Work may sometimes burn us up; leaving ashes of stress and problems in personal lives. So, let’s show our self some love by taking care of our health while being productive at work!
Exercise
Do you sit for more than 7 hours a day finishing tasks and go home tired with work still undone? Having this routine may cause detrimental effects on the mind and body. Be physically active!
Based on Harvard Health, regular exercise improves memory and thinking skills. Studies show that the parts of the brain that control thinking and memory (the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex) have greater volume in people who exercise than people who don’t.
Riza A. Ramos of Rice Chemistry and Food Science Division considers exercising as part of her daily life for it fights stress and clears her mind. She emphasized that just an hour of Zumba or brisk walking refreshes and fuels her brain to be more productive at work.
Same goes for Roseleen M. Capiroso of the Socio-Economics Division. At 5 pm, she starts preparing for an intensive exercise. She either goes to the gym, plays frisbee, runs, brisk-walks, or jogs. This takes her 1-1.5 hours before going back to her office, and continue working with new surge of energy.
Opt for nutritious food
Who doesn’t love eating? But let’s choose well. Choosing the right kind of food greatly affects our health and how we feel. Studies show that through smart food choices, health problems such as heart disease, hypertension (high blood pressure), type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and certain types of cancer can be prevented.
Riza incorporates black, red, and brown rice in her diet. She also grew up loving vegetables and fish, with less red meat.
Roseleen, meanwhile, avoids processed food and always checks the label if it contains artificial flavorings or too much sodium and sweeteners. She cooks for herself to ensure that she eats healthy, and researches on what is good for the body.
Charisma Love B. Gado-Gonzales of the Community Relations Office is a vegetarian for almost two decades. She said that being busy is not an obstacle in living a healthier way.
“Of course, everyone is busy at PhilRice! I survived this very busy environment through firm mind-set. The reasons of choosing this lifestyle made me stick to my food regime no matter what. Amidst meetings, travels, deadlines, and the usual hour of going to work, I managed to prepare my breakfast and baon for lunch, and cook for dinner. I can plan and prepare my baon for a week-trip! Everyone can do it. It’s easy! Though I admit, I can be healthier if I will also spend more time on physical activities,” she shared.
Sleep well for tomorrow’s good day
Night time was created for us to relax and sleep after a long day. But as deadlines approach, we forget to set aside our laptop and papers to pull an all-nighter work. This is a no-no for a healthy lifestyle.
Studies show that the physical and mental process are carried out during sleep. Our bodies rest – conserving energy and decreasing blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and body temperature, while our brains remain active. Good quality sleep is essential for brain functioning, emotional wellbeing, physical health, daytime performance, and personal safety.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that 18-64 years old should have 7-9-hour sleep.
“As a writer, my mind is more active when everyone is preparing to go home. My byline is puyat and it’s not a good habit; so, I tried sleeping at 8 pm and waking up at 2 am to write. Result is better as I can finish my assignments in less than two hours. I can still go back to sleep and look fresh in the morning,” Love said.
Be optimistic and radiate positivity
Having an optimistic mind makes us focus on goals, hopes, and goodness in everything.
Being totally healthy does not just improve work performance and the quality of life, but it also radiates positivity to the people around us.
For Riza, pushing herself and thinking positively lead her to a healthy lifestyle, which helps her a lot in combatting her inborn illnesses, asthma, and rhinitis. She keeps on reminding herself that her body deserves the kind of health it needs.
Roseleen, on the other hand, motivates herself by thinking of her family and closest friends. She just calls her mother whenever she’s down and she never lets negativity overpower her strong will.
Love yourself for thyself
Nobody but us who will benefit first when we learn to love our self. Giving importance to our own being in a deeper way opens us to understanding and loving anything and anyone around us. It is not just about focusing on our physical appearance but in over-all aspect of our well-being.
For Riza, Roseleen, and Love, choosing to be healthy amidst demanding work may not be easy without a steady commitment. This is why it’s essential to start early; maybe take it slowly until the body yields to the mind’s desire to live healthier.
“As we grow older, we should focus on ourselves too. Make health our priority. As they say, work can wait, but work will never take care of us when the time comes. So, keep it balanced,” Riza said.
