TIP OF THE DAY - SATURDAY

IT'S SATURDAY! ENJOY IT. DON'T STRESS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD BE DONE BUT DIDN'T GET DONE AT WORK OR AT HOME LAST WEEK. I have learned today that I broke (fractured) a couple bones in my foot. My foot is now in a "BOOT" until next Thursday when I see the orthopedic surgeon. On the way home from the doctor's office all I could think about was all the things I can't do with this stupid boot on and how there are so many things I need to do this weekend. Then I saw this article and it made me think. There is always going to be things that need to be done whether it is paperwork at the office, or dishes to wash at home or floors to mop or laundry to be done. So let's not let those little things turn into big issues that might just cause weight gain. I am going to spend most of tomorrow in my chair with my foot up and I am not going to feel guilty about it.

Too Much Work Can Pack On the Pounds
Overtime May Add More to Your Waistline than Your Wallet
-- By Rebecca Pratt, Staff Writer

Do you have a schedule that requires you to work more than forty hours per week, leaving you exhausted at the end of every workday? If so, go weigh yourself. If the number on the scale is higher than you believe it should be, you can probably blame your busy schedule for contributing to your excess weight.

Work can add weight—that’s the conclusion of a new Finnish study involving 9,000 Helsinki city employees, ages 40 to 60. University of Helsinki researchers found that weight gain was especially likely for individuals who must balance demanding jobs with the hectic requirements of family. In the study, a fourth of the women, along with 19 percent of the men, reported that they had gained weight the previous year. Strongly associated with weight gain was work fatigue.

The study identified two basic risk factors that seem to lead to weight gain: (1) consistently working beyond the standard 40 hours per week, and (2) consistently experiencing feelings of work fatigue.

The first factor, particularly high among women, involved those participants who expressed dissatisfaction with how they were able to combine paid work with family life.

The second factor involved participants who agreed with three or more of these statements:
• My work is definitely too stressful.
• I feel like I'm totally exhausted.
• I feel totally worn out after a day at work.
• I feel tired in the morning when I have to get up and go to work.
Researchers concluded that both risk factors involve work fatigue or burnout—conditions that may tempt workers to soothe midday stress by turning to vending machine treats, scarfing down fast food, and skipping exercise because they lack both time and energy.

Take a break from your television for a week
• Look for areas of your life to simplify or consolidate. For example, can you set aside a day to run all (or even most) of your errands, saving time and gas?
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• Evaluate your work schedule and tasks. See which items require some overtime, and then try to plan one or two days to consciously work overtime to accomplish those tasks. You may still be working long hours, but you’ll have some control over your schedule.
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• Take a good hard look at your job. Is it a good fit for you? While we all have areas of dissatisfaction in our work, it’s generally not normal to be continually exhausted at the end of the day. When we’re well suited to our work, we should enjoy it much of the time.