Reset your money brain
rowing up in an immigrant family and poor, I thought money could fix everything – ratty clothes, my parents’ fights. As an adult, I clung to cash and never asked for a raise for fear I’d lose my job. I’d also absorbed my mother’s mentality: work hard, don’t ask for too much. It was only when I dealt with my fears that I got money in order. Here’s how to beat what may hold you back, too.
Mindset one
I used to tell myself freelance writers aren’t supposed to make money. It was easier to believe that than see
Sitting disease is a thing – and a dangerous one, because being sedentary increases the risk of certain cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
So what to do? Try NEAT: Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis, which is any activity except for sleeping, eating or exercising. The more NEAT, the more you’ll combat a sedentary lifestyle. Cooking, gardening, cleaning and sex (oh yes) all count, but the easiest way to boost activity levels is to move more at work. Industry expert David Cross of DC Strength & Nutrition explains how.
1Go walkabout Set an hourly alarm, then walk around the office, the building, up and down the stairs, out the door, then back to your desk. “It may only take five minutes,” says David, “but it’s enough to get blood flowing and kilojoules burning.” To jazz it up, kick your legs to touch your butt or bring your knees to your chest.
2Speak up Make a habit of standing when you’re on the phone. “This allows you to take in more oxygen and to speak more confidently. Plus you burn more kilojoules and stretch your legs.”
3Go old school If you’re comfortable around your colleagues, get into a pushup position on the floor, or against a desk or wall. “You don’t need a lot of space,” says David. To tighten that tush, get low, and squat to your chair and up again, doing as many reps as you can in 60 seconds. Repeat a few times per day.
4Shake it out At your desk, do easy exercises like shoulder rolls, arm waves, toe wiggles, hip and torso twists. Bring your legs into your chest and stretch them out again. You might feel silly at first, but you’ll soon reap benefits. David says, “Just get moving, and keep moving!”