Renewal and detoxification are typical health topics for this time of year in the Western Hemisphere, when the buds are blossoming on the trees and nature shows us that uniquely bright, fresh green that comes with rebirth. In springtime our bodies, cyclical by nature, tend to crave lighter foods, less clutter and freedom from constrictive winter clothing. We tend to feel a surge of energy as we increase our time outside and expose our eyes to longer hours of light. There is a sense of promise and hopefulness in spring. A sense of renewal. So, we get up early with the spring birds, hop on our bikes with glee and pedal into the office where… the sense of optimism takes a nosedive. 

Now we’re at work. We grab our regular coffee, sit at our regular desk, do our regular tasks and life goes back to feeling…regular. Brain fog returns, trouble concentrating creeps in, and that motivated person who pedalled along with the morning songbirds seems to have left the building.  But does it have to be this way? Can we infuse renewal into the workplace, too? 

Habitual patterning provides comfort and often efficiency. But doing the same routine each day, all year, can also blunt our happy brain chemicals and disturb our flow of creativity. With mental health concerns in the workplace on the rise, the idea of renewal in the workplace becomes attractive. How can we mix it up and make our work environment a place that can nurture our growth, contribute to our resilience and encourage us to be the best versions of our creative, energetic selves? 

 

One Thing

Your health habits are a place where small changes can make a lasting impact on your mental and physical wellness. Very small, simple new health choices, when done with purpose, can keep the feeling of renewal and optimism going in the workplace. Sometimes, just making one change (doing one thing) can be enough to encourage a domino effect of other things that help your routine feel fresh. Here are a few small things that can spark renewal: 

• Get a great water bottle and fill it up twice. Choose one that you like to hold, that feels good in your hand, that is easy for you to take with you and put water in it. Drink it. Add mint, lemon, electrolyte tablets, berries, whatever helps you drink the water that keeps your detoxification system humming. Caffeinated beverages deplete water from your body, so continuing to sip throughout the day will be a great way to replenish our most essential nutrient. Consider reducing your caffeine consumption by half if possible. 
  
• Move more. If you have a desk job, make sure to get up and move around more than you do now, at least every twenty minutes. Adjust your chair or your ergonomics, so as to be as easy on your body as possible.
  
• Remove the clutter. Desk environments can become places of chaos overnight! Catch the spring-cleaning bug and remove old post-it notes, dead plants, dirty mugs and open a window. Add a fresh, live plant and clean your surfaces with a mild disinfectant. 
  
• Spring is a great time to reset your circadian rhythm. Ensure you reduce your blue light from screens at least two hours before bed and, if you can, expose your eyes to indirect sunlight as it comes up in the morning for at least 2 minutes. This will help synchronise your sleep-wake cycle, giving your body the cues it needs to know when to wake and when to sleep
  
• Test your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D, which is actually a hormone, is responsible for so many of our metabolic functions. Even if you live in a sunny climate, chances are you spend the majority of your day inside, away from the sun, which is your main source of vitamin D. Lower levels contribute to exhaustion, other hormone imbalances, weakened immune function and more. Find out your levels and then consider supplementing accordingly with a D3 supplement that also contains Vitamin K2, which is synergistic for absorption. 

How else can you shake up your work routine to help contribute to a sense of renewal in your life?  Consider increasing your evening walk by ten minutes, cooking simple meals at home that can double up as lunches the next day, or perhaps identifying what people in your relationship spheres might be contributing to a sense of lethargy and toxicity. As always, Atrium therapists are here to help coach you through issues like this and more. You deserve to feel well at work!