3COOKING IS A
CHORE
4 I SLEEP CAN ’ T
5 I OUT ’ M STRESSED
Health & Wellness a desk . It ’ s often this lack of physical movement that makes us listless .
One simple solution is investing in , building , or finding a location that offers both sitting and standing desk solutions . Keep in mind , though , that standing alone is not the answer . Rather , you should make sure you change positions often and have a few tools at hand to optimize your standing time . [ See page ___ for more on “ Office Syndrome .”]
Easy-to-find tools like a lacrosse ball , or a 30 cm piece of PVC pipe can give great self-massages , while standing on a simple 2 cm-thick puzzle or yoga mat provides extra padding for the feet and knees when fatigue hits . Changing foot position is important as well , and can be incorporated into a movement ritual by adding in some simple calf stretches , lunges , and the occasional body weight squat every 30 minutes or so .
3COOKING IS A
CHORE
Many entrepreneurs find it both easier and cheaper to eat out every night , instead of cooking at home . Some also bank on the notion that Thai food is pretty healthy .
But this is a mistake for two reasons : First , cooking does not have to be a chore and in fact can be simple and enjoyable . Second , most of the meals you will find in restaurants are unhealthy , even if they don ’ t look it . Unless you follow the entire preparation process , you never know what ingredients are being used . For example , your local chicken cashew nut could be made with cheap oils , low-grade cuts of meats , or less-thanfresh vegetables . Questionable prep areas and storage are other concerns of eating out .
A simple solution is to create a food schedule , just as you would a work or meeting schedule . A low-maintenance meal plan allows you to take full control of what you put in your body , and should feature two different breakfasts , two to three lunch options , as well as two to three dinners across the week . This way , you can take all the thinking over what to have for dinner tonight , or what ingredients you need , out of the equation .
Fast-cook foods like thin-cut chicken breasts or pork , as well as some bagged vegetables and quick-cook brown rice can make very easy and healthy meals that take only minutes , with only a cheap pot and a frying pan as your tools . A few additional ingredients such as coconut cooking oil , basic spices , and a couple of sauces can add further variety and flavor to your dishes .
When cooking at home is simply not an option , Bangkok has a number of delivery food services with a focus on healthy meals , with many costing around the same as street food stalls . I recommend Blockcalrie , HealthyTastyDeliver , and HealthBox .
4 I SLEEP CAN ’ T
Struggling to doze off or stay asleep ? This is a common issue , particularly when your mind can ’ t stop thinking of your always-growing to-do list . There are , however , a few practices that can help you fix this .
Two hours before bed , stop working on your projects and switch off your gadgets at least one hour before . Turn off any bright lights , and avoid screens , such as your TV , phone and iPad .
Make a list of tomorrow ’ s tasks and must-dos . With a clear plan of what ’ s on the agenda the following day , you can rest easy that you have everything in hand and under control .
To help you fall asleep , low-dose melatonin supplements may help . For staying asleep , magnesium powder or tablets can be useful .
5 I OUT ’ M STRESSED
With so many roles to play in your business , it ’ s easy to get a little obsessive about work and then a little stressed out , too . Choosing to entirely complete a task before taking a break can lead to overwork and mental fog . Listen to your body : If you need to step back from a project , give yourself this time . Avoid masking fatigue with caffeine , which won ’ t aid the stress situation .
Entrepreneurs also tend to believe that they have to be available 24 hours a day , but this is simply not true . Consider deactivating notifications on your phone for a few hours each night to give you some much-needed time to switch off from work mode .
It ’ s important to regulate our minds and bodies . The tips on exercise and nutrition above will help , but you can also learn how to incorporate some meditation or yoga into your life — activities that focus on clearing the brain , slowing the heart and calming breathing . Apps such as Mind Space , a 15-minute YouTube yoga or meditation tutorial at home , or even a gentle stroll around your neighborhood each evening can help .
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A native of Canada , Ror is a fitness , nutrition and lifestyle specialist living in Bangkok . His expansive knowledge in exercise , nutrition and highperforming lifestyles comes via his world travels and his experiences living in five countries . Ror is the host of the new thriveLIFE Podcast and runs a new boutique called thriveLIFE Studios in Bangkok ( Bang Chak BTS ). You can follow Ror on Facebook , YouTube , Instagram , and you can also follow his blog on www . RorAlexander . com
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