Unplug and Play
This might seem like a strange thing to post under inspirational, but I stand by it. I’m probably not alone when I admit that I have a tendency to focus single-mindedly on something (such as the completion of a project or the achievement of a personal goal) to the exclusion and detriment of other things.
Ironically, this is not the best way to get something done. Lack of balance makes you weary and uninspired. One thing in particular that I’ve neglected this past few months has been my health. I’ve spent most of my time outside of my job either socialising or working on personal projects. As a consequence, I’ve gained a small (but nonetheless annoying) amount of weight which I’m now working hard to lose.
So I’ll suggest three things that have nothing whatsoever to do with work, that may help you to work better.
Physical exercise
You know that gym that you pay almost £50 a month to? What if you actually went? It’s amazing how a run on a treadmill or a swim after work can make you feel energised. If you’re going home to someone they benefit too, because you’ll be less disposed to grumble about your day since you’ve got your stresses out of your system.
Tiring yourself out through healthy exercise rather than staying up too late in front of the telly will also help you get a decent night’s sleep. Otherwise you roll into work tired the next day to go through the routine all over again.
A change of surroundings
Steph and I visited friends in Essex last weekend for a 30th birthday. We went to Adventure Island at South End and went on the go-karts and the rides. The sea air and chance to be big kids for an afternoon made me feel like I’d had a short holiday. Coming back, I felt relaxed and able to make progress with my current project.
Enjoy other activities
When I was younger I had many hobbies. These days my main one is playing cornet in an orchestra since I took music back up a couple of years ago. We rehearse once a week and Summer is our busiest season for concerts. I can’t overstate how valuable it is to have “extra-curricular” interests - without them I felt shallow and bored.
So there you go. It’s Spring, and the sun is shining. Go for a walk or a kickabout in the park. Have lunch outside. Get away from your desk. You’ll return with a clearer and more creative mind.
Recent Posts RSS
April 12th, 2007 at 12:08 pm
I’d go to the gym, but there’s far too much good stuff on TV I might miss.
Joke.
I hate exercising . It’s not fun and it hurts. Hard to tell my parents were both marathon runners isn’t it?
April 12th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
Good stuff on TV? When was that?
Apart from the Apprentice and Doctor Who, there’s nothing on that I can be bothered to watch. I manage to regularly miss both.
Training is certainly no fun to start off with! My iPod keeps me sane at the gym, and going for a half hour run with my workmates isn’t so bad.
Hopefully this time I won’t abandon training after the run.
April 12th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
The only exercise I can stand is riding my bike, I went on a long ride on Good Friday which was great and I’ll be cycling to work tomorrow (and everytime the weather is nice) and cycling out on the moors straight after work in the sunshine at 3 O’clock, YAY!!
I tried the Gym, didn’t enjoy it at all! I think instead of £50 on the gym each month, I’d pay £50 a month paying off a very nice bike on 0% for a few months and actually use it.
I love going away I always feel better for it, getting away from work, computers, consoles (even though my xbox is great) and everything, whether for a long weekend or a couple of weeks, does me the world of good.
Marathon runners Jo? seriously? I can’t run 2 yards without getting a stitch, weird how I can cycle 20+ miles without any problems.
April 12th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
If I could believe that I’d get up early enough, I’d buy a bike to ride to work and back.
No chance of that, though.
I can’t run 2 yards without getting a stitch, weird how I can cycle 20+ miles without any problems.
I think there are different kinds of fitness though. You could be an ace runner and struggle to swim for instance, because you’re unaccustomed to using your arms in that way.
April 16th, 2007 at 12:26 pm
Yup Richard.
My dad was one of the best marathon/cross counrty (fell?) runners in the country in the 70’s/eaerly 80’s! He ran for the 84 olympics!
He won us holidays when I was young by winning marathons!
Mental isn’t it???
My brother gets a rush from running, but i’ve never had it, even though I was forced to run for my school regularly (they knew about my dad and hoped I had it in my blood too)! : (
I used to love cycling. You couldn’t get me off my bike till I was 16 when some scallies tried to push me off my bike while cycling down a country lane. Never been out on it since!
There’s too many nasty people/too much traffic for me (there aren’t really any quiet places to cycle where I live - I used to go around Trafford Park).
April 18th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Yes! Exercise is a great thing to do, I’ve had many bright ideas spring to mind when pumping iron in the gym… you just have to make it part of your routine - saying that, I have just recently quit the gym
It wasn’t part of my routine for about four months and cost a fortune!
Riding my ‘mountain’ bike to the supermarket is about as much exercise I can cope with these days… does reaching for the remote control count as a form of stretching exercise? hmmmm.