Is there anyone who doesn't know they should be living a healthy lifestyle and that by doing so, they can increase the quality and longevity of their life?
A healthy lifestyle is more than eating right. It is exercising, getting enough rest, making decisions that have a positive impact, proper work-life balance and accomplishing goals you have set for yourself. It is intentionally living your life to the fullest every day.
$153 billion 💰
Employers incur $153 billion in losses every year due to employee obesity and other chronic health problems. These costs include lost revenue due to illness, paying sick leave, insurance costs, etc.
Think about the times when a big decision was weighing on your mind or when you didn't feel physically able to complete a job task. You lose purpose and begin to form a defeatist attitude. Thoughts become negative and sound like, "Why bother doing this? I'll never be able to finish it on time anyway."
Productivity takes a hit, and suddenly you hear a little voice coming from somewhere inside you calling, "YoooooHoooo, it's time to make a few changes…What are you going to do?"
It's easy to know you should do things differently but figuring out what changes to make and how to make them is more complicated.
However, when you finally make that hard decision and work toward a solution while also considering self-care, you will feel stronger mentally and physically. And that seemingly impossible task is much easier to tackle.
Scientists and researchers are always looking to unlock the secrets we hold deep in our bodies. What chemical changes do our minds and bodies undergo when we fill ourselves with healthy food and undermine our own best intentions?
Do you often find yourself tired and doing less than before or doing just enough to get by? Do you notice the time and realize the day is almost over and wonder what you have accomplished?
Your productivity has tanked, so you head to the nearest coffee shop or settle for Dairy Queen because it's closer. Science says that poor decision-making and unhealthy choices point us in the wrong direction, and once we are headed that way, it takes countless wasted hours to get turned around.
Maybe now is a good time to re-examine your priorities and determine how to make positive lifestyle changes. How do you find purpose and reclaim your time while increasing your productivity?
It is well known that living an unproductive lifestyle leads to a defeatist attitude, and a negative attitude doesn't help you plan well for the future.
On the other hand, living a healthy lifestyle and finding the right balance between work and our personal life, grants some major plusses such as clarifying mental boost and increasing our energy level. Knowledge is power. How can you not be productive with all that mental clarity and untamed energy raring to go?
The answer is not acting on that knowledge. Knowing what to do isn't the same as taking action to improve your lifestyle purposefully. When you want a different solution to the "wasted time" problem, you have to take the steps necessary to get headed in the right direction.
Sleep is critical because of its restorative qualities. During sleep, our body works hard to repair whatever damage we have caused during the day and lets the mind rest, which helps clear away that unproductive brain fog.
Reduce the amount of sugar in your diet and don't skip meals. You need the fuel to convert thoughts into actions. Include heart and brain-healthy foods in your diet and eat your veggies.
It doesn't take much. 30 minutes of physical exertion boosts your heart health and improves your memory function.
Being overweight shortens your life span and increases your risk of type ll diabetes, and this is true more so for those under age 65. However, anyone with a BMI of 35 or over has a 93% increase in mortality rate.
This comes as no surprise. Aside from the 480,000 deaths tobacco causes every year, another 16 million are living with a smoking-related illness. It isn't easy to be productive when you can't breathe.
This doesn't mean you can't drink alcohol for the rest of your life. Enjoying an occasional alcoholic beverage or occasion such as a wedding reception likely won't do much harm.
Drinking more than 2 of those beverages a day, though, is linked to a higher risk of several health problems such as stroke, heart disease and violence.
When it's time to take a break, really take that break. It is necessary to make progress, and it allows your brain the chance to rest. You will then be more focused when you return to your task.
HOW ABOUT TRY CONTACTING YOUR ORGANIZATION'S EAP?
DON'T HAVE AN EAP? WE CAN HELP WITH THAT!
Although you are in charge of your health, you don't always have control of your environment or working conditions. Productivity at work is interdependent on your co-workers, your boss, your workplace environment, and the flexibility afforded you.
Leaders must bear some of the responsibility if employees are unhappy and unproductive. Recently everyone has had to make adjustments and transitions, and some are better at handling these changes than others.
By supporting employees' efforts to manage their well-being, more will be inclined to improve their health and wellness, significantly improving productivity levels. Researchers are learning more and more that a balanced work-life schedule and mindset can shift an entire workforce from feeling underappreciated and overworked to happy and productive. You can't go wrong there.
Hundreds of organizations support their employees through The Ulliance Life Advisor Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Investing in the right EAP to support your employees before, during and after they face adverse events will help them and help you. Visit www.ulliance.com, or call 866-648-8326.
When you partner with Ulliance, our Life Advisor Consultants are always just a phone call away to teach ways to enhance your work/life balance and increase your happiness. The Ulliance Life Advisor Employee Assistance Program can help employees and employers come closer to a state of total well-being.
Investing in the right EAP or Wellness Program to support your employees will help them and help you. Visit www.ulliance.com, or call 866-648-8326.
The Ulliance Employee Assistance Program can address the
following issues:
• Stress about work or job performance
• Crisis in the workplace
• Conflict resolution at work or in one’s personal life
• Marital or relationship problems
• Child or elder care concerns
• Financial worries
• Mental health problems
• Alcohol/substance abuse
• Grief
• Interpersonal conflicts
• AND MORE!
References
L., H. (2020, April 12). How to Start a Healthy Lifestyle. Retrieved from The Web Writer Spotlight: https://webwriterspotlight.com/start-a-healthy-lifestyle
Murray, F. (2018, January 5). How a Healthy Lifestyle can Lead to Higher Productivity. Retrieved from Invoicebus: https://invoicebus.com/blog/healthy-lifestyle-higher-productivity/
Reisdorf, A. (2018, Jan 31). Can a Healthy Lifestyle Make You Better at Your Job? Retrieved from Mental Health First Aid: https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/external/2018/01/healthy-lifestyle-better-job/
SANDRA, S. (2015, September 11). 3 Reasons a Healthy Lifestyle Increases Productivity. Retrieved from Mind of a Winner: http://www.mindofwinner.com/3-reasons-a-healthy-lifestyle-increases-productivity/#:~:text=%203%20Reasons%20a%20Healthy%20Lifestyle%20Increases%20Productivity,as%2020minutes%20a%20day%20their%20brain...%20More%20
Wendroff, J. (2015, Oct 28). Why Being Productive Is The Key To A Happy, Healthy And Successful Life. Retrieved from Lifestyle: https://www.elitedaily.com/wellness/blood-sweat-tears-happiness/1259555