Healthy Habits

Stress sickness is a major concern in Denmark.

Danish doctors recommend taking at least 3 uninterrupted weeks of vacation in a row to thoroughly relieve yourself of this mental disease. If you go home and continue to think about work, this is a bad sign that you are getting sick from stress and should strongly consider taking time off.

What a concept. I could use some time off to refresh my bulldozed brain every so often. I would never accomplish anything though if I took a break every time I felt stressed. Danes don't seem as rushed or bothered by deadlines and job demands. Their family, health, and happiness is their main priority. I could get used to that.

Another "healthy" habit they practice is standing at work. They say you shouldn't just sit in a chair all day long. Working in a lab is easy, because often times you are on your feet and running around. But even some days a lab worker can be sitting at their desk all day. Therefore, they have these desks that you can raise to counter height and stand up for part of the day. The desk I work at is a normal, sit-down, immobile desk. I have not a single complaint about it. They have already ordered me my own stand-up desk.