4 Ways to Improve Your Health at the Office

A study from the University of Texas at Austin found that out-of-the-box thinkers are significantly healthier than their less innovative counterparts—so much so that they scored the physical equivalent of people six or seven years younger. Some experts believe one reason for this may be that creative people can be more effective problem solvers and better able to remedy health issues that arise. You can benefit even if you don't have an obviously "creative" job in a field like photography or architecture, says study coauthor John Mirowsky, PhD: Simply try doing everyday tasks in novel ways. If you normally write memos in report form, try PowerPoint. If you're assigned a brainstorming project, come up with double the ideas required. "The more challenging something is, the more creative it becomes," says Mirowsky, "which stimulates your mind in a new way."