Raise Your Energy Level (Part 2)

Ephesians 4:28 says: "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth."

Our quote for today is from Philip Stanhope. He said: "Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness, no laziness, no procrastination: never put off till tomorrow what you can do today."

Today, in the Get Things Done podcast we are looking at Part 2 of Step 5: "Raise Your Energy Level."

Edwin Bliss writes:

When it comes to boosting your energy level, programmed exercise is only part of the story. There is also the matter of getting the kind of physical activity during the working day that will prevent fatigue.

People with sedentary jobs often get too little activity at their work and consequently become lethargic. We weren't designed to work at a desk or a machine or a computer screen for eight hours at a stretch. These prolonged periods of immobility cause the blood to stagnate in the large muscles and in the extremities. The result is a feeling of drowsiness or tiredness, so that when we are faced with an unpleasant, postponable task, the scales are tipped toward postponement rather than toward action.

Most office tasks can be done at least part of the time standing up. Now, of course, if you are an office worker you will sit most of the time, but you should use every opportunity to alternate between sitting and standing to minimize fatigue. For example, you might form the habit of standing when on the telephone. An extra­-long telephone cord or a cordless phone can free you from being confined to one spot while phoning.

If you do want to sit, it's often better to sit on the edge of a desk or table rather than sitting plopped in a chair, because you don't remain in the same position for long periods. Hold conferences standing rather than sitting, when possible ­­ they tend to be shorter and more productive that way anyhow. And a standup work area can reduce fatigue. A counter, a bookcase, a file cabinet, even a makeshift work platform about elbow height ­­ anything that provides an alternative to prolonged sitting ­­is worth considering.

...