6 Little Things Almost Every Female Does at Work That Harms the Body

Most of us spend five days a week at the office, which means we quite literally spend the majority of our lives at work. Since we’re so focused on getting our jobs done, we tend to disregard our body crying out for help – whether it’s pain, aches or even dry skin.

With all those hours we spend at work, some of us are still oblivious to the things that negatively affect our body and seriously, it’s about time we treat our body with a little more TLC (that stands for tender, loving care!). If you haven’t taken note of these things before, it’s time to pay more attention to them!

 

1. Using too little lotion

Some of us girls might keep a bottle of lotion in our handbags or work desk for times in need. Moisturisers do help keep our skin soft and moist but do we really apply enough of it? Did you know that for problematic skin, you need to apply at least 20g of moisturiser a day?

Signs of under-moisturising are:

• Skin appears dull
• Wrinkled skin
• Dry, flaky and itchy skin

Tips to get the most out of your skin moisturiser:

• Use more than one moisturiser (if you need to). Nobody needs a cabinet full of moisturising products. But one for your face and one for your body may be just right for your all-over skin care.
• Apply your moisturiser while your skin is damp. Smooth on your favourite moisturiser a few minutes after a bath or shower. Then pat your skin dry.

 

2. Constantly drinking kopi to keep us awake

Did you know that 32.8% of women are regular coffee drinkers with an average of 1.9 cups per day? Are you one of them? Unfortunately for this bunch, there’s some bad news for you.

Here’s how coffee negatively affects your overall health:

• Caffeine dehydrates our bodies
• The liver will work overtime that will cause toxic to build up in our body
• The toxic will lead to disrupting our healthy skin
• Caffeine consumed in large amounts will act as a diuretic (causing you to constantly want to urinate), which will dry out the water in our bodies, including our skin
• This explains the dry and pale skin from the water drawn out from our bodies

 

3. Being exposed to bacteria on our phones

Based on a study, Malaysia has one of the highest number of digital device users, followed by India. Women spend an extra two hours every day on their phones compared to men even though it’s one of the filthiest things we own as it contains roughly around 25,000 germs per square inch. Eeks!

Here are 5 things that are shockingly cleaner than your phone:

• Toilet seat – 1,201 per sq in
• Kitchen counter – 1,736 per sq in
• Pet food dish – 2,110 per sq in
• Supermarket self-checkout screen – 4,500 per sq in
• Doorknob – 8,643 per sq in

Now, can you imagine what happens to your hands and even your face when a direct contact occurs? Yep, it’s disgusting! So it’s best if you clean it regularly or just spend less time on your phone and focus on your work lah!

Note: Facing the computer/phone screen for more than 9 hours is also bad for you!

 

4. Skipping makan time because we’re too lazy to get food (or we want to diet)

Okay girls, we know what you’re thinking: “I think I’ll skip lunch, I’m not even that hungry. Plus, I need to lose some weight anyway.” Hold that thought!

People often skip meals because they get so caught up with work or they are on a diet. By doing so, your body is craving for the vitamins and minerals it needs to function efficiently. Even though skipping a meal on rare occasions is painless, doing it often will affect us in other ways such as:

• Causing dry skin
• Allowing excess fat to be stored in the body
• High risk of diabetes
• Weak immune system
• Bad breath
• Decreasing metabolism rate

 

5. Taking hot showers before and/or after work

While this isn’t exactly something you do at work, it’s generally something you have to do before you go to work or after you come home from work. And although hot showers are great on cold days and they help relax your body and mind, taking hot baths often is really bad for your skin! In fact, some of the cons of hot showers include:

• It damages keratin cells on your skin, which can then lead to dry or easily irritated skin
• It can worsen skin conditions especially for those with sensitive skin
• It can cause high blood pressure
• It can cause itchy skin too!

 

6. Chilling under the air-cond all day

If you’ve been out in the blazing sun and you immediately enter an air-conditioned room, the temperature change will affect your body, including your facial skin. 

Why it’s bad for you:

• It dries out the skin, especially those with skin conditions
• It may cause the imbalance of moisture in your skin that might be the cause of us being more prone to dry skin
• The synthetic fibres from the filter can cause skin irritation
• A study found that women are more likely to feel colder in the office compared to men because our metabolic rate is lower

Here are 3 simple ways you can moisturise your skin to make it smooth and silky:

• Drink enough water (8 cups daily)
• Keep a moisturiser on your desk, and apply it regularly to counter the drying effects of an air-conditioned room
• Use glycerin-based cleansers. Glycerin is a water-loving agent, which helps the skin preserve its natural moisture
• Avoid soap, use a lower pH cleanser instead!

Pro-tip: Have a skin moisturising routine and start with a soap-free cleanser followed by moisturiser. You can use QV Gentle Wash, a light foaming cleanser specially formulated for those with sensitive skin, followed by QV Cream, a blend of 5 types of moisturisers to give you that 24-hour hydration. It’s Australia’s No. 1 skincare brand, after all!

QV Gentle Wash benefits include:

• 15% high concentration of glycerin to help lock in moisture
• Recommended for cleansing normal or dry to parched skin as it contains a higher concentration of moisturiser
• Helps to maintain the skin’s natural protective properties
• Doesn’t strip away natural oils on the skin
• Soap-free, pH balanced, and low-irritant formulation
• Free from colour, fragrance, propylene glycol, and lanolin
• Suitable for dry and sensitive skin

If this sounds like just the thing you need, then you can head on over to their, Facebook or Instagram pages to learn more about how you can obtain smooth and moisturised skin and live every day with confidence!

Didn’t know all these little things could actually harm our body right? Well, take note and take care, girls!