Improve Productivity Go Running

One of the most important keys to having a clear mind and operating your business effectively is this: look after your body. More specifically, this is what you should try to do as often as possible: go for a run. I know, I know. Youve never liked running. Youre reminded of those cold, miserable physical education lessons at school when it always seemed to be raining and you got a stitch and you just wanted to go home and everyone seemed to be faster than you. But that was then, this is now! I hated running when I was younger, too. I love running now, and thats not just because Im worried about not training enough and having a heart attack ten minutes after the start of my next marathon. Aside from the health benefits, its the only time during the day when Im my own man, free to think about what I want. During the day, there are justtoo many distractions. Email coming in. Spam to get annoyed by and delete. Telephone calls from advertising salespeople. Cups of tea to make. Biscuits to eat. Theres never a chance to step back and look at things from a distance. But that's what you get with running. I dont know what the actual physiological effect on the brain of all that bobbing up and down is, but its almost as if the stuff you carry around in your head gets bounced together and solutions come to you as if by magic. Im sometimes a bit dense, so it took time for me to realise this, but when I stopped to think about it the other day I had to admit to myself that almost without exception, the best and most effective ideas Ive had for how to run my business (and not just business; ideas for how to run my life) have come while Ive been running. When youre stuck in the office staring at the mouse cursor blinking accusingly back at you, theres just no way you can think of new and creative answers. You need to get some fresh air. When I did the London Marathon two years ago, although I enjoyed training with running partners in the months before the race, I was always tied to their pace and had to, well, talk to them! Youre running with friends, so you cant just ignore them for two hours, right? I didn't have any time to switch off. I run alone now and its better, much though I may occasionally miss the company. I can go at the speed I want, dont have to concentrate too much on what's going on around me other than avoiding being run over, and while the legs are doing their own thing I can drift away and think about things. For me, being able to run at my own pace is very important. Thats also why I dont listen to music any more when Im out running. Why? Because when you run to music youre forced to listen to the songs and subconsciously trapped into adjusting your pace to the beat of what youre listening to. I always find myself going a little bit loopy when I cant quite run quickly enough for the song Im listening to. So music's out the window. Besides, its dangerous to not be able to hear whats going on around you. So what do you think? Will you have a go for me? Runnings cheap, you know. Dont need to pay out for gym classes, personal trainers or exercise equipment. Just get yourself a decent pair of running shoes from a reputable shop and youre set. Youre too old, you say? Too overweight? Don't have the time? Believe me, its never too late. Don't worry about your speed, because the only one youre racing against is yourself. And youll never find time to do new things; you have to make it. A tip before and after your run (very important): S-T-R-E-T-C-H your legs. Itll significantly lower the risk of injury. Try to lean over and touch your toes while keeping your legs straight. It'll be tricky at first, but you'll get there. Oh, and one final thing. Im not a qualified health professional -- cant you tell? -- so saying this probably isnt a good thing, but one big and often unstated benefit of running for sweetaholics like me is this: it burns off the calories like you wouldnt believe. You can then, if you so choose, replace those missing calories with chocolate... cake... whatever you like! So what are you waiting for?


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About the Author:
Daniel O`Connor is a top freelance SEO copywriter in the UK. See his 100% satisfaction-guaranteed site at www.daniboy.com. He`s worked for some of the biggest companies in the world -- including NTT and Mitsubishi Electric, not to mention the 1998 Olympic Winter Games -- as well as some of the smallest. And he can do a job for you, too. With a language-based background -- he`s fluent in Japanese and French -- Daniel is supremely qualified at explaining complicated things in a simple way. There`s nothing you can throw at him that he won`t have dealt with before. Because it`s all about one thing: the words. The right words for you and your business. Blog articles. SEO for websites. Direct marketing. White papers. Flyer advertising. You want words? Daniel O`Connor has words. Want to try out his writing before getting in touch? Check out his free ezine at www.daniboy.com/ezine. Read this article in its original context at: http://www.daniboy.com/articles/Improve-Productivity-Run.html