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4 Ways Not To Fall Off The Fitness Cliff

February 12, 2016 by Iman

4 Ways Not To Fall Off The Fitness Cliff

Source: Beware of the “fitness cliff”: 4 ways to stay motivated at the gym

The fitness cliff, as people call it is the day that many people drop their fitness New Years Resolutions. Have you fallen off the cliff? We hope you haven’t. We know everyone has a busy life, but exercise is one of those tasks that the more consistently you do it, the better you get at it.

Exercise not only makes you a healthier person, but it allows you to perform better at work. Improved physical health has a direct correlation to your productivity at work. Exercise improves your alertness, energy, mental health, and it can also prevent illnesses. We want to help you get better, so we’ve compiled 4 tips to help keep you motivated to work out.

#1. Bring a friend – Ask one of your friends or co-workers to be your accountability partner, and you theirs when it comes to working out. When you have someone who is counting on you, most times you don’t want to disappoint them.

#2. If you fall, don’t stay down – You may get off track, miss a workout or eat too much for dessert, everyone does it, you’re human. Just remember to use that slip up as a lesson, not a deterrent.

#3. Use your gadgets – Technology is not the enemy. Use gadgets like fitness bands, watches and food tracking apps to help you monitor your daily activity and food intake.

#4. Write it down – You’re more likely to achieve your goals if they are written down. Try writing them on a sticky note and putting them on your refrigerator or your computer, something you see every day so you’ll be reminded.

Now that you have these tips grab a friend and get to the gym!

This article covers the exercise pillar of the Living Happier @Work program.

Get Happier With Gratitude

February 10, 2016 by Iman

Get Happier With Gratitude

Source: 5 Simple Ways To Improve Your Life Through Gratitude

Most people know the saying, ‘you never know what you’ve got until it’s gone;’ but no one ever wants to experience it, because it means you’ve lost something. Gratitude is one powerful way to keep that classic saying from coming true and your feeling regret. Gratitude is so powerful because it helps you put things into perspective. You may be struggling with something in your life, but when you start comparing yourself to others, you realize that the grass is not always greener on the other side. In an effort to keep you in a positive, grateful mindset here are 5 ways to incorporate gratitude into your life.

#1. Write it down – Keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to record the things that you’re grateful for every day. It’s also a great tool to go back to when you’re not feeling so positive to remind yourself of all that you have.

#2. Find the silver lining – Everything is a matter of perspective. Do you look at your glass as half full or half empty most of the time? Every situation has a silver lining, look for the good in it and appreciate that.

#3. A thank you goes a long way – Say thank you to the people that serve you every day, whether that be your barista, a taxi cab driver, hairdresser or babysitter. They will greatly appreciate your kindness.

#4. Show your love – Make sure the people closest to you; your wife or husband, your kids or others know how much they mean to you and how much they are an important part of your life.

#5. Show it on social media – Your reach is huge on social media, be that person that shares something positive on their timeline. You never know how you’re impacting others that may just need a little pick me up.

Now start impacting the world with your gratitude.

This article covers the gratitude and kindness pillars of the Living Happier @Work program.

Add Swimming to Your Mindfulness Practice With These 4 Tips

February 5, 2016 by Iman

Add Swimming to Your Mindfulness Practice With These 4 Tips

Source: 4 Tips For Turning Swimming Into A Moving Meditation

During the summer many people think about taking a dip in a cool pool to make the summer heat bearable. But what about swimming during the rest of the year? Many people forget about how amazing an exercise swimming is, and how it can easily be added to your mindfulness exercise routine. You can burn around 500 calories in an hour session of swimming; now that’s pretty impressive. But I’m sure you’re wondering how does mindfulness fit into the equation? Well we have four easy ways for you to consider.

#4. Take it slow – Don’t disrupt the water too much, take it slow. Slow down your stroke and extend your breath. This will take away from gasping breaths as you move across the pool.

