Edit: I did not realize I had started talking about exercise so many years ago. It took me quite a while to make it a real part of my day. The Tech U link no longer works.
Originally posted January 13, 2009 on AIXchange
I see that this year’s IBM Power Systems Technical University is set for Sept. 21-25 in Orlando. As I’ve noted in previous AIXchange entries, the Technical University is a valuable educational event. Be sure to start making plans to attend.
While I’m digging up previous posts, I want to revisit this, where I suggest that we all should “work smart, but don’t forget to take time for other things. Go outside. Take a walk.” Perhaps I should have given greater emphasis to taking a walk.
How many of us IT professionals are putting on a few pounds? We do generally have relatively sedentary lifestyles. We drive to our jobs, and sit in front of a computer all day. And if we’re not doing that, we’re sitting in a meeting. Then we go home and play video games and/or watch TV and movies. We eat more fast food than fruits and vegetables. Over time, this lifestyle takes its toll.
Of course this is the time of year for making New Year’s resolutions and thinking about things that we want to change in our lives. From what I understand, health-club memberships spike around this time of year. Gyms tend to be very busy in January, but the crowds dwindle back to normal as the year wears on. The lines for the exercise machines will disappear, just watch and see.
Starting healthy new habits like eating better and exercising more can be tough. It can be harder still to maintain these habits. I would argue that some in the IT industry–myself included–should think about getting the habit in the first place.
It has been done. One former co-worker who’d put on some pounds over the years changed his diet, started biking to work and shed some pounds. Eventually he started cycling recreationally on the weekends. Now he’s in the best shape of his life (and no, for this discussion, round doesn’t count as a shape).
Another co-worker got into running. He now participates in marathons, and his times are enviable. I’ve seen others take up martial arts and achieve similar results.
Employers want healthy people working for them. It reduces their healthcare costs, and it increases productivity when people take fewer sick days. Many larger companies provide a gym on site; take
advantage of it. Others reimburse some portion of employees’ health-club membership fees. Make use of that if you can. And if you already have a membership, start going again, or go more often.
Give yourself e-mail or text message reminders to go take a break–a healthy break. Instead of going outside for a smoke or running to get more coffee, go for a walk. Get a pedometer and measure the steps you take each day, then try for more and more. Park your car further away from the entrance to buildings that you visit.
Setting aside a regular time for exercise will help you remember to do it. Whether it’s first thing in the morning, over lunch or the last thing before bed, establish a routine. Soon it will just become part of your normal day.
Find what works for you. Carve out the time and make it happen. Our jobs require us to constantly exercise our minds. We need to take the time to do the same for our bodies.