Writer: Annie Zygmunt
Editor: Ellice Evans
Health is Wealth: Finance, Mental Health, and Workplace Struggles
Introduction:
Being healthy is just as important (if not more) as being wealthy. The truth is that these two work best together. Being wealthy may lead to being healthier, while being healthy may lead to being wealthier. Below you’ll find a few ways on how to keep healthy and wealthy while working.
Exercise:
Going to the gym, exercising at home, or simply going for a walk, even for half an hour a day, can boost your health – both physical and mental. Starting the day with some form of exercise can provide you with the energy boost you may need before work. It can also improve your confidence, productivity, and your memory. On the other hand, exercising after work can help you reduce stress, improve your mood, and get a better night’s sleep for the next day.
Working out improves your mental and physical health, which means you’re less likely to get ill, which leads to being less likely to miss work. However, exercising on its own may not be enough to improve all of the above.
Sleep:
Adults need between 7 and 9 hours of sleep, although studies found that 7 hours is most ideal. Not getting enough sleep per night can weaken your immune system, which in turn can make you suffer either physically, mentally, or both. It can also lead to cognitive issues such as memory loss or decreased decision-making abilities.
Not sleeping enough can do the opposite of exercise, so it’s important that you take care of both.
Healthy Eating:
Alongside getting enough exercise and sleep, it’s also important to eat healthy. Aside from the usual 5-a-day serving of fruits, another good tip is to eat the right portions of different food groups with every meal. This usually means that
- ¼ of your plate should be filled with protein (meat; chicken, fish, lean beef, etc. – not processed)
- ¼ of the plate should be filled with starchy foods/carbs (bread, rice, pasta etc. – best if wholegrain/brown rather than white)
- ½ plate should be filled with non-starchy vegetables (spinach, carrots, greens etc.)
Preparing your food at home in advance (known as meal prep) means that you can just reach in and grab the meals you need on the go. Many meals can be prepped a few days in advance. For example, if you make a meal on Sunday, you could fill up some plastic containers with it, pop them in the fridge, and have a healthy work lunch to grab for the next few days.
Meal prep means that you can control your portions, as well as what goes into the meal (such as the amount of salt), which is good if you like to keep track of the protein, carbs, fat, and overall calories. This also means you’re less likely to grab takeout, which is better for finance and savings, but also your mental health. Healthy food = healthy body = healthy mind!
Problems with Colleagues:
If you have any problems with your colleagues, don’t be afraid to speak about it to someone. You should always try and work it out with the other person first. Find out what the problem is, and if the two of you could resolve it alone. If that doesn’t work, take it up with your employer, a manager, or even HR. Problems at work could lead to problems at home, but can also cause your mental and physical health to suffer.
Don’t suffer in silence. You are not alone.
Savings:
Putting away a small portion of your wages each month, even if it’s just £10 a month, means you’ll have money for any darker days that we don’t always anticipate – you can either do this by putting money in a piggy bank, or getting a savings account in a bank and putting the money away into that. The latter is better in terms of earning a certain percentage interest throughout time. However, putting money into a piggy bank means that you’re able to grab them if you need them physically. This is a better option if you’re not sure whether the place you need the money for allows card. Despite a lot of places offering card payments nowadays, there are a few places that don’t yet have that technology.
The best option would be to take advantage of both savings options by either putting your chosen amount (such as £10) into a piggy bank, and £10 onto a debit card savings account, or just splitting the £10 into two, and putting £5 into each. Either way, it means that you’ll have some savings put away, which may make you feel better about your financial situation.
Conclusion:
As you can see, there are many examples of things that can affect your mental health, and financial wealth. The above are just a few examples of what those can be, and how you can improve your life with them.
Whatever you do, make sure that you’re staying healthy and well; be it physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially. More importantly, do what makes you happy.