Why Your Work Place Habits Matter More than You Think

Blessing Amatemeso
Nov 15
3 min read

Slogan: Know More and Do More for Diabetes at Work

The clinical view of diabetes is this: it's a problem of glucose control. But where does the breakdown truly begin? It starts long before a diagnosis, with the compounding effect of small, daily habits—those little choices that, over time, either nurture or sabotage our well-being.

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Understanding Diabetes: A Problem of Glucose

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. This occurs because the body either doesn't produce enough insulin (a hormone that helps glucose enter cells for energy) or can't effectively use the insulin it does produce.

The Two Main Types:

1. Type 1 Diabetes (T1D): An autoimmune condition where the body attacks the insulin-producing cells (beta cells) in the pancreas. It typically appears in childhood or adolescence and requires daily insulin administration.

2. Type 2 Diabetes (T2D): The most common form, where the body either develops insulin resistance (cells don't respond well to insulin) or the pancreas stops producing enough insulin. This is strongly linked to genetics, age, and—most significantly—lifestyle factors.

Key Signs and Symptoms:

While T1D onset is usually sudden and severe, T2D symptoms can be slow and subtle. Common indicators include:

Polydipsia:Increased thirst.
Polyuria: Frequent urination.
Polyphagia: Increased hunger.
Unexplained weight loss (more common in T1D).
Blurred vision.
Slow-healing sores or frequent infections.
Fatigue and weakness.

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Where Does It Begin? The Habit Connection (T2D)

The little spikes that lead to T2D begin not with a genetic switch, but with our daily habits. They are the cumulative choices that gradually burn out the pancreas before its time:

Hydration: Reaching for sugary sodas instead of water when thirsty.
Movement: Perpetually planning that gym trip without ever taking the opportunity to simply walk to the store.
Nutrition: Habitually eating beyond satiety, especially carbohydrate-loaded meals and processed foods.
Sleep & Stress: Erratic sleeping patterns and chronic stress (ruminating on negative thoughts) which increase cortisol and worsen insulin resistance.

These micro-spikes of glucose and stress, repeated daily, exhaust the system and lead to insulin resistance, making habit change the primary preventative measure.

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The Habit of Management: Living Well with Diabetes (T1D & T2D)

For those living with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, successful management is tied entirely to routine, making habits the foundation of control. Management should be seamless and feel effortless, which happens only when it's built into daily life:

Scheduled Actions:

Scheduled meal times.

Scheduled blood sugar checks (manual or Continuous Glucose Monitor).

Scheduled insulin shots or oral medication administration.

Scheduled exercise time.

Scheduled checks of medication and emergency supply levels.

Habits are not easy to form, but they are not easy to break either. By being intentional, we can make the healthy choices the default routine.

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The Risk: Serious Complications

Poor or erratic glucose control leads to microvascular and macrovascular damage throughout the body, resulting in serious, long-term complications:

Cardiovascular Disease: Increased risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Diabetic Neuropathy:Nerve damage, often causing pain, tingling, or loss of feeling, particularly in the feet.
Diabetic Retinopathy:Damage to the blood vessels in the retina, potentially leading to blindness.
Diabetic Nephropathy: Kidney damage that can lead to kidney failure.
Diabetic Foot Ulcers: Sores that heal slowly due to nerve and blood vessel damage, sometimes leading to amputation.

The habits we keep today directly influence the complications we face tomorrow.

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The Workplace Culture as Workplace Habits

This year, we focus on Diabetes and the Workplace because work culture is essentially the collective habits of an organization. To support employees, we must shape this culture to make the healthy choice the easy choice.

Small, Inexpensive Changes Your Workplace Can Implement:

1. Visual Nudges: Use simple visual cues—like "Sugar Time" or "Take a Break"—placed near common areas to remind employees with diabetes to check their sugar or take their medication during busy work phases.

2. Ensure Accessibility: A reminder to drink water is useless if the closest dispenser is four floors away. Ensure healthy items (water, healthy snacks) and necessary medical storage (e.g., regulated fridge space for insulin) are easily accessible and close to work stations. Unregulated break times should not impede critical self-care.

3. Promote Healthy Options: Stock the workplace cafeteria, vending machines, and break rooms with balanced snack options and plenty of free water. Make the junk food difficult to access or unavailable.

4. Prioritize Health Literacy: Hypoglycemia (dangerously low blood sugar) is a serious risk. All colleagues, not just managers, should be educated on the signs of a hypo episode and the immediate steps to take. Knowledge saves lives and builds a supportive team environment.

By making these small, sustained changes, we transform the workplace from a potential contributor to poor health into a powerful engine for well-being.