It should come as no surprise by now that sitting for prolonged periods of time is poor for our health. One of the many negative effects of sitting is a compromised posture. Poor posture can cause several obvious pains but has also been linked to feelings of depression, energy loss, and poor circulation. For many in today’s workforce, sitting for hours of the day is not only necessary, but a requirement of their profession, so getting up to move away and straighten up is not always easy. However, there are a few tricks you can use while sitting at your desk to help improve your posture.
A common misconception of the self-employed is that they have the flexibility in their schedules to do what they want when they want. While that is only partially true, it’s an unfortunate assumption the self-employed make for themselves as well. Sure, there are potentially greater freedoms and more flexibility in the schedule, but those who work for themselves are dependent on one and usually only one person to get the job done. Personal time is often sacrificed for last minute projects, client meetings and tight deadlines and all at the expense of their physical and mental well-being.
Times have recently been tough and there has been little to be confident about, but things do have a way of turning around for the better. While there are many things that are simply out of our control, there are few things in life that we have complete control over and those are usually the most important. Take your health for example. Even in a time of economic despair, one guarantee is that there is the opportunity to live a healthy life so long as you take control over the things that you can control.
It has been said that variety is the spice of life. Life is short; therefore, enjoy everything that you can, in moderation of course. Enter the world of mass confusion. “If I am to enjoy life, then what I am supposed to eat if I want to remain healthy?” How much exercise do I really need? How can I afford to take another day off from work? When and how am I supposed to get more sleep?” These questions and many others would be a welcomed addition to any trivia game show for their answers would be so outlandish that even the most seasoned trivia buff would not be able to answer them clearly.
At the time I began to write this article, it was hard to believe that all of the snow would ever go away; that spring would never come, and according to the groundhog, we were in store for another few more weeks of winter. But it then became more noticeable that the daylight hours had been getting longer and the birds had resumed their chirping in the morning. Even with all of the snow on the ground, a lot of melting occurred during the daylight hours. Spring is indeed coming and before long, outdoor activity will resume.
Why would anyone go into business if they thought they were going to fail? Despite the statistics of new start-ups that plunder in the first three to five years (two-thirds in two years, 44 percent in four years) not one of them would say they took the leap of faith because they knew they would fail. Failure is not a goal, at least not for anyone who sets out to do something they dream about. So why then do people try every new diet fad year after year when they know, or may be it is because they don’t, that they are doomed to failure?
Eating well is a daunting task enough. Eating well on the road is an even greater challenge. Even if you are one of the fortunate who has no to minimal travel required for work, the abundance of fast food and busy schedules that interfere with planning meals makes good nutrition seem almost impossible. Wrong! As in most things in life, it comes down to choice and personal responsibility. It has been my experience that has taught me that most are just the victims of poor information.
Injuries at work are common (3.7 million cases in 2008), particularly in occupations that require physical labor. But what about the white-collar folks? The desk jockeys sitting in front of their computer; the salesman driving in the car from client to client; the endless work traveler. Do these workers miss days due to occupational hazards? After all, does anyone really get hurt while sitting at a desk? Shouldn’t you have to lift something or be performing back-breaking exercises all day long to even have a chance at getting injured while on the job?
Affordability. In today’s economic state, it is a term that has become more commonplace in business than growth and prosperity. Businesses today are asking themselves: “Can we afford advertising? Can we afford to hire more staff? Can we afford to keep operating at the same costs and still turn a profit?” In a time when things may be grim for a lot of businesses, the only ones that are going to survive are the ones who make an effort now to turn things around. And to turn things around they need to focus on what’s most important instead of focusing on the negative.
No pain, no gain. For decades, this was the accepted mantra of those who competed in bodybuilding or power lifting events, which was then passed on to and assumed by the general population as the only way to exercise to improve health, lose weight, or change the shape of their body. As years of research and a better understanding of the effects of exercise on the body have shown, the “no pain, no gain” theme is not really fair or accurate. Or is it?
Those were the famous words of a certain long eared, bushy tailed Warner Bros cartoon character aimed at one Elmer Fudd numerous times. In cartoons, a lot of humor can be found in that phrase. But when it comes to battling the obesity epidemic, particularly in today’s workforce and the ever rising associated health care costs, war has been declared and it is no laughing matter.
Ask yourself this question: If I had a million dollars, what would I do? Would you think about how you would spend the money? Would you quit your job? Would you follow your dreams and do the things you always wanted to do but were afraid to take the chance? Bottom line is, you could do a lot with a million dollars. But then ask yourself this question. Why do I ponder about what could be instead of doing what I dream to do? Have you ever thought about what you could do if you really wanted to?
There are few things in life that are a guarantee. Everything else is a result of the choices and decisions we make as we walk through that life. You could say then that the life we choose is largely dependent on what we do as individuals and that the best way to maximize that experience is to constantly invest in ourselves. So when was the last time you invested in yourself? I am not talking about retirement planning or preparing to go on vacation. While both of those things certainly have a level of value to them, they are still dependent on one thing to be able to enjoy them — you.
In his New York Times Best Selling book, Good to Great, author Jim Collins states, “Greatness is a matter of choice; a discipline.” How each of us defines greatness is as unique as the individual. But regardless of how you define it, greatness does not happen by chance or by luck. It is a culmination of thoughts, choices, and actions that are in alignment with that idea of greatness. It is neither unattainable nor impossible. Rather, it is a mindset.
Ever think about what would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? For the thrill seeker, that may mean taking that big step over the edge for the ultimate rush. For the entrepreneurial minded, that may entail taking the risk of starting up and running their own business. But is there really a difference between the two? Wouldn't it be correct to say that to be an entrepreneur one has also got to be a risk taker or perhaps even a thrill seeker?
Imagine driving your car at the average pace on the 422 By-pass and then suddenly hitting the brakes. What would happen? If your car is equipped with the latest in safety features, it may quickly come to a stop but not without some tremendous shift in forces affecting the car, the road, and more importantly, you. Now imagine for a moment that that zooming car is you as you go through the speed of the day and then all of the sudden stopping as if hitting the brakes. You'd have one heck of a case of whiplash wouldn't you?
At a very young age, we were introduced to the song, “When you wish upon a star” and believed everything we dreamed of and desired could be found by looking towards the stars. Just as we are individuals, our dreams are truly unique based on our needs and wishes. Everyone wants to live or achieve their dreams yet only few are successful at making them a reality. Is it perhaps that our dreams are too lofty, unattainable? Or is just that we daydream too much and wish what could be rather than daring to take action of what can be?
Sit up straight. Stand tall. Don’t slouch. Mom always had a way of telling us how to “defy gravity.” As is with most things Mom taught us, it’s not until we’re older that we better understand those subtle commands, let alone appreciate them. If you work in an office setting, I’ll bet if you turn around right now you will find a few dozen offenders of mom’s regulations. Perhaps you won’t even have to go that far and just take a look at yourself.
Convenient. Cheap. Fulfilling. These three words can ring harmony in most ears, especially when referring to food. We like to eat quickly and hassle free; we'd rather not spend too much; and we expect to be satisfied with our meal. Think for a moment of how it was hundreds of years ago and eating a meal wasn't as convenient (you most likely had to hunt for it or grow it), it certainly wasn't cheap (it could cost you your life), and the act of eating at all was fulfilling enough.
As long as man has been alive, there has been physical fitness. Centuries ago, physical fitness was a way of life. It was how we lived and more importantly, it was how we survived. Fast forward to today, and physical fitness hasn’t changed. At least it shouldn’t have changed. It is and should still be a way of life and unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, it is definitely something that will help you survive.
