3 Bad Health Habits Every Productive Worker Should Give Up – And How
Intro
Everyone has their fair share of bad habits, but some can be incredibly detrimental to health and productivity. In this digital age where work-from-home has become an expected norm, employees are likelier to develop bad working habits that impact their work output and overall health. Study results showed that while working from home offers flexibility, it also comes with challenges, such as employees being sedentary, experiencing distractions, and lacking a productive workspace.
Only about one in six people indicated that they hadn't picked up any bad habits since making the transition to a home office setting. In this post, we'll look at three bad health habits employees should give up and how:
Cigarette dependence
Cigarette smoking is undeniably bad for one's health, but many fail to realize that this habit significantly affects productivity. For one, smokers are associated with greater absenteeism compared to non-smokers. Studies have also shown that smoking cessation increases productivity and personal life satisfaction.
Quitting smoking can be challenging for long-time smokers, so recommending nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and smoking cessation products as part of your workplace wellness initiative can help. Tobacco-free nicotine pouches come in different nicotine strengths and lets users enjoy the nicotine experience without dealing with smoke, odors, or drip. This allows users to gradually reduce their intake. These nicotine pouches are available in a variety of flavors, and users can cut costs by opting for 10-pack or 30-packs with express delivery. Other NRT products to consider are flavored nicotine gums that are smoke-free and can be used every two hours to eliminate cigarette cravings while at work. Many nicotine gums today are coated with flavorings like ice mint for a smoother texture and minty flavor reminiscent of menthol cigarettes. Moreover, combining these products with additional help from therapists or quit experts is essential to ensure adherence.
Excessive screentime
In line with the harms of working in digital environments, many employees are exposed to too much screen time. This is detrimental to eye health and can cause eye strain, headaches, and dizziness in the long term. At the same time, this impact on employee health will also lead to more sick days and sick leaves, dampening work productivity.
Being surrounded by digital tools and screen activities can also contribute to heightened procrastination. In our last post about getting things done, we emphasize the importance of breaking down your goals into smaller and more manageable tasks. This is important as overwhelming work tasks can lead to procrastination by going for other activities on the screen, such as checking social network sites or push notifications on the smartphone. Not only does this distract employees from working, but it also harms their health as it doesn't reduce or relieve their screen time. Employees can benefit from a change in their physical and virtual environment, for example, by limiting accessible sites during work hours to prevent distractions. When employees feel overwhelmed, encourage them to walk outside instead of scrolling.
Inadequate sleep
Finally, an often overlooked bad health habit among workers is the tendency to lack sleep in the name of being more productive. Tiredness and sleepiness in this fast-paced age are often associated with being more productive and doing more things. Still, a lack of sleep can harm employee health and, subsequently, their productivity.
A piece on the importance of fixing employee sleep schedule highlights that the effects of fatigue are costing employers around $1,967 annually per employee. This adds up to $136.4 billion a year in total loss of productivity. Sleep loss can make employees feel drowsy and drained, making it difficult to focus on tasks that require focus and concentration — such as work. Promoting a health-focused working culture is essential so employees can prioritize aspects of their life such as a healthy diet, exercise routine, and especially a good sleep schedule as much as they prioritize work output and productivity.
