There are many advantages to working as an IT professional but unfortunately, it also has many potential health risks. Some of these include countless hours of programming, a sedentary lifestyle, insomnia, and unhealthy food choices. This has to change if you want to maintain a healthy and successful lifestyle. Here are some points you can follow to become a sane and healthy developer.
1. Improve your diet:
Our body works according to the food we eat, there is a famous saying that we are what we eat, so if you want to have a healthier life, the best thing to do is to start adding more vegetables and fruits to your diet and give up junk food, excessive consumption of sugar and soft drinks. Be mindful of what you eat and when you eat it. This simple gesture can make a big difference in your lifestyle. Drink plenty of water, it has been proven that drinking water has many benefits for our body. Caffeine is a great ally for programmers. Drink coffee, but knowing that you are not dependent on it, but that it is a great help to stay focused. It is also important not to overeat before bedtime. If your body is still digesting dinner before you go to bed, it won't have much time to rest.
2. Workout:
I know it's not easy to get into the habit of exercising, many developers tend to forget or ignore it, but it's necessary to lead a healthy life. Just add 1 or 2 hours of exercise to your daily routine, you will get a lot of benefits that will help you stay healthy, with better mood, more energy and more concentration at work. If you don't have time to exercise after work for personal reasons, you can adapt in another way. For example, instead of always taking the car to run your errands you could take a walk from time to time, this is an effortless form of exercise that has many benefits for your long-term health. This tip will help you a lot especially if your job is stressful or mentally demanding. It will help you unwind.
3. Get enough rest:
Lack of sleep harms programmers' productivity. Sleep is what your body needs to recover from waking up and stay healthy. The body uses this downtime to reset your mind and repair the damage you suffered during the day. If you think your creative work time works best at night, you might want to reconsider. Working at night goes against the biological clock, resulting in slower reaction times and lower concentration. Studies have shown that getting enough sleep significantly increases daytime concentration, improves the immune system, and even improves memory. Try to sleep 8 hours a day, your body will thank you for it.
4. Improve your posture:
Posture is important in jobs where you spend most of the day sitting. Even if you have comfortable ergonomic chairs and an adjustable desk, even if you maintain good posture while programming, you still run the risk of back pain. Studies have shown that sitting at a desk for long periods is unhealthy for a variety of reasons. Some programmers try to solve this problem by using standing desks, but if this is not your case, correct your posture by following these tips:
- Keep your chair low with your legs aligned to the axis of the chair.
- Make sure your feet touch the floor and keep your knees apart. This will encourage a more active posture.
- Do an inverted backbend with your back by thrusting your chest forward. This may seem uncomfortable and ridiculous at first, but it is very beneficial for our back since we will be freeing it from the weight.
- Constantly change your sitting position.
- Make sure you have good back support.
- Use some kind of cushion.
- Stretch constantly and stand up from time to time (at least every 2 hours).
- Make sure your monitor is at eye level.
5. Separate your work life from your personal life:
Many of today's programmers work remotely from home and with clients in different time zones, so you should organize and limit your work schedule so that you have time for yourself and don't feel suffocated by all the work you have to do. Everyone needs some time off to relax and unwind. Separating work and personal life is essential to recharge your batteries. This way you can spend time with your family without being distracted from work. Put your phone down when spending time with friends and family. Believe me when I tell you that it helps you recover from the day and prepare for the next.
