Sunday November 7th, 2010 Staying Healthy at Work

Do you find yourself sore and achy after sitting at your desk all day? Are you relying on coffee to give you energy from nine to five? Is the stress of work causing you to lose sleep? If so, then come to the Thunder Bay Public Library and learn how you can stay healthy at work. We have a variety of books and resources with information on exercise, nutrition, and stress management to help you feel better throughout the day.

Finding time to exercise at work might not be that easy for some people. But just by doing some simple stretches can help relieve tension, improve circulation, and reduce stress. These two books by Bob Anderson, Stretching in the Office and Stretching at your Computer or Desk have easy to follow diagrams on how to stretch different areas of your body. Plus, these exercises can be done anywhere in the office.

Office Yoga by Darrin Zeer provides stretching and breathing exercises for all hours of the day. Learn how to stay relaxed in all situations such as when you’re stuck in traffic or crammed in an elevator with twenty other people. For more stretching ideas and information on staying safe in the workplace, take a look at Office Ergonomics Safety Guide from the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.

Eating a healthy lunch benefits both your mind and body. For healthy lunch recipes, take a look at The Brown Bag Lunch Cookbook by Miriam Jacobs, with over 160 quick and easy recipes that will keep you energized all day. The Natural Lunchbox by Judy Brown is full of natural, vegetarian lunch ideas. And for new sandwich ideas, try one of the 135 quick and easy sandwich recipes in Skinny Sandwiches by Desiree Witkowski.


Learning how to reduce stress is another way to stay healthy. Wellness at Work: Building Resilience to Job Stress by Valerie O’Hara, gives you the tools to manage workplace stressors. Overcoming Stress and Thriving in the Workplace by Bob Losyk explains how to cope with stress and bring balance to your life. And Surviving the Toxic Workplace by Linnda Durre will teach you how to work with negative people.

If you’re looking for a different way of enhancing your work experience, try Feng Shui, the practice of arranging your surroundings so they are in harmony and balance with nature. Feng Shui at Work by Kirsten M. Lagatree looks at how arranging your office space can help improve your performance at work. For example, placing a plant on your desk can draw positive energy to your work area.


Finally, if you can’t get away from your computer, go to www.tbpl.ca and check out one of our online databases (found in "My Giant Search" in the Research section) such as the Health and Wellness Resource Center. You’ll find lots of information on a variety of topics to help you create a healthy lifestyle.

Lindsey Long, Reference Librarian