Am I a fitness enthusiast? Why yes, thank you for asking. If it wasn’t visible at any point before, yes, I am… despite multiple chronic health issues, or possibly because, I cannot imagine living without exercise. By that, I don’t only mean going to the gym. While I like gym well enough, it often doesn’t even feature regularly. Why? Because exercise (much like anthropology… 🙂 ) is everywhere.
The most important part of exercise is doing it. HOW you do it, whether you love your gym or love your jog or multiple other options, that is up to you. You also don’t have to be the world champion sportsperson – even if you are padded with good living and don’t wish to change a thing, the exercise you undertake can be so much more than just a way to keep the cholesterol and blood sugar normal.
I got to thinking about this for several reasons. One, football season is upon us (makes me almost want to have Gandalf say this… 🙂 ). People get VERY confused when they realise that I don’t watch sports. It simply doesn’t offer me the adrenaline and endorphin heaven that I get by doing them… so I end up wishing luck to those who are cheering and do more squats instead.
Two, much of what makes exercise successful and efficient also makes work successful and efficient. I don’t merely mean jobs that require a specific amount of physical capability, either. Divers, maritime archaeologists, terrain researchers in many disciplines and many others really do need to have a specific level of fitness to cope with daily demands. But even if you work at an office, and your greatest feat of exercise is taking the stairs from the subway to the ground level, exercise principles still can and do apply to your career.
I have observed many motivational quotes to date, and apart from realising that there are people out there who use exercise as a form of abuse towards others (which is where body shaming often comes from too!), the proper motivational quote makes one aware of quite a few things that are important for not only managing the work load, but also for advancing your career.
1. Don’t stop when you’re tired, stop when you’re done.
While this one can definitely be taken over the top, and I am always in two minds about it, there is something about it that should be considered. You can’t force concentration – but you can learn to find a way around that sudden daze or two that happen in the day. They can be due to a lot of things. Most often, they are there because we sit too long, doing relatively passivizing things. Solution: Get up, walk around the office a bit, or do a few exercises of your own choosing, whatever fits your personality and health demands. Another issue is water. Often, we do not drink enough throughout the day, possibly because we have successfully lost the feeling for when we are thirsty, but also due to social reasons – I have found that many people are almost chronically afraid of going to the bathroom during work hours. The result is not just the daze of dehydration, but also chronic bladder issues, anxiety, depression, bowel problems etc.. Do yourself a favour – drink water like it’s your job. Ii don’t mean down the entire gallon in a minute… but make sure you stay hydrated while at work.
Lack of protein in your diet may also be the cause of tiredness. A nice little energy ball or drink in the right moment can make things so much better for you in that case. You will be alert and full of energy…at least far more so than before.
But, coming to the quote itself – know your limits, recognise when you need to stop and when you need to simply adapt the strategy. And adaptation is crucial, not merely for those with their own business, but also everyone else. Adapting means assessing the current situation and acting accordingly. This can influence anything from sales success to success in acquiring more clients to remaining afloat in a difficult financial situation to creating a better work environment and more.
Knowing your limits and when not to stop will also give you a feeling of empowerment. People of colour, LGBT and women especially, but also everyone else who possibly has an unpleasant work environment due to who they are, may find this particularly useful, especially since the inclusivity and anti-discrimination laws don’t seem to be doing enough – between the potentially still hostile environment (recently, there was an article by Bloomberg on the matter of sexual harassment and LGBT inclusivity, to point to just one recent source) and the laws often changing to shift back to what they were or worse, it is necessary for them (and often us all!) to rediscover their personhood outside of the socially presented and dictated, not only because it will show off their worth,but also because it can change their own perspective on themselves and their capability, undermined by the behaviour of others.
We all need to feel in control – and what better way to feel in control than knowing that You. Can. Even if you are tired.
2. Rest.
I have written before on the fact that often, we chronically lack rest, and that this is a socio-cultural (and religious!) problem. While some of the exercise community claim you should press on with no rest days, the more informed know that your body needs rest periods, especially when you are amping up the workout. From my own experience – I have recently undertaken a 300 HIIT challenge. We’re talking performing, as fast as possible, 300 jumping jacks, 300 crunches, 300 squats and 75 push-ups, in bouts of 100 (apart from push-ups, which come in 25). Being me, I added a few exercises to what is supposed to be a 1000 calorie burner, so that my upper body gets some fun too.
