Want a Healthier Office Environment? There’s An App For That

Published on April 7, 2014 - By Jo Meunier (née Disney)

However much you dress it up, working from an office can be detrimental to your health.

Stressful roles, hunching over laptops, slouching in seats, far too few water breaks and long, busy days staring at screens: these are all ingredients for a ticking health time-bomb. It’s why the treadmill desk was invented, and why coworking spaces are seeking more inspirational wellness environments than the standard corporate office block.

Some workspace operators have done their bit by investing in carefully designed rooms, ergonomic furniture and on-site fitness centres. After all, the healthier the workplace, the more beneficial it is to clients and staff – and the more likely they are to stay.

But of course, not every workspace has the capacity to install a gym or floor-to-ceiling windows. So, failing that, how else do you promote wellness at work?

The answer, as we see so often in today’s digital world, lies in technology.

If you can’t offer your clients and staff a feng shui-inspired, health-club-esque office environment – or even if you do, and you’re looking to go one better – you could always turn to the app store. Here, we’ve rounded up 5 of our favourite health-conscious apps, ranging from water reminders to digital calorie counters.

Take a look and let us know what you think. Can you see your clients adopting any of these apps?

1. Exercise prompts: As Hotseat says, “Don’t just sit there”. This handy app schedules personalised mini breaks featuring short bursts of exercise, depending on your level of fitness and activity preferences. It can synch with your calendar, delivers reminders, tracks activity, follows progress and even lets you collaborate your routine with colleagues and coworkers. http://gethotseatapp.com/

2. Thirsty? You might be a stickler for your morning coffee, but do you remember to drink enough water during the working day? Waterlogged is a water reminder app that helps desk-bound workers stay hydrated with a series of prompts. It helps you to keep track of how much water you’ve consumed, and how much more you should get through to reach your daily goal.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/waterlogged/id352199775?mt=8

3. Get moving: We’re familiar with fitness apps that track activities and deliver detailed stats and facts. Human, however, is a fitness app with a difference. Aiming to get you moving at least 30 minutes every day – the ‘Daily 30’ – Human is a simple system that tracks your activity and tells you how many more minutes you have remaining. It tracks all of your walks, runs, bike rides and other exercise automatically – providing they last for 1 minute or more.
http://human.co/

4. Digi calorie counter: You’ve just ordered a skinny latte, so you’ve earned that tempting blueberry muffin, right? Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker from MyFitnessPal might tell you different. This useful app has a database containing over 2,000,000 types of food, allowing you to scan, track and calculate the calories and nutritional content of food you have eaten, producing a daily nutritional report. You can also collaborate with your colleagues and support each other’s progress.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/mobile/iphone

5. De-stress: We all know the dangers of stress at work, but do you actually do anything about it? Stress Check Pro is an app designed to minimise the effects of a pressurised work environment by measuring your pulse and heart rate, helping you to monitor and control stress. It does this by using your mobile phone’s built-in camera to measure your pulse and heart rate.
http://www.azumio.com/apps/stress-check/

Have you tried any of these apps? Can you recommend any others? Let us know your hot tips and tricks for enjoying a healthier work environment – we’d love to share your ideas!

Image source – StockImages, freedigitalphotos.net