So step three on the model is HEALTH-repeat after me-you cannot achieve long lasting and productive happiness in your work if you neglect your health.
Too many of us work too long-cramming a few days work into a day, not eating well, not exercising and then wonder why we can't sleep properly, can't switch off thinking about work and why our kids and friends and partners need to be reminded of our names .Working too hard and long keeps us ramped up on adrenalin, technology ensures we can be contacted at all hours - throw in some financial stress and pesky demanding bosses and colleagues and surprise surprise-before we know it we are burned out , bitter and battered-physically and emotionally. If you keep this up-you will be "spat off the wheel" and it will not be pleasant or pretty.
Successful, energetic , passionate people often do work long hours and work extremely hard- however the ones ,that can sustain that lifestyle, will always have a health regime that they stick to religiously. High performance demands quality fuel and regular rest and maintenance- in cars, racehorses and humans!!
So sit down and do a health audit- how well are you sleeping, how much exercise are you doing, how do you feel emotionally, is your diet full of healthy and nutritious food, do you plan decent recovery times and activities ?
Be brutally honest and then brutal with yourself in designing your "healthy life = happiness" plan-make sure you include exercise and activity, healthy nutritious food and rest and recovery activities.Then start following it straight away- no time to delay or excuses please.
"Those who think they have no time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness"
Edward Stanley
Let me know what your top health tips are as well as if you have story of being spat off the wheel and how you recovered.
Posts
hi jan
ReplyDeletevery inspirational! best health tip is in relation to exercise. after a long day it's often easy to think "I'll do it tomorrow". If you make a rule to get changed into your exercise gear the minute you get home, even if you have no intention of going, it's surprising how often just being dressed for exercise has you heading back out the door.
If you're a morning person, then always have your exercise gear folded up sitting next to the alarm clock - very difficult to ignore.
great advice-thanks
ReplyDeleteJan
I definitely agree with your article and firmly believe that health and happiness are linked.
ReplyDeleteI think this becomes more obvious as we age and unless we give time to exercise, eating well etc. it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain the "pace" expected in the workplace, and the level of resilience needed to in fact continue working at this level over a long time.
If you are well, active and have resilience work can be very enjoyable and rewarding,hence adding to your happiness, but without these elements "the crash" is inevitable I think. A really important message to get out there to our young people beginning their working lives.J.H.
As someone who often has plenty of time, therefore few genuine reasons (but many excuses) for not exercising, I am so impressed by these busy people who 'do it all'!! Learning to give your life structure and challenge when these are no longer offered by work is a whole new issue - but your visioning, and other exercises can also be useful for this.
ReplyDeleteExercise and relaxation skills are two very important life skills. Finding the activities that are a good personal fit is I think the key to success. If it doesn't mesh it usually doesn't last. Even something as low key as regular walks with friends have the benefits of social connectedness and time in the fresh air. Yoga is great for the concentration required to continually improve the practice. When the plank is killing you it forces your mind to focus on that moment. Relaxation after is good too !
ReplyDeleteEmbracing and completing a physical challenge such as a fun run or trek also boosts self esteem and varies the day to day with a new goal.
The hardest part is to incorporate fitness as an absolute priority in our arsenal of endeavours . Not just for "when we're not so busy " !
From Happiness Hunter:Jan, really enjoyed the thoughts and comments on health and exercise and happiness - all three definitely linked in my own experience. However, I want to touch on a word which appeared in one of the comments - the word resilience! I find this word cropping up increasingly in my reading and discussions. I want to put out there the concern I have that this is a quality/strength we need to focus on developing in ourselves and our children more. As a parent, I know I have tended to try to take away all pain, all obstacles, to make everything "right" for my kids (as my mother did for me, before me). By doing so, we rob those very children we are trying to protect of the valuable lesson about how to bounce back and be strong and to believe that although life throws out curve balls they have what it takes to overcome them. What are your thoughts on the link between resilience and hapiness?
ReplyDeleteDear Happiness Hunter
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comments and what a great question.For me the link with resilience and happiness is strong- When we are feeling vulnerable, anxious, overwhelmed by what life is dealing us, it is hard to much joy, contentment or happiness and that is fine-some situations are horrible and uncontrollable, yet it is our personal resilience/ inner strength /perseverence/ courage that pushes us to deal with the life issues and overcome what we can, that puts us back in a place when we can begin to experience happiness and contentment again.
I agree that parenting has a strong role in fostering resilience in our children.They need to fail at things and we need to let them.We also need to let them see us fail and try again.Harder said than done!
A related thought-
I don't measure a man's success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.
General George S. Patton