A recent study by Brigham Young University found that employees who had difficulty exercising during the day were 96% more likely to experience a loss in productivity.

Many of us are guilty of developing bad habits while at the office, especially if you’re sitting for 8+ hours per day staring at a computer screen. Habits are hard to unsubscribe from, especially when those around you are doing the same.

The good news is, there are a number of simple things you can do to improve your lifestyle which will directly affect your productivity at work.

Don’t have time? Get creative.

If you live in a bike-friendly area and don’t work too far from home, start biking to work. Here in Los Angeles, biking is a very popular mode of transportation, thanks to our world-famous traffic. It’s not the safest, but it gets your blood pumping and since you already have to go to work, why not get some exercise in while doing it?

Sit on a yoga ball instead of a chair. This is a habit we’ve instituted in the office, and it takes a bit to get used to at first. But it improves posture, lightly engages your core to balance, and if you decide you want to take it a step further, there are a number of exercises you can do with a yoga ball.

Walk to a nearby restaurant during your lunch break.

Find a health-oriented place (the caesar salad from McDonalds doesn’t count). And don’t eat too heavy – the last thing you want is to be in a food coma for the latter half of the day.

Stop smoking

Smokers were 28% more likely to experience a loss in productivity. This goes without saying. If you smoke, here’s another reason why you should quit now!

Processed food—looks good, tastes okay. Not good for you.

Educate yourself on what healthy food is and what it means to you. You don’t have to become a nutritionist overnight, but start by reading the nutrition facts on the back of that Snickers bar you’re eating. Sure, hunger gets what hunger wants, but 7 teaspoons of sugar is a terrible way to satisfy it.

Avoid soda (and most juices entirely.)

Obviously, water is the best choice for a number of reasons. If you can replace one can of Coke per day for a whole week, you’re eliminating about 50 teaspoons of sugar per week.

(When you have the time) make your own lunch at home.

This is a great way to  educate yourself about food in general, not to mention cutting costs. You’ll also know exactly what’s in the food you’re eating.

Support your team

Those who felt their workplace wouldn’t support them becoming healthier were more likely to experience a loss in productivity.

If you’re in a leadership position and think the lifestyles of your employees outside of work don’t affect productivity, it might be time to encourage healthier habits. If you’re an employee, be the change you want to see.

Poor lifestyles hurt the quality of our work and it’s no secret that too much stress does as well. It’s up to you to stay fit and healthy, but SaneBox was created to help you with the latter. Our average user saves at least 3 hours per week, keeping our customers healthy. You should try it for yourself here.