Preserve Your Health Through This Internet Thing
For every action there is a reaction. Sometimes the reaction is not thought through and is more spontaneous. Sitting too long at the computer can cause damage, and if you think that just staying there watching for sales or comments is a good thing, trust me there is a better way.
As I had my interior design career snatched away from me because of the economic downturn, I had to find a way to earn money and be creative about it.
I happened to be creating sites for myself and then found a way to do it for clients, but that is not what this post is about.
My whole life I have had such good ideas and goals and even plans. My "problem" is that I don't really like to start something unless it has a good percentage of guaranteed success. Another thing is that I become bored quickly, but when your life and home are sort of threatened, you learn to get focused. I did not want to lose anything we owned so I buckled down and did what I had to do . . . even if it was a gamble and even if I became bored.
Now some of you might know I am into the law of attraction. Stay with me. I realized one day that what I was doing, waiting for leads to come in, was that I was just sitting at the computer for hours and hours without getting up and this was going on like 12 hours a day . . . just to survive. I did not have money for any paid advertising so had to rely on this one source I have. Still not talking about that, but the point is that I felt "chained" to the computer so I could answer any lead that came in, like RIGHT NOW. I wanted to be ready all the waking hours. I would be one of the first to answer the lead, thus increasing my chances of getting a project. Good strategy, but there were some flaws that are now needing me to make up for stuff and this is the kernel of the post. Had to set that up to explain how I got where I was and the bad decisions I made by sitting down too long of a period of time at the computer.
I don't want to leave any links for the two good messages below-you all know how to do searches. What I want to say is that you should not chain yourself to the computer, like I did. It did some things to my health that is proving difficult to undo. I am making it, but I thought I would mention this stuff so if any of you are doing it . . . sitting too long . . . or feeling chained to the computer to answer something, think again about it.
For the law of attraction, even though I was "there" and "ready", by just staying there and not really going about other things in life, in a way I was telling the universe that I had lack. Lack of leads. Lack of money. Lack of faith. Whatever we focus on brings more of the same. I sincerely believe that if I did not have that mindset that I would have gotten more and even better quality leads.
For health in general, it is really bad to sit for more than 15-30 minutes at a time. It is bad for our circulatory system and can provoke blood clots. It is bad for our connective tissue and muscles because they receive less oxygen and blood flow, and thus less nutrients. When they don't work on a regular basis, they begin to forget how to work. It is bad for our brains and thinking because of the oxygen thing and it is really bad for our eyes. When we do not do anything but this close work of looking at a computer screen, we lose proper focusing ability.
So there are studies and lots of sites about these; especially the sitting too long and the focusing with our eyes too long without some variation and rest.
You can find these little exercises like stretching and the eye exercises to help you preserve your health, while doing this internet thing, and working hard to earn money online.
Like I say I am making it, but it is not easy. I do see progress with my restructuring what I am doing and when, but one of the main things is this. I always told myself I will exercise when I get successful and money in the bank or whatever. I found out by now doing research, that as we age our hormones for fat burning/release and muscle building do decline. So I cannot build muscle as fast or efficiently as I did when I was say, 25. I am 54 and while it is working and I am now getting healthier and on a good plan, I want to advise everyone not to wait. Don't postpone this. I know better than anyone how hard it is tear oneself away from the computer, when we are involved in creating a page or post or going through comments to answer.
Just get up from the computer on a regular basis to get your blood moving, (set a timer if you have to). Put aside like 20 minutes a few times a week for formal exercise, some for your heart and then some for your muscles, (so your muscles don't waste away from non-use and from the sedentary work), and do find some eye exercises to do and take those vision breaks.
I am lucky that nothing bad happened to me so far, without paying attention to these things or not even knowing about them, but I am getting healthier now. Doing these things will make you do better work on the internet too, as your focus will be intensified and your concentration will improve.
Stay healthy on your journey to financial freedom my friends!
Glo
Recent Comments
6
Thanks Glo. I am very new to this and just a tad older than you so I appreciate the sharing here. Not everything important on here is directly about business. Recently, I have been reading several blogs from successful people here about the importance of balance. Balance is important, along with stepping back for a different perspective, and #1, taking care of yourself. After all, what good is the great business if you are not healthy enough to enjoy it.
Anyway, I enjoy your words here and wish you the best. Keep taking care of yourself and great things will still happen.
Dan
Thank you Dan. That we need to be healthy to continue the good work and enjoy the rewards is exactly my point. So I like when I learn something from someone else's mistakes and we don't have to make all the mistakes ourselves! Anyone who stays at the computer for a significant amount of time needs to know the drawbacks and prevent problems from this type of work.
Take care.
Glo
You're right Gloria,
Sitting for too long hunched over a lap or desk top does you no good.......RSI, back strain, eye strain, poor posture etc...all these things, and it's a good idea to take a walk or stretch now and again.
It can be difficult though, if your creative juices are flowing, to just get up and leave it because the chances are you just might lose your thread, so a balance is needed....just like many things in life.
Mark
Thanks I know! The creative juices thing is there too. I remember before having any web design clients that I was going crazy just making "example" sites to show design skills to potential clients, so I do remember being in "the zone" too. Yeah it is all about balance.
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You and my partner should collaborate on something. You seem to have gone down the same paths.
-Keith