Guest blogger Amy Applebaum is a success coach whose work includes the Release Your Inner Millionairess coaching program designed to create life-changing breakthroughs in her clients. Amy’s groundbreaking six-step process has helped thousands of female entrepreneurs accomplish goals they never imagined possible. Amy’s coaching success has led to appearances on ABC News, CNN, TLC, and Martha Stewart, to name a few. For more information on Amy’s coaching club, go to AmyApplebaum.com.
Just because you spend 480 minutes a day in your cube doesn’t mean you have to be Jabba The Hut. When it comes to staying healthy on the job, a little goes a long way. Try these surefire solutions for maintaining awesome mental and physical performance at the office:
1. Take walks. Put down the mouse and get yourself up! Trim time off of your lunch hour and use those extra minutes for some short walks outside. Do it just one or two times a day for 20 minutes. The low-impact exercise and fresh air will both do you a world of good!
2. Snack healthy. I know how great that vending machine down the hall looks, what with all those pretty colors and shiny packages. Fill your desk with the good stuff that you love to eat. Bring fresh items like almonds, hard-boiled eggs (pop out the yolks and fill them with hummus – yum!), peanut butter and celery, and store them in the office fridge. Every time you feel like popping four quarters for some Skittles reach for your healthier options instead.
3. Manage your stress. Getting stressed out about work just doesn’t make any sense. The conflict that can result from your feelings is not good for you or your co-workers. When you’re upset at work the most important thing to do is not say anything to any of your co-workers. It’s a much better idea to go for a walk or find a private place to blow off some steam.
These few minutes of getaway time will help you calm down and ask yourself some important questions: What is the result you want out of the stressful situation? On a scale from 1-10 (with 10 being the most stressful) is this an 8, 9 or 10? If it is not, then why aren’t you finding a way to let go? Ask yourself what you need to communicate in order to fix the problem at hand. By putting things in perspective this way you will make better, more clear-headed decisions that alleviate the stress you are experiencing.
4. Watch your attitude. Those who maintain an upbeat positive attitude and choose to focus on what works in their life, rather than dwell on their problems, experience better health and well-being. Those who complain about their job and co-workers are “living in the problem” and experience unhappiness and depression, and are often passed over for raises and promotions.