Too many people work too much and the practice is detrimental to health. The most common issue — back pain — has been reported by everyone at some point, and there are other health issues directly affected by work.

Obviously, the fast-paced lifestyle we all lead is not good for either our body or soul, so what can be done?

First and foremost, changing bad habits is the starting point.

Let’s take a look at some useful tips, which can apply to both in-office and remote jobs.

Don’t Sit for Extended Periods

The phrase “sitting is the new smoking” has been widely popularized, and not without a good reason. Too many people spend their entire working hours sitting in front of their screens. To make things worse, they spend too much time sitting in front of their TVs after their working hours. Overall, too much and too often.

Back pain is the usual sign of sitting too much, but and poor concentration and night cramps aren’t to be overlooked, either.

The solution lies in breaking the spell of sitting for too long. Take a short break to take a walk, stretch your muscles or do some yoga.

Stay Organized and Communicate Well

Stress can lead to real physical illness, which is why organization and communication are key, team communication in particular.

While the main responsibility is on the managers, each individual can contribute as well. Keep in touch with your colleagues face to face and online, and maintain a good relationship with everyone (as much as possible).

How can this help you lead a healthier lifestyle, exactly?

It will lower stress levels. Miscommunication and poor relations are the main reason why people feel unsatisfied and stressed at work, so do whatever you can to prevent this scenario from taking root.

Stay Up-to-Date on Medical Appointments

One notable downside of working too much is that people tend to forget about their check-ups and regular medical appointments.

Being ill can lead to the possibility of accidents at work, even if you don’t have a dangerous job, so don’t forget to attend that check-up. Don’t wait for a problem to manifest itself if you can prevent it.

Keep Looking for Learning Opportunities

Join a community or sign up for a few newsletters that offer new, relevant, and up-to-date tips. There are new ideas every day — you only need access to them. If you’re an expert, you can even sell your own online course and help others live a healthier lifestyle.

Eat a Balanced Diet

A healthy diet means that every meal is nutritious and that there are no unhealthy snacks (note that doesn’t equal no snacks — eat fruit instead of instant sugar).

A balanced diet should include fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products and whole grains. Foods rich in salt and sugar should be ditched for healthier options. Eat lots of beans, nuts, fish, and lean meat or vegetable proteins if you’re vegetarian/vegan (soy and beans, for example).

Make Each Break Count

As mentioned above, short breaks are a great idea to relieve back pain (or better still – prevent it), but it is also important to schedule regular breaks every day. Never skip your lunch break, no matter how busy you may be.

Draft a daily schedule that will include all tasks and breaks in between and stick to it.

In addition, if your job allows it, benefit from working from elsewhere. Take your laptop with you and enjoy a cup of coffee at your favorite café or enjoy some relaxing time in a park. Changing the environment can help you mentally, as it is often easier to relax in a setting you like best (which is rarely the office).

Finally, if you haven’t tried out workations yet, it may be the right time to do so. Even when your job seems impossible to finish on time, you can always take some time off and work from a holiday destination. Look up available offers online; some hotels offer special workation packages!

Leading a Healthy Lifestyle Is a Process

Overall, to lead a healthier lifestyle, you should abolish harmful habits, as follows:

• Sit less
• Eat a balanced diet and exchange unhealthy snacks for fruit
• Take regular breaks
• Change the environment from time to time
• Maintain healthy communication with your colleagues
• Keep learning
• Try a workation

Last but not least — work out. You don’t necessarily have to go out of your way to exercise every day, but finding an activity that helps you keep fit and relaxed is definitely a good idea. You can even exercise at home — there are online workout programs for everyone.

Experiment with your new habits to find the best combination. If it also make you feel great to keep an eye on your carbon footprint, look into transforming your workspace into something greener, which can go as big as solar panels to as small as indoor plants. Everything is individual, really, so customize your needs so that they fit your preferences. The rest is history.