With the vast majority of us spending more time with our work
colleagues than the people we love, it's important that our
workplace is as healthy as possible. Over 130 million working days
were lost due to sickness in 2013, and stress and back pains are
major offenders.  As a nation we still don't feel comfortable
talking about stress; we see it as a weakness and many employers
still don't recognise it as a genuine illness, thinking people
should just "pull themselves together". But with 15 million
sickness days being put down to stress alone, it's clearly an
epidemic that we need to take seriously.

It's essential to recognise stress triggers and
learn how to deal with them. For many, it's caused by the pressures
of increased workloads and overwhelming targets, for others it's
dealing with aggressive customers or bullies in the workplace.
Tackling it early on can prevent things from becoming completely
debilitating, which leads to more time off sick and the potential
threat of job loss. Learn how to prioritise your workload by
attending a time management course or seeking support (there are
lots of good resources online) and find someone to talk to. If your
boss is supportive, tell them how you're feeling and that you need
some help with your workload- sometimes managers give out extra
work to the people they think can handle it the most, without
realising it's causing them stress. If they're not supportive at
all and refuse to discuss coping strategies, you may need to seek
advice from an external source. Work is important, but your health
is too, and there's no shame in seeking advice if things become too
much.

Back pain was responsible for over 30 million
sick days in 2013, and in many cases they could have been avoided
with proper procedures and practices in place. Then most common
causes of back pain are bad posture, awkward and sudden movements
and heavy lifting. All workplaces should have guides on how to sit
comfortably and handle heavy items, and there are usually specified
staff members who are trained to deal with heavy goods. Always know
your limits, bend with your legs and keep the load close to your
waist. If you know you have an existing back problem, don't do it.
Saying no today and finding someone else who's more physically able
will prevent weeks, months or even years of back pain.

RSI is another common complaint that's
particularly common with people who spend a lot of time typing or
undertaking other repetitive tasks. Taking breaks and doing regular
exercise are essential if you want to stay in good health, and
always remember- you are not a machine, you are a human being, and
your body wasn't designed to repeat the same action thousands of
times a day.

Recent studies have shown that sitting for long periods every
day can be just as deadly as smoking, so if your job involves
sitting down all day long it's essential to take regular breaks. If
you can, take a walk around the block at lunchtime and get up every
hour or so just to shake a leg and do something physical.
Workplaces that are able to install an in-house gym area are miles
ahead in term of keeping their employees healthy, but if that
doesn't work, consider a little keep fit session at break time. Not
only is it good for the body, it re-focuses the mind and will help
everyone stay motivated after that mid-afternoon dip.

Always remember, suffering in silence is not good for you. if
you're feeling ill, uncomfortable or don't think you can cope, get
help. Your body and mind are the most important tools you have and
if you don't look after them, you won't be able to function
properly or perform well at work. Don't wait until it's too late;
take action now and start looking after yourself.

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