 |
| |
 |
| Take the 2008 Work-Life Balance Survey Just 15 minutes of your time. You can receive a copy of the survey results and a free copy of our e-book, "102 Tips for Better Work-Life Balance" when it is published in the fall of 2008! |
To look at me, you would never guess that I have been a member of a health club since 1989. That is
because, with the exception of brief spurts of intense motivation, I almost never go. It is not so much that
I dislike the activity but rather, getting there, changing my clothes, working out, showering, changing my
clothes again and getting back into my routine take up way too much time out of my day. I simply cannot fit
going to the gym into my schedule.
I am not alone. The best estimates that I can find on-line from a number of sources indicate that upwards of
70% of health club members never or rarely use their membership.
Most of us need to work. We would like to spend time with our spouses, family and friends. We may study.
We may have a spiritual or community life. And then there is exercise. In the face of that sort of to-do list,
what do we cut out?
Despite our better intentions, may of us cut out the
exercise. We know that lack of sufficient exercise
results in obesity, reduced cardio-vascular health,
increased stress and even depression. We buy gym
memberships we don’t use. Many of us own home
exercise equipment that gathers dust. We swallow
expensive supplements and subscribe to controlled
food-delivery services. In the end, we make ourselves
sick with guilt when none of it works and we are too
ashamed of ourselves to take advantage of all those
money-back guarantees.
In my quest for a balanced life, I have come to terms
with the fact that exercising for sake of it is not a
priority to me. I have done many of the subtle things
commonly suggested to increase my activity. I park
several extra blocks from my office. I choose parking
spaces far from the store entrance. I take the stairs
rather then the elevator. I sometimes spend my
break time walking around the block. It is not enough!
Enter the humble toofer. A toofer is an activity that gives us double return on our investment of time and
energy—the result of “two for” the investment of one. Toofers allow me to combine items on my to-do list
and help me find some of that sought-for balance in life.
Take, for example, the task of getting the car washed. If you drive to the car wash, reaching for your wallet is
about all the exercise you are going to get. But, if you wash the car by hand, you get a clean car as well as
some exercise. That is a simple toofer. Add into the equation, all the money you save and you have double
toofer. Wash the car by hand with the kids and the return goes through the roof! You get a clean car. You get
exercise. You have some fun. You spend time with the kids. And you save a little money.
Toofers that help increase exercise are everywhere. All we need is a little imagination and some planning.
Rather than going to the movies, consider taking a walking tour of a local neighborhood or a visit to the
museum, art exhibit or zoo. You’ll get some exercise and learn something as well.
Around the house, you might plant a vegetable garden, do some serious spring-cleaning, mow the lawn or
paint a room. Volunteer for community clean-up day or build a house with Habitat for Humanity. Do any of
these activities with family or friends and you exponentially increase the benefits.
I truly admire the folks at the gym with their chiseled athletic bodies. I wish I could go to the beach and not
feel that I had somehow failed as a physical specimen. But I also know, beyond any doubt, that those people
did not get those bodies from three twenty-minute workouts a week—no matter what the commercials say!
It takes real work and a lot of time to get a body like the ones we see in those commercials. I just do not
have that kind of time. I would have to sacrifice another important facet of my life in order to spend that sort of
time at the gym. So, I have forgotten all about the gym and the guilt for not going. As far as home exercise
equipment goes, free weights make interesting stepping stones in the garden.
I’ll stick with the toofer. A little exercise is better than none. While I may not be an Adonis, my life is in better
balance, I get exercise, have fun and get a few chores done in the bargain.
because, with the exception of brief spurts of intense motivation, I almost never go. It is not so much that
I dislike the activity but rather, getting there, changing my clothes, working out, showering, changing my
clothes again and getting back into my routine take up way too much time out of my day. I simply cannot fit
going to the gym into my schedule.
I am not alone. The best estimates that I can find on-line from a number of sources indicate that upwards of
70% of health club members never or rarely use their membership.
Most of us need to work. We would like to spend time with our spouses, family and friends. We may study.
We may have a spiritual or community life. And then there is exercise. In the face of that sort of to-do list,
what do we cut out?
Despite our better intentions, may of us cut out the
exercise. We know that lack of sufficient exercise
results in obesity, reduced cardio-vascular health,
increased stress and even depression. We buy gym
memberships we don’t use. Many of us own home
exercise equipment that gathers dust. We swallow
expensive supplements and subscribe to controlled
food-delivery services. In the end, we make ourselves
sick with guilt when none of it works and we are too
ashamed of ourselves to take advantage of all those
money-back guarantees.
In my quest for a balanced life, I have come to terms
with the fact that exercising for sake of it is not a
priority to me. I have done many of the subtle things
commonly suggested to increase my activity. I park
several extra blocks from my office. I choose parking
spaces far from the store entrance. I take the stairs
rather then the elevator. I sometimes spend my
break time walking around the block. It is not enough!
Enter the humble toofer. A toofer is an activity that gives us double return on our investment of time and
energy—the result of “two for” the investment of one. Toofers allow me to combine items on my to-do list
and help me find some of that sought-for balance in life.
Take, for example, the task of getting the car washed. If you drive to the car wash, reaching for your wallet is
about all the exercise you are going to get. But, if you wash the car by hand, you get a clean car as well as
some exercise. That is a simple toofer. Add into the equation, all the money you save and you have double
toofer. Wash the car by hand with the kids and the return goes through the roof! You get a clean car. You get
exercise. You have some fun. You spend time with the kids. And you save a little money.
Toofers that help increase exercise are everywhere. All we need is a little imagination and some planning.
Rather than going to the movies, consider taking a walking tour of a local neighborhood or a visit to the
museum, art exhibit or zoo. You’ll get some exercise and learn something as well.
Around the house, you might plant a vegetable garden, do some serious spring-cleaning, mow the lawn or
paint a room. Volunteer for community clean-up day or build a house with Habitat for Humanity. Do any of
these activities with family or friends and you exponentially increase the benefits.
I truly admire the folks at the gym with their chiseled athletic bodies. I wish I could go to the beach and not
feel that I had somehow failed as a physical specimen. But I also know, beyond any doubt, that those people
did not get those bodies from three twenty-minute workouts a week—no matter what the commercials say!
It takes real work and a lot of time to get a body like the ones we see in those commercials. I just do not
have that kind of time. I would have to sacrifice another important facet of my life in order to spend that sort of
time at the gym. So, I have forgotten all about the gym and the guilt for not going. As far as home exercise
equipment goes, free weights make interesting stepping stones in the garden.
I’ll stick with the toofer. A little exercise is better than none. While I may not be an Adonis, my life is in better
balance, I get exercise, have fun and get a few chores done in the bargain.
Balanced Life Tip: Don't Go to the Gym!