That aside, and considering my chronic health issues especially, it would have been impossible not to take rest days. Initially, I started with only a hundred of everything and no upper body exercises; due to an old injury to my shoulder (ironically or perhaps remarkably unrelated to my exercise madness), I performed the push-ups against the wall. I also took a day in between consistently. In about a month and a half, with two excruciating bouts of health issues taking about two weeks off my exercise time, I managed to hit the 300 margin, and well.
In this same way, what we achieve at work can be perceived as a division between rest and active periods. And rest doesn’t have to be lying in bed sleeping (even though that is not to be underestimated as a necessity, ever!). Performing tasks or developing ideas is no different. Sometimes, they need to be broken up into stages. At other times, you just need to take them in one big sweep of exertion, mental and/or physical. Bottom line is that they must be followed by a period of rest. This doesn’t necessarily mean a day off work… it simply means that you should learn to rest, and find a rest tactic that works efficiently for you – meaning that you should, after work, come back refreshed and in high spirits, ready to take on the new challenge.
3. Self-motivation
There are days when nothing works. And sometimes, especially if you are battling chronic health problems, you can do nothing about it. But at the same time, viewing yourself in a positive way can do so much to improve your efficacy, not to mention your self-reliance and assertiveness. Simply realising that you can may create all the difference that you need, and that is another thing we can learn from exercise and apply to business. Quotes like “realising that a week ago, your body couldn’t do this” applies to the way we self-portray in our work.
Be aware of your worth. Always. Cherish the fact that it exists. Be positive about it.
This is not the same as being a coldhearted narcissist who sees nothing but themselves, especially since a narcissist usually sees themselves as an exaggeratedly great person surrounded by exaggeratedly unimportant persons. This is not positive, nor is it efficient. It is simply where complexes and low self worth may lead under certain circumstances.
Social, cultural or religious entitlement, also a form of narcissism, are the same.
But we are not talking about that – we are talking about positively assessing your skills, working on what needs to be worked on (without panic – you may not know T, but you sure as hell know everything up to T!) and taking full responsibility for yourself – including your positive self worth. Women and the LGBT especially suffer from low self-portrayal, and are arguably less likely to seek advancement, even when it is more than deserved. They will make themselves small and invisible in their work environment and resultantly will be overlooked… Which leads to depression and anxiety, as well as an even lower perspective on self, not to mention very real problems such as lower pay and associated social issues.
Instead of doubting yourself, assess yourself positively, and don’t let the doubters and haters bring you down. Most everyone who is someone now and was someone in the past (or will be in the future) has gone through adversity, and today’s giants teach us that positive outlook and perseverance can and will end in success. Pick your challenge. Then be its champion.
4. Pick up new challenges
Whether this is finding cardio you like or learning computing, never let your workout or your work and career go stale. We learn throughout our lives; however, many people do literally believe that learning stops after a specific point in life (which one depends on the social tier; the lower the tier, the sooner this point is expected). I have literally seen people claim that those who get education do so because they are “no good for any work”.
This by default suggests that what you do at your office, academic or tertiary, is not work.
Indeed, what is work is often challenging to explain to many…but you are not there to explain, and you are not there to start thinking that they may be right.
Instead, ignore this if you can. Keep learning. Keep advancing yourself. But don’t do it blindly. Set yourself a clear goal. Maybe even several. Just like you may want to run the Ironman, visit some pretty impressive mountains, climb a specific wall or just get healthier, or a mix of these, your career orientated goals may be one or several, and you should pay attention to them, as well as consider all the possible little (or at least smaller) challenges that may help you get to the end goal. To paraphrase – if you want to run the Ironman, you need to improve your running, cycling and swimming skills. This will include jogging and long runs; it will include stretching and muscle training; it will include swimming certain distances. It will include food adjustment and rest periods…all while living your daily life, with kids, pets, work, friends, non-exercisey interests, love life/spouse/partner and some.
