You might feel powerful and productive there, but the office holds hidden threats which can speed the ageing process. But don't hand in your resignation or decide to work from home just yet. Here's how this micro climate can affect your looks - and how to keep your skin and body healthy at work.
Picture credits: Rex Features
Constant talking on the phone puts pressure on the face and can lead to a drop in muscle tension leaving skin sagging and producing fine lines. The solution? Our Beauty Director Joanna McGarry recommends facial massage to plump the skin back up: "Taking a few extra minutes to smooth in moisturiser or facial oil in upward strokes helps the skin to remember where it should sit".
Sitting on a chair all day increases your chances of cellulite, while in the long term sitting in a hunched position can cause posture issues that lead to intense back pain. To combat this, do squats, take the stairs and, if you want serious improvement, swap your chair for an exercise ball (try yogastudio.co.uk). It keeps muscles toned and helps move fatty deposits.
Looking downwards at your screen increases the strain on your neck and can result in intense headaches. To combat this, alter your screen position to prevent spine-curving. Close your eyes, sit at the back of your chair with your back leaning against it. Sit up straight and face ahead. When you open your eyes, and look straight ahead – that’s where your screen should be.
Overhead strip lighting casts shadows across the face making dark circles, large pores and lines appear more obvious. The heat also helps strip your skin of moisture. You can override skin-trampling artificial light, though. Opt for a foundation with a slightly luminous finish and make blotting paper as present on your desk as Post-it notes.
Forget squabbling over whether to tune the radio to drive-time hits or groaning dubstep, it’s the question of air conditioning that divides most office teams. The tag-team turn off and turn on sends your skin into a confused state of excessive sebum production and chronic dryness. Tackle this by using a more emollient moisturiser and keep a facial spritz on your desk to hydrate throughout the day.
Continuous typing bends arms, wrists and fingers into unnatural positions which could lead to arthritis. So make sure your stretch your arms out regularly, tilting your wrists.
Drinking too little water deprives the body of moisture but drinking fizzy water won’t help you absorb vital nutrients. Keep a bottle of still water by your desk, and sip regularly.
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