Take a Walk!

This is one of the photos I took on my walk. :)

January 4th 2012

As the new year begins, I have decided to walk to work more.

It is a leisurely 40 minute walk that gives me time to think.

The first day I walked to work my thoughts tended to drift to "work mode". Before I was even in the building I was prioritizing my day and planning my meetings - but I ended up missing out on 40 minutes of morning tranquility.

This morning I brought my camera with me to distract me from work and take some photos that will inspire me to stay "in the moment"

I still had to keep a constant focus on the relaxing sunset and cool morning air - until I started looking for photographic opportunities and not just mulling over my to do list.

The walk today was awesome! I was able to clear my head, relax and enjoy every minute of the journey. Once I got to work the usual routines kicked in and I was no worse for having not worried about my to-do list during my travels.

If you find yourself thinking about work in the "off hours" like I often do, STOP! and get out for a walk and try to look at the world in a different way and stay engaged in the moment until you reach your destination.

Taking a walk will help you clear your head if you are able to be in the moment and enjoy life one second at a time.

My new work mantra: Never waste a minute doing something for free if someone is willing to pay you for it.

Say it with me now:
"I pledge to never waste another hour worrying about work when I am not getting paid to do so."

Let your life be your own and go take a walk!

Health and Happiness,
Jay Martens

Get unplugged to get connected!

Think of all the things that you are "Plugged Into".

Make a list of all the social networks you are a part of, websites you contribute to, check daily or actively follow. This list should include texting, emails, writing letters, blogging commenting on videos.

Take 5 min and physically write down this list on a piece of paper with a monthly time estimate for each item on the list.

Calculate how much time you spend "Plugged In" each month.

NOW:
Think of all the things that you are truly "connected to". People who you actually spend time with. (Texting doesn't count.)

Make a list of the 20 people you actually want to be MORE connected to.

Physically write down these 20 people's names on a piece of paper.

Now imagine how you would spend all of your "Plugged In" time with these 20 people over a month!

Where would you go?
What would you talk about?
How much better would it be to actually laugh out loud instead of just lol'ing quietly over your keyboard?

I am sure you are just like me and you joined websites to "connect" with your friends and family - but let's be real for just one minute:

Texting is not the same as an email,
an email is not the same as a letter,
a letter is not the same as a phone call,
a phone call is not the same as a video conference,
a Video conference is not the same as attendance
attendance is not the same as hanging out,
so why not hang out instead of texting?

Get connected today!

Cheers,
Jay