Similarly, having a career goal may mean you will want to take up a few courses online, maybe even do a degree in something specific, or acquire experience you didn’t have before.
Either way, learning is doable, and it is necessary. As is the mindset this requires.
5. Never consider failure final
So you can’t lift that. Or you can’t run 5k yet. Or, put in business terms, you have been passed up for a promotion, didn’t get the job,etc.
Never think it over until it’s over. While we breathe, all we need to do is pick ourselves up and keep going.
That said, an additional thing to consider in the social world that doesn’t really come in with the exercise is that these days, it’s not solely about wanting and doing. Many political systems are tailored so that they make it difficult to survive, even if you are not failing, and a single failure can literally mean serious consequences, even if it is not your fault. That way, not getting a job may mean homelessness, and given the way social states are failing everywhere, that may be the final stop for many.
The trick here is to go back to strategising. Or, to borrow from fencing, battle re-enactment or any other strategy including sporty occupation – even if you have to fall back, know where you intend to go next.
In the case of social security, it’s best to know all your options. What happens if you are suddenly left with nothing? Can you count on family and friends? Do they have your back? And I mean really… if an army of the undead was advancing towards your keep right now, would you be able to stand together with these people and know that they will stand with you and you with them until the last bloody moment of the fray?
What provisions exist for people like you? Can you apply for help with your expenses, for retraining… live somewhere in case you don’t have a network of people to help you?
What are your legal rights, and how do you get to them?
And, most importantly, how do you kick up a fuss?
Remember this – if you have to go, don’t go down easy. Instead, think not just of yourself, but of others who may be in a similar situation. Much like Dylan Thomas wrote – Do not go gentle into that good night; rage, rage against the dying of the light.
In many cases, this may actually result in something positive. Just consider how many times activism, even on smallest levels, for a single person, actually achieves success.
And if you fail, you will still know you have done all you could, in an unfair advantage by your adversary… and that should give you courage to face whatever comes next.
6. Learn to prioritise
Life is a division of priorities. And while it is impossible to prioritise work over private life or vice versa (instead, you need to strike a balance here), there will be occasions when priorities will have to established in work, even (and especially) where everyone else is confused and running around doing nothing but making the matters worse.
Triage is one thing. What is lost? What can be saved?
Act accordingly.
Actually learning to prioritise is even more important, especially when you are building a career.
One of the quotes that pops up a lot is exactly on this – that you should consider yourself the boss of your exercise, and your exercise meetings, and bosses don’t cancel.
True. Applying this principle to your career is as important and as doable.
Don’t dither about your next step. Decide. Then keep to it, unless new circumstance were to change your strategy. Then adapt and keep going.
Much of what goes wrong with people’s work efficiency and career building is exactly that – feeling too pressed for time, feeling disorganised, feeling like it’s all one big impossible, insurmountable mess.
Borrow from lifting first. Get strong enough to lift whatever you aimed for, and past it, because it will give you an amazing feeling of capability.
Borrow from martial arts next.
Line them up. When you have multiple assailants (this advice goes for very serious, real life situations as well), line them up. Then go through them.
Treat office tasks, new career goals, challenges etc the same way.
Finally, the best thing to take from exercise is exercise itself. Being even just a little bit active can give you a feeling of physical and mental capability that you didn’t expect you had. Overcoming obstacles and boundaries, imagined or otherwise, requires that mental setup, and being aware of one’s own physical capabilities, of the emotional strength it takes to go through discomfort of exercise when it’s tough, the feeling of incredulity at a possibility of a new exercise being achieved and the triumph of it, as well as the sheer physical benefits, from better, more dominant posture to the feeling of internal dominance, of being your own person who can and will meet head on with challenges and set their own rules, is incredibly liberating and not only mood, but also work boosting. Prejudice, too, becomes a sideline. Women lift. Men dance. Gender, sexual orientation, colour, nothing matters but you and the sheer physicality of what lies before you, and the mental and emotional level of it that assesses, prepares, endures and overcomes.
Apply this to your career and you become unstoppable.