Getting Healthy and More Productive – TPW009

Tons of studies show that healthier people are more productive, but modern life makes staying healthy and fit a challenge for all of us. How does health impact our productivity, what are the basics that contribute to good health, and how can we get healthier without spending all our time thinking about it?

Tip of the Week: Use empty Altoids tins to organize small items in your desk drawer or kitchen junk drawer. Check out this photo to see how Altoids tins can help you organize.

Tool of the Week: The Fitbit helps you monitor your health and can help motivate you to move more.

Topic of the Week: Getting Healthy to Get More Productive

How does health impact our productivity?

• Many studies show that healthy people simply get more done.
• When our health is poor, we have less energy, less mental focus, less resistance to things that are bad for us, and less ability to cope with stress and bounce back from crises.

What are the basics that contribute to good health?

• Diet/nutrition – quality fuel in appropriate amounts
• Adequate exercise – movement is good for our bodies and good for our attitude
• Adequate, quality sleep
• Sufficient water

Some simple tips for getting healthier:

• Set small goals.
• Don’t wait for the perfect situation — a little bit of something is better than a whole lot of nothing.
• Do something every day.
• Get a physical exam.
• Change your habits in small ways.
• Combine exercise and socializing / relationship-building.
• Write down what you eat.
• Eat a little bit better each day.
• At a buffet (or any meal), fill half your plate with a salad, a quarter with other vegetables, and only the remaining quarter with lean proteins and starches, and eat the salad first.
• Improve your posture.
• Get more/better sleep.
• Educate yourself.
• Don’t give up – if you mess up one day, start over the next.

Resources:

“The Most Important Body Language Signal for Success,” by Carol Kinsey Goman, Forbes.com.

“5 Health Hacks for Higher Productivity,” Todoist blog.

“Your Ultimate Guide to Health, Wellness, and Productivity,” by Erica Murphy, Levo League, July 16, 2014 — tons of links to helpful articles on various health and fitness topics.

Sleep:
“How Much Sleep Do We Really Need?”, National Sleep Foundation.

“Sleep Through the Decades,” by Gina Shaw, WebMD.

Water:
“The Consequences of a Lack of Water,” by Louise Tremblay, Livestrong.com, November 27, 2013.

“Why Your Brain Needs Water,” by Joshua Gowin, Ph.D., on Psychology Today online.

What about you? Which area of your health do you struggle with most? Is there a suggestion from this week’s episode that you’ll try tomorrow to move toward a healthier lifestyle? Or can you suggest a tip that works for you and might help others get healthier and more fit? Please share your thoughts or suggestions in the comments.

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