Workplace wellness for UAE Women

Posted on

2 May 2014

| Last updated on 19 April 2017

Workplace Wellness for Women in the United Arab Emirates

Recent decades have shown improvement in the status of women in the workplace, but the fact that it remains a controversial topic means that there is still much to be done to achieve equality in the office. Facebook executive Sheryl Sandberg’s recent bestseller, “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” argues that women still face a number of challenges in the workplace and at home. Whether you agree or disagree with Ms. Sandberg, her concept of “leaning into ambitions” has become a global movement.

While increased female participation in the workplace has contributed to impressive gains in productivity, an unfortunate consequence is that professional women are starting to suffer from health problems historically associated with deskbound white collar men. Stress, sedentary lifestyle, and poor diet are associated with myriad health problems, including cancer and cardiovascular disease.

Fuel

The popular TV series Mad Men portrays a team of high powered advertising executives who fuel themselves with cigarettes, booze and coffee in order to pump their creative juices and meet deadlines. While, fortunately, smoking and drinking at the office is generally no longer accepted, there are still many professionals who view these habits as workplace fuel.

The first and most important step in workplace wellness is minding what you put into your body. Skip the vending machine sodas, birthday cake, muffins and bottomless cups of bad coffee. Give yourself healthy options: have a fruit basket delivered to the office every week, pack lunch from home or choose lighter options from the menu, and drink green tea.

Movement

Healthcare commentators are now saying “sitting is the new smoking,” and the health risks of a sedentary lifestyle are becoming increasingly apparent. Most white collar jobs today require sitting in front of a computer monitor for large portions of the day, with only fingertips and eyeballs getting any exercise!

Make an effort to get up and move around the office. Take the stairs instead of waiting around for the elevator. You can do a number of stretches and body movements while sitting in your cubicle. If you’re worried about what your colleagues will think when they see you flailing around, you can practice just building tension and squeezing your core at intervals – no one will know what you’re doing!

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Environment

In the Emirates, climate control is used year-round, which can have a negative effect on your skin and respiratory system. Keep a jar of moisturizer at your desk, and consider using a humidifier to keep the air around you moist. You may even consider adding a few drops of essential oil to your humidifier for aromatherapy, and/or to improve skin tone. Also, having a live plant at your desk can boost oxygen levels and improve your mood

Stress

Workplace stress is a fact of life that we can’t control, but we can control how to cope with it. Old school methods like smoking and drinking actually do not reduce stress levels, and, as we know all too well, they have several negative effects on health. Meditation, mindfulness, or even just a couple of minutes of closing your eyes and breathing deeply can help in coping with stress.

It is important to remember that, while work and money are important and, up to a certain point, vital parts of life, our careers don’t define us. Make time for a healthy hobby outside of work and family time, even if it’s only for an hour per week at the gym, the studio, or outdoors. Remember that a healthy body and healthy mind are the foundation for a successful career!