Break the cycle of sitting, snacking, and stress
Maybe you’re struggling to cope with stress at work. Despite your best intentions, you could end up neglecting your well-being—turning to fast food, relying on coffee throughout the day, or letting your gym membership go to waste due to low energy.
Modern work life, whether in the office or at home, can make it challenging to stay on track with your health goals. Long hours, tight deadlines, and sedentary routines—combined with convenient but unhealthy food and workplace stress—can quietly undermine well-being.
The good news? By recognizing these common workplace traps and adopting practical strategies to address them, employees can protect their energy, productivity and long-term health, no matter where they work.
Why workplace wellness matters
Corporate wellness programs have a profound impact on employee health, well-being, and productivity. From my experience in running wellness initiatives throughout my career, I’ve seen employees improve their work-life balance, energy levels, and overall performance. These benefits often extend beyond the workplace, positively influencing family and friends.
In fact, studies show that wellness programs contribute to company growth by reducing sick leaves and absences, while enhancing employee motivation and engagement through improved health and increased energy.
That said, every company should prioritize the health and energy of its teams. But promoting wellness doesn’t have to involve complex initiatives or costly activities—even simple programs can create a meaningful impact on both employees and the organization as a whole.
Effective strategies include:
- Expert-led health talks covering wellness trends and practical lifestyle management practices about eating, movement, and recovery
- Health and fitness assessments beyond basic, company-mandated health insurance
- Fitness challenges, such as step tracking or quarterly or biannual events
- After-office group classes led by professional fitness coaches
- Quarterly interactive workshops focused on fitness, nutrition, and well-being
Overcoming the biggest workplace wellness traps
Being aware of these workplace wellness traps and understanding their effects on your body can help you assess your current lifestyle and implement practical solutions to achieve optimal health.
1. Skipping breakfast or improper intermittent fasting
Many busy employees skip breakfast due to lack of time or in an attempt to lose weight, often leading to time-restricted eating, a form of intermittent fasting. When done properly, this approach can support health and weight management. However, if the eating window is too short (less than eight hours) and factors like sleep quality, stress levels, or menstrual cycle phases are ignored, it can backfire.
During the luteal or menstrual phase, hormonal changes make the body more sensitive to stress. And skipping meals under these conditions can elevate cortisol—the primary stress hormone. Higher cortisol levels can raise blood glucose, trigger cravings, and worsen fatigue. Over time, these effects compound, creating additional stress and negatively impacting overall health.
Smart fasting practices:
- Adjust your eating window to your lifestyle and cycle: Some days may require a slightly longer window or an earlier breakfast to support energy. Listen to your body—if you feel dizzy, excessively hungry, or fatigued, it’s a sign your fasting approach needs adjustment. A safe starting point is a 12-hour fast with a 12-hour eating window.
- Choose nutrient-dense meals: During your eating window, focus on vegetables, lean meats, fish, chicken, legumes, nuts, seeds, and low-glycemic fruits. These help maintain steady blood sugar and support hormonal balance.
- Prioritize consistent sleep: Even on weekends, aim to go to bed early to avoid added stress. Fasting and other wellness practices work best when your body isn’t already overloaded with stress. Consistent sleep helps optimize energy and overall health.
2. Making afternoon coffee a habit
Many employees experience an energy dip between 2 and 3 p.m., which often leads to reaching for coffee, paired with pastries or snacks. While this may provide a temporary boost, it can trigger a rapid rise in blood sugar followed by a crash, leading to cravings that persist throughout the day.
Caffeine and sugar can also interfere with melatonin, disrupting evening sleep. These habits create a cycle of energy crashes, mindless snacking, and fatigue.
Healthier afternoon strategies:
- Focus on protein snacks: Prepare ahead with options like a handful of mixed nuts, high-fiber bread with eggs, or Greek yogurt. Protein helps stabilize blood sugar levels, keeps you feeling full for longer, and reduces cravings. Apply stimulus control by keeping healthy foods easily accessible at your desk or in the office, and avoid storing sugary or processed snacks, such as pastries, cookies, or junk food in your pantry or drawers.
- Check your hunger: Sometimes you’re not truly hungry; routine or social cues may drive the habit. For example, sharing chips with colleagues can lead to mindless eating, even when you’re not hungry. Learn to say no and focus on mindful eating.
- Hydrate well: Always keep a water bottle at your desk and aim to drink at least 1 liter during work hours. Proper hydration helps prevent fatigue, improves focus, and reduces unnecessary snacking. Swap sugary coffee drinks (best before 3 p.m.) for black coffee, tea, or water to avoid the sugar crash and maintain steady energy.
- Try these non-food alternative activities: Take a short walk, step outside for fresh air, or spend a few minutes on mindful breathing to reset energy.
3. Choosing to eat out or have food delivered
Eating out or ordering delivery can be a convenient option. Still, many restaurant meals, particularly those with fried or heavily sauced dishes, can compromise long-term health. These meals are often high in refined carbohydrates, low in fiber, and include excessive sauces or condiments, which can contribute to weight gain and poor gut health.
Frequent consumption can also negatively affect hormones and heart health. Even small indulgences, such as desserts or sugary drinks as part of meals, further spike blood sugar, creating cycles of cravings and fatigue.
Innovative strategies for eating a healthy lunch:
- Bring your own meal when possible: Home-cooked meals save money, time, and ensure nutrient-rich options. You control protein, fiber, and healthy fat content—often missing in rushed food choices.
- When eating out, opt for restaurants offering balanced meals: Choose meals with a balance of protein, vegetables, and moderate carbohydrates. Avoid overly fried or heavily sauced dishes.
- Plan for post-meal wellness: A packed lunch allows you extra time for walking, mindful breaks, or a mental reset after eating. Use this time to reorganize thoughts, breathe, and maintain energy for the rest of the workday.
4. Using lack of time as a reason to skip exercise
Many employees struggle to find time or energy for exercise due to long work hours and commuting. An 8-to-5 job with travel can easily consume nine to 10 hours of your day, and the commute itself can leave you drained, pushing planned workouts aside.
According to a 2024 study, optimal health is supported by roughly six hours of sitting, five hours and ten minutes of standing, eight hours and 20 minutes of sleep, two hours and ten minutes of light physical activity, and two hours and 20 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous activity. Don’t get overwhelmed though—even small changes to add movement throughout your day can already provide significant health benefits.
How to fit exercise into a busy schedule:
- Plan for morning workouts: A 20- to 30-minute session can be enough to boost energy and mood for the day. Adjust your sleep schedule to wake up earlier if necessary.
- Incorporate movement throughout the day: Aim to accumulate around 7,000 steps per day, which research shows is enough to reduce risks of chronic disease and improve overall well-being significantly. Even five to ten minutes of walking several times a day adds up. Use stairs instead of elevators. Stand or move during calls or meetings.
- Choose stress-friendly workouts in the evening: If you’re tired or sleep-deprived, go for moderate strength training, yoga, Pilates, feel-good cardio, or brisk walking. Avoid high-intensity sessions if you have insufficient sleep, as this can increase stress hormones.
Easy workouts you can do at work
On days when a full workout isn’t possible, you can still stay active using your chair or workspace. Simple exercises not only keep your metabolism moving, but also support muscular strength and bone health.
- Seated knee tucks
- Sit-to-stand
- Push-ups
- Chair dips (arms)
- Plank using a chair
- Squats or lunges
- Side leg lifts
