Between wisdom tooth woes and a nasty cold that came out of nowhere, I have certainly been feeling under the weather these past few days. Combine that with hard work and the fact that it’s 30 degrees in Florida, and you have a very miserable Amanda.

Getting sick has a tendency of getting in the way of things. Work, family, hobbies, and even goals. It can also lead to a particularly crabby mood.

When you do get sick it is your body telling you that something is wrong and you need to take it easy. While everyone gets sick at some point, there are certain actions you can take in your daily life to ensure that it happens less often.

1. Rest

This may seem like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised at the amount of people in this world (including myself) who insist on hard work at all times. This can be detrimental to our health as it does not allow our bodies to recharge and get the rest they need .

This is something that I struggle with myself (although I have gotten better at making sleep a priority), as I am constantly filling up my plate with projects and clients. Not to mention I am always thinking up of things I want to do do next (Life coaching? Social media management? Stock trading?).  Sometimes I need to remember to breathe.

Jenny Blake, the author of Life After College (which happens to be one of my favorite blogs),  put the importance of resting into perspective during a TV interview she did for Gopi Kallayil’s Change Makers. Blake is a blogger, book author, and speaker who just completed yoga instructor teacher training and holds a full time job at Google (Phew! That’s a lot!). When asked how she deals with the stress of balancing everything out she gave a simple answer (Jenny Blake if you are reading this pardon the paraphrasing), “[At Google] We’re not curing cancer, it’s not brain surgery. If one of my to-dos has to wait until the next day, or even the next week, nobody’s going to die.” She’s absolutely right, no one is going to die if you need to switch your to-do list around. To watch the entire interview and it’s corresponding blog post click here.

For more on the art of resting, check out some of these great posts from across the web:

Zen Habits – Stillness is a Powerful Action
Tiny Buddha – 10 Things that Are Real: How to Take a Break & Connect With Yourself

2. Fitness

Although I exercise much more than I used to, I still sometimes have trouble finding the motivation to partake in a fitness routine. I know that I am not alone on this since many of you are probably making the age old New Year’s resolution of, “This year I’m going to lose weight” or “This year I will exercise more.”

There’s a reason why there is such emphasis on fitness: OUR BODIES NEED IT.

This of course does not mean pushing yourself to an extreme. Quite the contrary, only do what your body can manage. Even a little activity goes a long way.

For more on sticking to a fitness routine read:

Grad Meets World – How to Stick to an Exercise Routine

3. Eat well.

Have you ever noticed that after eating certain foods you feel absolutely awful? In my case, I happen to feel terrible after eating McDonald’s or some other sort of fast food. I also feel terrible when I eat something extremely heavy.

Believe it or not, what we put in our bodies actually matters. I’m not saying to go out an buy all the organic food you can find or start a raw vegan diet tomorrow. Instead try to balance out your diet by making meals at home or taking your lunch to work.

For more on eating healthy check out:

PluginID – Health is Your Foundation (And 3 Ways to Improve It)
Feel Good Eating – An entire blog dedicated to healthy recipes.
Zen to Fitness – A Simple Guide to Eating Well

4. Listen to Your Body

Got a toothache? Muscles sore? Headache that won’t go away? Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. Ignoring pain can lead to further complications and ailments. Listen to your body and take some time to heal.

5. Reduce Stress

I know, I know, easier said than done. We live in an age where we are constantly bombarded with information and things to do. We also take on a lot in hopes that somehow life will be better if we get more done. This can lead to severe stress which can (and eventually will) make you sick. Fortunately there are some ways to reduce the amount of stress in your life, from taking on a more minimalist lifestyle to planning your day the night before.

Blog posts about reducing stress:

Zen to Fitness – Simple Ways to Reduce Stress
The Huffington Post – Stress Management: Tapping into Our Biology to Reduce Stress
Tiny Buddha – Well, Then: Ways to Reduce Stress and Be Well

One last thing…

You can now subscribe to Grad Meets World via email! You can now receive instant updates in your inbox as well as news about Grad Meets World. Best of all, you will receive entries that you won’t see on the blog! I also compiled a free e-guide as a gift to all my readers, Goals Are Dreams With Expiration Dates: 5 Steps to Stop Thinking and Start Doing. In it I share some methods that helped me start getting a handle on my own adulthood and finding some direction.

Until next time!

Amanda Abella

Amanda Abella is a freelance writer and language instructor based out of Miami, Florida. She has been writing professionally since 2009 and holds a degree in English Literature from Ave Maria University. Amanda Abella is available for freelance work, why not hire her?

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