Everyday we make hundreds of small decisions. What shoes go with these pants? Do I walk to work or take the bus? Do I cook a healthy dinner or do I order 3 extra large pizzas and eat them all consecutively?

A lot of these decisions don't really mean anything - it doesn't affect anyone if you're wearing the same shirt two days in a row. But some of the small decisions can make a much bigger difference than you could ever realise!

At Showcase we do try to be mindful of collectively both the health of our staff and workplace - and the health of the environment. We even have a tree Releaf Fund.

We're sharing some of our favourite tips for making sustainable and healthy choices so that you can make your small decisons have a big impact!

Print not, want not.

Let's be completely real here - printers don't even work at least half the time anyway, why bother printing things? Paper consumption is one of the biggest issues in most workplaces. While some places do try and recycle, a large majority gets just thrown straight out! One tree produces 8500 sheets of paper and that does sound like a lot for one tree, but the reality is 4 billion trees are cut down every year for the sole use of paper consumption.

Cutting down on printing also reduces office meltdowns by 89%.. probably. So extra bonus for workplace morale.

But! if we're not printing, what do we do instead?

In case you couldn't guess - use Showcase! Have everything you could ever need in one handy device rather than lugging around files that may or may not be irrelevant by the time you use them.

Then instead of handing your client or prospective client a bunch of paper to hold on to, you can just flick em an email from directly inside the app, with our sharing feature. You can send your entire showcase, or just pertinent information. Saving trees, saving peoples desk clutter since 2010.

Learn more about our Showcase sharing options here.

BYO a mug for your mug

Over 180 million takeaway coffee cups are used every year - just in New Zealand!

You don't have to reduce your coffee intake, you can make a massive difference just by buying a keep cup.

There is a literal plethora of options out there whether they be stylish, functional, large, espresso size, or branded - there's a resusable cup for everyone's tastes (or hand size). Frank Green cups even have a pay chip in the lid (hasn't reached NZ yet - rats!) so that you can pay for your coffee with your cup!

Another way to combat the cup wastage is to get a coffee machine for the office! A one time purchase of a machine can result in big savings for your employees, and for the environment. Free coffee and you can use the mugs at the office - how could you complain?

If you have 20 people in your office and they each have at least one coffee every day, you’re saving at minimum 20 disposable cups every darn day. That’s not an insignificant amount!

Do the running man

If you're working in an office, you more than likely know that sitting down for 8 hours a day isn't amazing for your health or your posture. I know that I look vaguely reminiescent of the hunchback of notre dame right now.

Studies have shown that sitting motionless reduces blood flow to the legs, increasing the risk for atherosclerosis, the buildup of plaques in the arteries.

People who sit for more than eight or nine hours daily, which for many of us describes a typical workday, also are at heightened risk for diabetes, depression and obesity compared with people who move more often.

Regular intervals of activity during the day is essential.

A great way to remind yourself to get out of your chair is to set up a timer on your computer that beeps once an hour that reminds you to get up and walk around. If you don’t have much room to walk you can hop, do the running man, moonwalk, do the hammer time dance, or simply - go outside for a quick walk around the block. There’s plenty of space there.

If you have a pedometer or you’re one of those uber competitive fitbit people - you can have office step competitions! Bear in mind, this could lead to widespread stomping around the office but you will be healthy and happy and that's all that matters!

Healthy #perksatwerk

It's becoming more apparent to companies that the happier and healthier their employees, the more productive they are at work (who've thunk it?). There are a lot of small ways to improve life in your office, no matter what industry.

• LED lighting. Not only is it easier on your eyes, they last a lot longer than regular lighting and they use at least 75% less energy!

• Consider introducing a corporate gym membership for your employees to use if they want to. Showing that you care about people's physical health is just as important as caring for them mentally!

• Offer services such as EAP - Employee Assistance Programs. Places like this offer important services like free counselling for your staff. Best of all, it's totally anonymous so you can feel completely confident that no one at work will know if you don't want them to.

Whatever you choose to do, making an effort to improve sustanibility in the environment and in your workplace will make a big difference with just one small decision.