#3. Master your breath – Master the breath, and don’t feel bad if it takes you a couple of times, everyone moves at their own pace. When you’re able to master your breath, you can think about it less and start to become more mindful.

#2. Nose first – As you’re swimming exhale through your nose; this helps in slowing the breathing process down, and you will observe bubbles coming from your nose that you can focus on.

Now for number #1 – You’ve mastered the breath, now you can focus on one thing during your practice like:

The sound of bubbles coming from your nose
The sensation as your body tilts side-to-side in the water
The shape of the arm as it lifts out the water
The “hole” the fingertips make as they dip into the water
The paddle action of your feet

Now get out there and expanded your mindfulness practice through swimming!

This article covers the exercise and mindfulness pillars of the Living Happier @Work program.

2 Ways Mindfulness Literally Changes Your Mind

February 3, 2016 by Iman

2 Ways Mindfulness Literally Changes Your Mind

Source: Why Mindfulness Is Good For Your Brain and Business

Mindfulness is gaining traction, not only in the healthy living world but the work world as well. And the reason many employees and employers should take note is because unlike some other healthy living techniques, mindfulness actually changes parts of your brain in a positive way.

Anterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC) – This is the part of the brain that regulates self-regulation; things like your ability to sustain focus and attention. If you don’t have a well-functioning ACC you can be impulsive, aggressive and do poorly on your work, (it’s like your brain after too many alcoholic drinks). People with a mindfulness practice have a better functioning ACC and can avoid more distractions than the average person.

Hippocampus – The hippocampus is the part of the mind that is associated with memory and emotion, which are two extremely critical parts of life. It’s been proven that people that endure higher levels of stress have a larger hippocampus. Some of the benefits of mindfulness are a better ability to deal with pain, and increase in complex thinking, self-awareness, perception, emotional regulation, and body awareness.

Now that you know two great reasons to start your mindfulness practice start with 3-5 minutes of mindfulness meditation to ease your way into it.

This article covers the mindfulness pillar of the Living Happier @Work program.

10 Reasons to Consider Cycling to Work

January 29, 2016 by Iman

10 Reasons to Consider Cycling to Work

Source: 10 Reasons to Start Biking to Work

Maximizing time is something that most people try to do, and sometimes that includes multitasking. But have you ever thought about multitasking and your morning and evening commute? This option won’t work for everyone, especially if you have a long commute to work. But for those of you that are close to work, start thinking about cycling to work. Here are 10 reasons you should start cycling to work.

It’s all about the dollar – This mode of transportation will immediately save you money by saving on gas and parking. And in the long-term, since you’re driving your car less you’ll have fewer car repairs.
Any bike – Feel free to use any bike for your daily commute, there is no need to go out and buy a $2,000 bike unless you just want to.
It makes sense – Your life is busy with family and work, and sometimes there’s no time to exercise before or after work. A 5-mile commute on your bike will burn 500 calories.
Miss traffic – Everyone hates traffic, but since you’ll be on the sidewalk you’ll miss all of it.
Bike Lane – If you’re not a fan of cycling on the sidewalk, many states have started to create bike lanes for people just like you.
Be kind to the environment – Cycling doesn’t expel over a pound of CO2 like cars do for every mile you drive.
Spread the love – Be a positive influence on your co-workers and other people that see you cycling; they may want to try it now that they see you doing it to.
Work can help – In 2009 employers started offering bicycle reimbursement for employees up to $20 a month. Inquire with your HR department to find out the details.
Join the crowd – As of 2009, there were over 4 billion trips made by bicycle so don’t feel like you’ll be an outlier.
You’ll love it – You get to kill two birds with one stone, working out and getting to your essential places; what’s better than that.

4 Ways Not To Fall Off The Fitness Cliff

Get Happier With Gratitude

Add Swimming to Your Mindfulness Practice With These 4 Tips

2 Ways Mindfulness Literally Changes Your Mind

10 Reasons to Consider Cycling to Work

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