How to Build Healthy Work Habits

Smoothies, intermittent fasting, working out. Health continues to be at the forefront for many as they continue to strive to live healthier and happier. From mindset to workouts to diets, there are many things that people can do in their spare time to strive to live cleaner.

But what about the 8-10 hours spent in front of the computer or at your desk daily? There are some simple things we can all do to build healthy habits.

I spent the last 10-plus years as a strength & conditioning coach with certifications through NASM (PES, SNS, CPT) and have trained hundreds of athletes and working professionals. I’ve trained high school football teams, pro baseball players and college athletes with various baselines to start their training journey. Although some athletes or professionals have more advanced baselines, I always recommend starting small with daily protocols to retrain the mind so the body will follow the program and goals we set out to accomplish. So, what are the things that I start with when training?

Here are some easy habits you can start building now:

START SMALL with a short-term goal (30-day increments). Some easy goals can include drinking eight ounces of water before coffee, taking a brisk (or leisurely) one-mile walk, or eating something green with dinner. Starting with smaller, more attainable goals increases the chances that you’ll stick with something. As you reach each goal, you can incrementally make them more challenging.

JOURNAL your progress when you wake up and before you go to bed. This practice will help you shift your mindset and get you grounded in your daily progress, goals and tasks. It will help you maintain a to-do list so you don’t feel like you flying by the seat of your pants throughout the day. You need to do this at all costs and don’t overcomplicate it. Keeps it simple until you build enough bandwidth to elaborate on your goals.

BE ACCOUNTABLE to what you subscribe to on your TV, podcasts and even the company you keep in your inner circle. If something isn’t adding value to your mental health or success, cut it out! If you haven’t found an outlet like a TV show or podcast, just trial and error until you find something that motivates you.

Building healthy habits will lead to increased happiness at work (and in your personal life), higher productivity and overall wellbeing.

For more tips, inspiration or challenges, follow WunderLand Group or Jay Britton (me) on LinkedIn.