Integration of Personal and Career
FITness
FIT HAPPENS
Over the course of our careers, we tend to focus on JOB and lose focus on our personal fitness. If we integrate our life long personal fitness with our career FITness we can contribute to lifestyle balance and increase productivity at the same time.
Low fitness levels as a young adult appeared to increase the risk of several health conditions later in life, from diabetes to high blood pressure. The study lends more support to the theory that health conditions do not have to be a normal part of aging and that what you do now can help prevent illness later.
Career FITness functions in much the same manner. Focus on positive outcomes can benefit both your career and your health. Don't waste this opportunity by falling into the dark ages...
A little extra exercise may boost your spirits and your career.
Many people feel an emotional letdown after the passing of a holiday
season. Further, there is usually a family component of the holidays that goes
away and things get back to "business as usual." These doldrums can also
occur at most anytime throughout your career. These factors tend to play
together and influence the productive attitude of many individuals engaged in
career transition or actual job search.
However, studies have revealed that exercise is a great way to boost mood or keep negative feelings a bay. In a study, regular physical activity appeared to reduce the risk of both depression and anxiety.
Executing your Personal Market Plan during a soft job economy requires special attention to positioning, targeting… and YOU. Let’s start with you and your general physical fitness…
Level 1: LITE refers to both your exercise habits and your favored beer… Haven’t exercised regularly for years… have some health issues… walking to and from the car is the most exercise a normal day includes…
WALK YOUR DOG A MILE A DAY… whether you have a dog or not!
After checking with your physician to determine your physical limitations, simply starting a regular routine of early morning (good to get your energy up for the day) or early evening (good to "walk off" that heavy supper you just ate) walking will get you started in the right direction.FUEL your Market Plan implementation by 1) reading a section of your job search workbook, or reviewing your notes from a recent session with your Consultant. Then 2) considering how you are willing to commit to putting the information into productive practice during your walk. You will come back from each such walk refreshed and 3) ready to succeed in your next campaign efforts.
Take your exercise to the next level by rolling in some easy-to-do routines, exercises that don’t require any special equipment or time consuming preparation. Search out a fun, doable sport that you can do with a friend or colleague… biking, swimming, golf or tennis come right to mind (remember to check with your physician as to what is right for you).
Level II: Normal. You exercise from time to time, may even have an under utilized club membership… you supplement fairly regular golf with quite irregular exercising… you try "diet of the month" programs to try to contain your weight gain (or loss)…
Find an exercise that you can do while you’re reading (or watching TV) at home. That ½ hour it takes to read the paper in the morning (or watch a favorite morning news show) is a great time to be on a stationary bike… The keys, here, are to get some regularity and productivity out of everything you do while involved in career transitions.
Fuel your Market Plan implementation and engage your IMAGINATION, INTEGRATING your physical fitness with your career FITness. While exercising, think outside the box regarding both positioning (differentiation in your marketplace) and implementation issues. Consider your action plan for the day ahead or debrief your morning interview… Research-Research-Research. Consider ways to increase your physical fitness while gaining productivity with your CAREER FITness.
Take your exercise to the next level by making whatever you do a regular event in your daily/ weekly routine. A reasonable goal would be half to a full hour of exercise every other day… with a day off to relax. A regular visit to a workout location or club is a terrific networking opportunity. Including personal contacts in to your growing routine is a great way to share the benefits of your activity with a colleague.
Level III: COMMITTED to fitness. You are already involved in a regular exercise habit… regular visits to your gym are an important part of your weekly routine… Participation in a fun sport has become a social practice for you…
Attention to both your physical and career FITness is for everyone, not just the young. Habits you develop earlier in life can be 1) carried over into later years or ... 2) easily refreshed and brought back into play-- or... 3) part of how you may choose to REINVENT YOURSELF at various stages of your career.
So, if you are already paying attention to fitness concerns, look to set new goals, achieve new heights of intensity or stamina. FITness is a dynamic issue, not something you can achieve… then forget, or practice at the same level for many years. Fuel your life-long commitment to fitness each and every day.
The same can be said for CAREER FITness. During your working years, fully integrate your expanding Personal Market Plan implementation with your regular exercise habits. This creates a "self-regulated accountability" that feeds on itself to increase your productivity and, ultimately, your results. Remember that TIME IS YOUR PARTNER when you apply your imagination to make things happen within your life. Constantly seek out ways to increase productivity and efficiency.
Both physical fitness and career FITness represent a journey rather than destinations. As your life and career progresses, so does the journey. There will always be a next level. The full integration of physical fitness and Personal Career FITness takes time… perhaps, the rest of your career, at least. What are you waiting for?
Learning Points…
F
UEL your Market Plan implementation…I
ntegrate your physical fitness with your career FITness by using your IMAGINATION…T
ime is your partner.A famous Notre Dame football coach was once quoted as saying that, "Practice makes perfect."
Mr. Rockne was a bit misguided in his thinking...
You see, he drilled the IRISH to focus on the result of WINNING. An even MORE famous coach, of Green Bay Packer fame, spoke more frankly when he said, "Perfect practice makes perfect." Mr. Lombardi's intent was very different. He wanted his players to concentrate on PRACTICE, drilling on the "little things", the basics, so that they became instinct during the heat of real life. Such is productive mindset during any career transition...
Practice your two minute drill every chance you get.... its the fundamental building material of your communication strategy--your verbal collaterals!
Practice your exit statement... most all potential employers and networking contacts will want to know your current situation and why you are available.
Practice answering both common and tough questions... including pre-offer negotiation tactics.
Now, GO PRACTICE !
"If you
practice the way you play, there shouldn't be any difference. That's why I practiced so hard. I wanted to be prepared for the game."Michael Jordan (1963- )
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Bob Maher, CMF... The Careerpilot
Bob created his online presence, www.careerpilot.com, in 1994. He has over twenty years of successful experience in Corporate Recruitment, performance management and Career Management Services. He is an entrepreneur and innovator in the use of information technology in the recruitment and employment process. On the Founder's Council of the Association of Career Professionals - International and quite active in their Professional Development, Technology and Chapter Growth initiatives--a frequent speaker at industry conferences and seminars.