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Take a break, think positive to achieve goals

Working to excel is the catch phrase that many people have caught on to. The penchant to shine at work, to win recognition and that huge bonus leads to stretching, working long hours and forgetting that there is life beyond the office. This habit of seeing work as the means to a better life is taking its toll on the very well being of employees, consequently landing them in several health risk situations.

‘Hard work killed nobody' is an often-quoted line of tough task master bosses at work. But the truth is with the kind of gadgets, cubicles and equipment one is laden with at the office, long hours and work without breaks are indeed hampering one's well being that can have a negative impact on the future health of employees.

Working hard and achieving one's ambitions should remain the motive, but need not be the only purpose in life.

The workplace habits can tell on one's health, both mental and physical. Pressure built up meeting targets can strain the mental faculties giving room for depression and frustration. Physical illness can come in the form of back and neck pain, constant headache, blood pressure and lead to extreme fatigue and strokes.

Here are ways to keep such undesirable health consequences at bay.

Take a break: Working without a break is affecting four people out of ten, says a recent report of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), UK. It says that working in the same position or posture for a long duration results in severe muscle and joint damage.

The problem is aggravated when people adopt postures that are not those recommended by specialists in ergonomics. People get used to different sitting and working positions, which they feel are comfortable but without realising that they do more harm to themselves.

Adopting the right posture and taking breaks will ease muscle strain and also help relax the brain to perform better. Small breaks spread over the day give more benefit than just one long break

“By taking small chunks of time and removing your mind entirely from work, you allow yourself a very important and healing mental break. The rewards of allowing yourself personal time will include increased motivation and effort to achieve your goals, a better feeling about yourself, and a happier outlook on life, says David Bhol founder of www.slowddownfast.com.

Know limits: In their anxiety to achieve more, people forget what their actual mental and physical limitations are. While it is possible to believe that 'Impossible is nothing', which is the sports equipment and footwear brand Nike's motto, that may be a little too far to apply in our daily lives. Knowing one's limitations will help in setting goals that can be measured and achieved. This will propel one to go in the right direction without the sense of having failed, in the face of unmet goals.

No negative feelings: Harbouring negative feelings can lead to questioning one's ability to perform better and to be a winner always. Failing once should not make one pessimistic about the ability to succeed. Losing a promotion need not be the end of the career. It should be taken as a warning sign that there is more to do. Keep hope alive. Think positive. Don't be someone who can only see the darker side.

A Harvard School of Public Health survey found that people who are generally hopeful were less likely to develop hypertension, diabetes or respiratory tract infections than those who were less hopeful or expressed more negative emotion. The concepts of positive psychology can have a favourable impact not only on the psyche, but on the body as well, says the report.

Whatever the ultimate goal in one's work, the idea should be to achieve it without risking one's mental, physical and emotional balance.

K.V. RAJASEKHER

-The Hindu