Diversity Woman Magazine

SUM 2015

Leadership and Executive Development for women of all races, cultures and backgrounds

Issue link: https://diversitywoman.epubxp.com/i/510478

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 37 of 51

DW Life > 36 D I V E R S I T Y W O M A N Summer 2015 d i v e r s i t y w o m a n . c o m advises meditating, mindful breathing, stretching, or setting an intention for the day. Never skip breakfast; it's still the most important meal. If you don't have time to make breakfast in the morning, prepare it the night before. Extend a re- laxed mind-set to your commute: while you drive, walk, or travel on public trans- portation, take f ve deep breaths in, and then f ve deep breaths out, and repeat for 10 minutes. MISTAKE #2: Dehydration Once we get to the of ce, it's easy to slip into nonstop work mode. Even a trip to the water cooler can seem like wasted time. But when we don't drink enough water, our bodies get dehydrated, and even mild dehydration can cause fatigue. "Water helps the body function opti- mally," says Bressack. Drinking plenty of water f ushes toxins, carries nutrients to cells, and provides moisture for the ears, nose, and throat tissues. Solution: Make sure that you drink about nine eight-ounce glasses of f uid a day (preferably water), an amount recom- mended by the Institute of Medicine. If drinking f uids doesn't come naturally, set an alarm on your computer that pops up every hour as a reminder. A bonus to staying hydrated? You'll have to get up more often to go to the bathroom, which is a great way to move and stretch throughout the day. MISTAKE #3: Poor time management Stress is a major cause of health problems, including heart disease, depression, and digestive problems. While some stress at work is inevitable, it's important to mini- mize the stress that comes from feeling overworked and overwhelmed. "I'm a big believer in having good processes and sys- tems for managing tasks, so you can relax when you aren't working," says Benz. Solution: T ere are hundreds of ways to manage your time well, from good old-fashioned paper-and-pencil lists to sophisticated project management software. Benz recommends the book Getting T ings Done, which she says can help you create an intentional, disci- plined way of tracking all of your short- and long-term priorities. "Once you have a system set up and it works for you, it gives you peace of mind and helps you tune out work when you leave the of ce." MISTAKE #4: The wrong kind of lunch As the main meal we eat during work (hopefully!), lunch has the potential to give us a boost of steady energy and nourishment. When we don't eat enough at lunch, or don't eat the right foods, we risk setting ourselves up for unhealthy af- ternoon snacking or a blood sugar crash. Solution: T e f rst rule of lunch is prepara- tion. Pack up your leftovers from dinner, f x lunch the night before, or go grocery shopping and stock your work fridge with healthy options like salad f xings, hummus, and vegetables. Whatever your method of preparation, make sure it includes healthy fats like walnuts and avocados to help keep your brain focused. Of course, never skip lunch. And make sure that you eat enough so you aren't hungry a few hours later, which can make the of ce candy bowl that much more tempting. Keep in mind, as well, that eating at your desk is a big no-no for several reasons. First, you will likely be multitasking, which can lead to mindless overeat- ing. Secondly, you'll be distracted with work tasks, so you won't get as much enjoyment from your meal. And f - nally, eating at your desk doesn't give your body and mind the midday break it needs to rejuvenate and re- energize. MISTAKE #5: Consuming too much caffeine It's easy to justify overindulging in your favorite caf einated beverage. Your ener- gy is lagging after lunch, so you reach for a Diet Coke, or you want a jolt for a big meeting, so you ref ll your cof ee cup— again. We know by now, however, that drinking too much diet soda and cof ee throughout the day isn't good for you. Heavy caf eine use can cause insomnia, nervousness, muscle tremors, fast heart- beat, an upset stomach, and irritability. All of this can disrupt your sleep, creat- ing a relentless cycle of sleeplessness, fa- tigue, and then more cof ee drinking. In addition to its caf eine content, diet soda creates other problems. "It's worse than regular soda because it has chemi- cals that cause weight gain, headaches, and sugar cravings," says Bressack, who adds that many women are addicted to diet soda. "We are tricked by marketing that it's better for us [than regular soda]. But it's actually harmful and causes an imbalance in our body." Solution: Caf eine consumption is very personal; some people get jittery from just one cup of cof ee. But according to the Mayo Clinic, up to 400 milligrams THINKSTOCKPHOTOS

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Diversity Woman Magazine - SUM 2015