4 Easy Tips Manufacturers Can Use to Equip Their Bodies for Productivity

Working in manufacturing plants can be very taxing on the body. It’s important that we do small things each and every day to make sure that we can perform to the best of our ability in the bodies we occupy.

In order to maintain productivity and health, it’s important first to understand the common problems seen in those who are working in a manufacturing plant and second to be equipped with tips to make sure you are treating your body with the love and respect it deserves while it accomplishes a demanding and strenuous job.

Understanding How Manufacturing Jobs Impact Bodies

Many manufacturing jobs ask a lot from the bodies we have. They may require that you either sit or stand in the same position all day doing a repetitive motion from the time you start to the time you finish. So it would only make sense that many manufacturing plant workers and those working in front of a computer, are prone to getting a repetitive motion injury.

Working in a plant requires a lot of heavy lifting and working near hot and heavy machines. When the body exerts that much energy under those conditions, dehydration can soon set in if you aren’t consciously taking a break from time to time to make sure you are hydrating. Although the working conditions are different in the office than in the plant, forgetting to hydrate throughout the day is just as common. Busy on the phone, answering emails, and filling out paperwork, you may forget to take sips of water throughout the day.

It’s no surprise that both men and women working in a manufacturing plant need to be strong. While their bodies are equipped to be constantly moving, they are burning a lot of calories — calories that need to be replenished so the body can continue to function productively. That’s where nutrition comes into play. It’s important to plan ahead and make sure during your lunch break that you are adequately fuelling your tank with a meal that has all the nutrients you need to continue to perform.

Health Tips for Manufacturers

1. Stretching

Start off each morning with loosening up! “Wake” your body up by increasing blood flow with stretches so that you will be less prone to pulling something while on the job. For those working in the plant, focus on the muscle groups that you are regularly using. For those sitting while working, whether that be in the factory or in the home office, getting up every 30 minutes and “re-waking” the body is crucial. You know what they say: “Sitting is the new smoking.”

2. Hydration

Drinking water seems like a silly thing to have to highlight, however many of us aren’t drinking enough water for our bodies — or not drinking water at all! Starting your morning off with a glass of water helps rehydrate the body from sleeping for the past 6 – 8 hours. Drinking the required amount of water for your body helps with maximizing your physical performance while on the job.

Even if the manufacturing plants are well ventilated, many people are working near hot and heavy machines that cause perspiration and further dehydration. It’s important to remember to take sips of water throughout your shift. So when you are up stretching, stop and take a few sips of water as well.

If you are wondering how much water you need to be drinking each day, use this simple formula:

Body weight (lbs) ÷ 2 = amount of water (ounces)

3. Nutrition

Working in a manufacturing plant burns lots of calories, so it’s important to take time to replenish them. Bringing a meal for lunch is an efficient way to prevent stopping at a vending machine or eating in the cafeteria. Snacks and cafeteria food are usually high in either sugar or sodium. Although those snacks can provide a quick boost of energy, they ultimately lead to a crash, maybe so much so you grab another sugary snack to get you through the day. This will have you riding a blood sugar rollercoaster, hitting highs and lows all day and never truly being satiated.

A protein-packed meal for work will help provide the energy you need to continue to perform to the best of your ability. Here is an easy recipe you can take to work:

Chicken Avocado Wrap

Ingredients:

• 1 tortilla

• ¼ cup chopped lettuce

• ¼ cup chopped tomato

• ½ avocado

• ½ cup grilled chicken (can be replaced with raw veggies: red peppers, cucumbers, sprouts if you don’t eat meat)

• 1 tablespoon hummus

• ¼ grated sharp cheddar (optional)

How to make it:

1. Start with your tortilla on a flat surface.

2. Add a layer of hummus.

3. Layer with the lettuce, tomato, avocado, and grilled chicken.

4. Add the sharp cheddar if you’d like.

5. Wrap the tortilla like an envelope, cut down the middle, and enjoy.

4. Mindfulness

Being mindful means listening to your body at every opportunity. Our bodies are always speaking to us, telling us when we need to rest, when we need to stretch, when we are hungry, and when we are thirsty — we just have to learn to stop and listen.

We all know individually what is best for us, and odds are we know one or two things that we could be doing for ourselves that our bodies would greatly appreciate. With this in mind, when you get the opportunity to work them into your schedule, do so!

Working in a manufacturing plant is not only demanding, but it’s also dangerous — especially as many workers are overexerted. Making sure you are getting adequate sleep, arriving with muscles ready to go, staying hydrated, and eating a nutrient-dense breakfast and lunch will help you limit mistakes and ensure you are performing to the best of your ability.

Evan Griffin is a certified Health and Life Coach and Licensed Registered Nurse. For more information and additional resources, please visit her website.