HEALTH + WELLNESS
CHANGE YOURSELF , CHANGE THE WORLD cont .
WORK
MEASURE YOUR SUCCESS
Not trying to come across all ‘ motivational team-building day ’ (* shudder *), but goal setting is a really effective way of working out whether you ’ re getting enough out of your work . First , write down all of your aims and aspirations , then go through them one by one making notes about how you can achieve them . Just the act of writing them down will focus your mind on what you really want to accomplish and how you can set about doing it . More focused you = more motivated you = happier you = happier everyone else around you .
RETRAIN
Retraining is a big step and one that most people quickly dismiss as impossible if they even dare to think about it , but according to research , between 20 and 40 per cent of people are unhappy in their jobs . Follow-up studies have reasoned that unhappiness at work can lead to stress , weight gain , a weaker immune system , relationship difficulties , insomnia and depression – all of which are a strain on you and a strain on your employer . The bottom line is if you really don ’ t like your job , it ’ s well worth getting some advice about other roles and companies that could benefit from your skill set .
VOLUNTEER
Volunteering isn ’ t all about soup kitchens and helping the homeless these days , and although they ’ re fantastic ways to reach out to people who are less fortunate , working that closely with vulnerable people doesn ’ t suit everyone . If you ’ re handy with knitting and crochet , make warm clothing for mother and baby shelters ; if you ’ re a professional , find a school that needs motivational speakers , or mentor a young person interested in your industry ; if you love to socialise , visit with the elderly for an hour or two ; if you ’ re an animal lover , donate a few hours of your time to a shelter … seek and you will find lots of opportunities to make a really significant difference to someone else ’ s life .
THE ENVIRONMENT
THINK ABOUT HOW YOU TRAVEL
Driving and flying are two areas where you can make a really positive environmental impact . To reduce your carbon footprint ( the sum of all carbon emissions induced by your activities over the course of a year ), choose fuel-efficient travel options ( as a rule of thumb , trains and buses are better than planes and cars ), travel less and try to pick more direct routes to save on fuel , and ride a bicycle or walk wherever possible .
CLEAN UP
If you ’ re always on top of your own rubbish , but you despair at the array of crisp packets and empty bottles thoughtlessly discarded in parks and on roads , then pick them up – arm yourself with rubber gloves and stage a quick litter-pick to keep the outside spaces near you looking spick and span , or , if that ’ s a step too far , think about joining a community clean up . A crucial difference you can make here is to support the ‘ ban the bottle ’ campaign ; single-use plastic water bottles are one of the greatest threats to our oceans , so stop buying plastic and find yourself a refillable alternative like those available at www . reusablebottle . co . uk .
DON ’ T DUMP , DONATE
Based on the fact that you don ’ t trigger one item being produced while another is headed to landfill , it ’ s estimated that for every item of clothing donated , over 12 kilos of carbon emissions are reduced . And it ’ s not just clothes that count here too – old TVs , kitchenware , kids ’ toys and furniture that you may no longer need will be really appreciated somewhere else . One man ’ s trash is another man ’ s treasure , so find a charity shop that ’ ll take them off your hands .
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