Being productive at work is never a bad thing. But you might be overdoing it without realising or by just simply neglecting possible physical symptoms that may endanger your health.

Paul J. Rosch, the president of the American Institute of Stress, warned that chronic job strains can put both your physical and emotional health at risk.

So what can you do? It’s easy, really. If there are signs of acute pain, don’t ignore it. Start taking actions to remedy these symptoms. The following are the signs you should be alert about:

Acute pain on the upper limbs

Image by Repetitive Strain Injury Blog

If you experience a higher degree of discomfort frequently, such as persistent aches, pulsing pain, tingling and extreme weakness particularly around your neck, shoulder, arms, wrist and hands, you might have Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).

Better known as Upper Limb Disorders, these disorders normally occur around the neck, shoulder, arms, wrist and hands caused by repetitive movements, poor posture, and by spending excessive time on an activity. When the pang hits around those areas, you might want to take a step back from your work desk. Stretching out will be a great relief to the muscles as well for the posture.

The bulging tummy

Image by Livestrong.com

Obesity has been a notorious epidemic in the workplace. With the declining physical activity during work, no doubt that one can gain weight easily. Being in Malaysia doesn’t help because food plays a huge role in our lives and culture. From lunch breaks to business meetings and festivities, we always celebrate them with food, snacks and all sorts of beverages.

So, if you notice the needle tipping more and more to the right side of the weighing scale, focus on your food portion. Most food from restaurants and hawkers can serve up to 2-3 pax. Rather than having a big portion at once, have them in small meals.

Be active as well. While a healthy diet may get you along the way, exercising stimulates your physical and mental health which increases productivity at work in the long run.

Severe strains on the head

Image by Men’s Health

Migraines are commonly seen as a minor condition. However, more than 90% of migraine sufferers are unable to work or function normally during a migraine attack, according to the Migraine Research Foundation. The moment when that severe strain or pull strikes the top of or back of our heads, take a break. Get some shut-eye if possible or relax for a bit.

Once you identify your migraine attacks, you can start controlling your food intake and take note of other environmental factors such as the lighting at your work desk that may be a trigger. Don’t wait for the migraine to gets worse, or you will have to consume painkillers constantly which may create an unnecessary dependency in the long term.