Free Design

There is a greater awareness in society that our buildings and spaces must be more accessible to all.  In Ontario, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is ensuring that all businesses are accessible by 2025 in many ways, including design of public spaces.

Today we focus on the physical environment.  This is where barrier free design comes into focus.  What is barrier free design? It involves designing spaces, both public and private, to allow access for the greatest majority of people.

Some common barriers include:

  •  Curbs
  •  Uneven sidewalks
  •  Stairs
  •  Heavy doors
  •  Absence of handrails

In the following video from our OT-V series we discuss these obstacles and how occupational therapists promote accessibility, and assist individuals and businesses with creating a barrier free environment.

 

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The Work-Life Balance Myth

What is your impression of work-life balance? A lot of people find it a completely unrealistic goal that is impossible to achieve. Many people find life demands are simply keeping them too busy to take time to relax. As we talked about in a previous episode, stress can cause heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and immunity issues. Statistics Canada says that 1 in 4 adults reported high stress in 2013, and high stress means that your mental and physical health are declining.

The good news is that this is preventable. For a lot of people, their expectation of work-life balance is NOT realistic. You can’t expect to go to the gym 7 days a week, get 8 hours of sleep every night, meet every work deadline, and have the time to home-cook every meal. A common misconception of work-life balance is that it needs to happen every day, and that simply isn’t realistic. A more realistic goal may be to try to have a balanced week or month of work and leisure; it doesn’t need to happen all in one day.

We also need to change the way we think about work; instead of work-life balance we’ll be using the term stress-life balance. People that are unemployed by choice, students, and caregivers still experience stress-life balance, so we can’t attribute all stress to work even though it’s a common stressor for many.

One of the strategies OT’s use to make stress-life balance possible is to set SMART goals. A good goal should be:

  • Specific
  • Measureable
  • Achievable
  • Realistic
  • Time-bound

First, figure out what stresses you. This may seem simple, but get really specific. Does your job stress you out? What ABOUT your job stresses you out? When do your kids stress you out most? Make a list of what can be changed, and what can’t. Don’t say that nothing can be changed!

Next, understand what helps you de-stress. This is different for everyone. Some people need passive or relaxing leisure where they can shut their brains off; common examples of passive leisure are watching television, yoga, or going to the theatre. Some people need active leisure to de-stress, like going for a run, socializing with friends, or reading a favourite book.

Lastly, make a plan for how you can integrate more of those de-stressors into your life on a weekly or monthly basis. Also make a plan for how to reduce your stressors. Make sure this plan is a SMART plan, and you should be on your way to improving your mental and physical health. Occupational therapists know the evidence behind de-stressing, and which activities give you the most bang for your buck when you’re low on time.

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Lunch Break Lunges and More…

It’s important to keep your body moving throughout a long day at work to reduce the risk of sitting disease and help prevent illness and injury.  Check out the following from The Active Times which gives you some ideas for quick and easy physical activity you can do on your lunch breaks.

The Active Times:  The 20 Best Lunch Break Exercises

Take a look at some of our additional posts on workplace wellness in our Healthy Workplace page.

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How’s Your Posture?

Repetitive activity using improper posture and body mechanics can result in excess energy expenditure, fatigue, pain and even injury or damage to muscles and joints over time.  Therefore, it’s important to know the proper body mechanics required when completing everyday tasks and activities, at home, at play or at work or school.

The following episode of our Occupational Therapy Video Series:  OT-V discusses how to ensure you are using proper body mechanics with respect to:

  • workspace design
  • lifting and repetitive muscle use
  • excessive standing
  • excessive sitting
  • hand movements
  • excessive energy output.

Take a look to learn how an OT can help you improve body mechanics and reduce the risk of injury and pain in the long-term.  Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for access to this and other great OT-V videos!

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Let’s Talk About Mental Health

Today is Bell Let’s Talk Day in Canada.  Again this year Bell will be raising funds to support mental health initiatives across Canada and to help put a stop to the stigma surrounding mental health.  Take a look at these 5 great ways to help end the stigma and watch one of this year’s powerful videos.

 

Remember to tweet using the hashtag #BellLetsTalk and/or share the Bell Let’s Talk Day image to generate a 5 cent donation by Bell!

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Improve Mental Health On The Job

Mental health issues due to workplace stress and illness are on the rise.  We have provided many articles in our Healthy Workplace series on ways to overcome these issues.  Check out the following article from one of our consultants, Jennifer Holmes Beamer who is currently working in New Zealand, on great ways to combat stress and improve mental health at work.

Acknowledging and Improving Mental Health in the Workplace

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Chair Yoga Promotes Workplace Health

Co-written with Lindsay Sinclair, Occupational Therapist

Have you ever reflected on how much time you spend sitting at work? Do you ever try to find reasons to move around during the work day to resolve that restless feeling?  Do you ever wish you could take a moment during the day to relax and de-stress?  Perhaps Chair Yoga will be the answer for you!

In recent years, yoga has become the new “it” thing, with individuals of all age groups participating in this ancient activity. Originally created in India, yoga is a practice that combines breathing exercises, meditation, and assuming various postures to elongate muscles and promoting stretching. This time-tested practice aims to achieve harmony between the body and mind to increase overall well-being.

Yoga has many benefits, including positive impacts on physical and mental health. Yoga can help increase flexibility, reduce aches and pains, strengthen muscles, protect joints, and decrease the risk of arthritis. It can also enable us to cope with stress, improve focus and concentration, restore energy, and find peace of mind. These benefits may translate into increased productivity at work and enhanced satisfaction with work-life balance.

Chair yoga is a gentle style of yoga that can be practiced in a mostly seated position. It is particularly useful for individuals who are sitting at a desk the majority of the day, confined to tight spaces for long periods of time (ex: long bus ride), and individuals with mobility issues.

Seated yoga is a great way to take a break from the everyday stresses at work and can easily be incorporated into your daily routine.  Check out About Health for some seated yoga poses you can try at work or at home!

For other strategies on how you can promote workplace health, consult an Occupational Therapist and check out our Healthy Workplace page.    From ergonomics to mental and cognitive well being, we are the profession that can promote productivity and function in the workplace.