Everyone has health risks at work
Even when you have a job you love, you’re at a surprising amount of mental and physical health risks while at work. Two-thirds of Canadian adults spend 60% of their waking hours at work so what you do for a living and how you do it has a big impact on your overall life.
Beyond the obvious potential hazards of chemicals, equipment, slip-and-falls and the other types of workplace safety issues, there’s the risks of repetitive strain injuries, stress, respiratory issues from air quality and cosmetics, and exposure to infectious diseases.
Damage to muscles, bones and joints is one of the most common workplace-related health issues. For many workers, in all kinds of work, the repetitiveness of motions required in your job, bad posture and even uncompromising floors can contribute to physical injuries in otherwise healthy workers.
Simply staying in one position too long, at a computer or prolonged driving for instance, can contribute to damage to your lower back and neck. Hand and wrist injuries can appear from repetitious actions like keyboarding and factory work.
Try to avoid sitting or repeating the same action for more than 30 minutes at a time. Take a small break, stretch your muscles and joints. If you recognize that you’re at risk, get involved in a personalized preventive program to protect yourself from the risks of muscle, joint and bone pain.
Stress comes in many shapes and sizes. It’s different for everyone. If your work is making you feel stress in a negative way, it’s good to deal with it before it puts you out of commission.
It’s important to track your stressors. Take note of what’s happening around you when you feel the stress coming on. It’s great to get help to learn how to cope with stress by developing healthy responses to the stress, learning how to relax and how to set boundaries for yourself and your co-workers. Talking to a professional through a personalized program can help you develop a plan to reduce your reaction to stressors and be healthier in stressful situations.
Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could stay home when they have a contagious disease like a cold or flu? Unfortunately, that’s not a financial reality for the vast majority of workers. So how can you protect yourself? Firstly, make sure you’re getting enough sleep, eating right and being physically active. All those things contribute to the effectiveness of your immune system.
Even a strong immune system can’t protect you from catching a virus. Increase your chances of dodging a contagious disease winding its way through your workplace. Avoid close contact with those who are ill, wash your hands often with soap and water, and avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands (this is a really good idea all the time – you’d be surprised how effective viruses and bacteria are at getting into your system through your eyes and nose).
The wellness programs at Our Clinic may be able to help. An integrated team of healthcare professionals can develop an individualized program especially designed for you and your workplace risks. For more information visit the website, book an appointment, or give us a call at 519-937-1881.