Remember back in grade school, the excitement of giving and receiving valentines from classmates? Bright red paper cards with Peanuts, Scooby Doo, and Bugs Bunny on them and hoping for Hershey’s Kiss from that special someone you had a crush on? Well, now that we are adults, Valentine’s Day may have lost some of the magic, but there is still some love we can show ourselves every day at work.
Drink Lots of Water
Our brains are about 70% water, and our bodies around 50–75% water, depending on age and gender. It’s not surprising being inadequately hydrated can affect how we feel and perform at work. Research has shown even a reduction in dehydration levels of as little as 2% of body weight can influence mood, lead to greater feelings of fatigue and reduced levels of alertness. So, start your day off with a tall glass of water, and drink it thought the day.
Maintain Good Posture
It’s easy to get your back and neck out of whack when sitting at a desk all day. All your nerves run through your spine. If any of your nerves are depressed, you may experience a dip in your performance. Ensuring you have an ergonomic arrangement, sitting up straight, and aligning your head properly with your screen can help you maintain a healthy spine and healthy body.
Stand Whenever Possible
One study from the European Heart Journal found excessive sitting was associated with worse health, but if participants replaced two hours a day with standing, they showed lower blood sugar levels, lower cholesterol, and lower risk of heart disease.
Don’t forget to give some love to your computer, too.
- Keep it clean! Nothing shows wear and tear like having a dirty screen and keyboard. Dust, dirt, and grime can cause PCs to malfunction and keyboard keys to stick. Fans clogged with dirt can cause your machine to overheat. A dirty screen can and will affect the display, so wipe down your machine, use a keyboard vacuum or canned air to remove dirt from your keyboard and PC fan.
- Get a surge protector. An electrical surge can fry your hard drive. If you are in an area prone to storms or electrical surges due to fluctuating power supplies, get a surge protector. Invest in a good one, otherwise, you might find yourself buying another machine.
Remembering, giving a little love to yourself and your computer each day will help you both work better and may help you both “live” a bit longer.