| Living a Balanced Life | | | | Measure. As Chris Peterson puts it: “What is valued |
| Our lives are full of stress: we have 24 hours each | | | | gets measured, but what is measured also gets |
| day and more activities than we feel we have time | | | | valued.” Start measuring your training. Mark a |
| for. In this age of multi-tasking and instantaneous | | | | calendar with your workout days on it. Keep a journal |
| communication through cell phones, e-mail, that do both | | | | of your training routine. Build a chart showing your |
| and more, the demands on our time are relentless. | | | | progress. Measure whatever works for you, but keep |
| These demands have increased our levels of | | | | track of what gets done and congratulate yourself |
| stress-related health problems, and as an antidote, the | | | | when you are doing well. |
| quest for “balance” has become a popular | | | | Get in flow. Foster flow by breaking down each |
| fixation. In our search for balance, we re-prioritize our | | | | session into smaller episodes, matching the challenge |
| to-do lists and think about ways to shift our schedules | | | | to your skill set, regularly assessing your progress, and |
| around. But what is balance? How do we live a | | | | applying your full concentration to the activity, suggests |
| balanced life? | | | | Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi. For example, if you aim to run |
| Fields as diverse as psychology, physiology, medicine, | | | | a total three miles, rather than worry about the full |
| and neuroscience assert that physical activity helps | | | | distance, think of it as three times one mile and try to |
| prevent and treat mental health problems, increases | | | | achieve your personal best on each. |
| subjective well-being, reduces stress, boosts | | | | Use the peak-end rule. Barry Schwartz describes that |
| self-esteem, sharpens thinking and improves overall | | | | we remember how much we like an event by how |
| quality of life. For most of us however, fear of loss is a | | | | much we liked its peak and its end. By managing your |
| stronger motivator than the attraction of gain. When it | | | | routines so you love their end, you are more likely to |
| comes to undertaking exercise, the fear of | | | | remember your sessions favorably and therefore to |
| “losing” time, experiencing initial low self-efficacy | | | | repeat the experience. |
| and dreading physical effort and discomfort may all | | | | . Get good mind fuel after exercise. Exercise facilitates |
| weigh heavier than the perspective of feeling better, | | | | brain cell growth, shows John Ratey, and while your |
| losing weight, and enjoying increased energy. | | | | muscles are recuperating after the effort, your brain is |
| If you need extra help committing to an exercise | | | | actively busy building new synapses. What you do |
| routine, here are my top 10 recommendations, based | | | | post-exercise is therefore essential to reaping the full |
| on positive psychology, to help you overcome the | | | | benefits of your activity. Capitalize on how potent the |
| challenge: | | | | next hour is by filling up on what you deem worthwhile |
| Sleep enough and eat nutritiously-sleeping enough and | | | | – and avoiding what is not. |
| eating nutritious foods including complex carbohydrates | | | | |
| that give pre-exercise energy are clearly part of the | | | | Measure. As Chris Peterson puts it: “What is valued |
| equation. | | | | gets measured, but what is measured also gets |
| Get into a good mood. Happy moods help us be | | | | valued.” Start measuring your training. Mark a |
| more productive, more active, healthier and more | | | | calendar with your workout days on it. Keep a journal |
| resilient. These are all ingredients that facilitate | | | | of your training routine. Build a chart showing your |
| exercising. Before you jump in your sneakers, make | | | | progress. Measure whatever works for you, but keep |
| sure to add a skip into your step by listening to upbeat | | | | track of what gets done and congratulate yourself |
| music or calling your funniest friend. | | | | when you are doing well. |
| Use your strengths, states Tom Rath. High on hope? | | | | Get in flow. Foster flow by breaking down each |
| Reach for small, achievable goals that will boost your | | | | session into smaller episodes, matching the challenge |
| self-efficacy. Known by your friends for leadership? | | | | to your skill set, regularly assessing your progress, and |
| Focus on the example you are setting for your loved | | | | applying your full concentration to the activity, suggests |
| ones. Love to learn? Investigate a new exercise at | | | | Mihalyi Csikszentmihalyi. For example, if you aim to run |
| each visit to the gym. There are endless ways to | | | | a total three miles, rather than worry about the full |
| express your strengths via exercise. | | | | distance, think of it as three times one mile and try to |
| Enjoy the burn. Loehr and Schwartz write that many | | | | achieve your personal best on each. |
| newcomers to the gym only make a half-hearted | | | | Use the peak-end rule. Barry Schwartz describes that |
| effort, hardly break a sweat, and quickly get | | | | we remember how much we like an event by how |
| discouraged because they don’t feel the benefits | | | | much we liked its peak and its end. By managing your |
| they signed up for. Unless your doctor advised | | | | routines so you love their end, you are more likely to |
| otherwise, don’t be afraid to feel your heart rate | | | | remember your sessions favorably and therefore to |
| go up and learn to love the burn in your muscles. Just | | | | repeat the experience. |
| like some people enjoy the burn of spicy foods and | | | | Get good mind fuel after exercise. Exercise |
| others don’t, it’s mainly a question of choice. | | | | facilitates brain cell growth, shows John Ratey, and |
| Involve your mind. Many people say that training is too | | | | while your muscles are recuperating after the effort, |
| repetitive and therefore boring. Keep learning. Once | | | | your brain is actively busy building new synapses. |
| you learn more about all the training areas | | | | What you do post-exercise is therefore essential to |
| (cardiovascular, endurance, strength, and flexibility), | | | | reaping the full benefits of your activity. Capitalize on |
| you’ll be stimulated to find the most effective | | | | how potent the next hour is by filling up on what you |
| exercise combinations. | | | | deem worthwhile – and avoiding what is not. |