Graduate Development Programs

You want it all?  Well, you can’t have it all, but you can have most of it.  Life is about choices and you must make them, often resulting in some things being excluded.  It means establishing your priorities and fitting everything else around them.  It also means taking responsibility for your well being.  That you feel the way you do as a result of your lifestyle.

If you want to perform like a high performance machine, then you need to provide yourself with a high level of care.  The more time you put into your well being, the higher your potential output.  Graduating from college and starting on the Graduate Program will require you to manage a whole new set of demands on your time and lifestyle.

So how do you decide on your priorities?  Well it’s actually not so difficult to do. In fact I have done this for you already in the previous post where I outline the lifestyle pillars: Physical, Emotional, Spiritual, Intellectual and Social.

I find it very difficult to maintain any sense of emotional, intellectual stability or social interaction when I am physically exhausted, hungry, lack sleep or have any significant discomfort.  I can become easily irritated, frustrated, impatient and lack overall concentration until I can satisfy the physical deficiency.  While not scientifically tested ;), my theory is that this is my survival instinct at play, telling me that my well being is at risk, therefore making it difficult for me to do anything that distracts from satifying those urges.  So for me, taking care of the physical component is of utmost importance.  It is a sound foundation of physical well being that allows me to get the most out of other parts of my life.

The part where most people let themselves down is honouring those priorities with commitment and follow through.  When it comes to the moment of choosing what to do, most people go for the easiest option rather than the best one.  It is easier in the short term to avoid and not do something than it is to take action, though this leads to all sorts of problems later on.

Here are a few simple routines for you to establish and maintain your physical equilibrium in order optimise other parts of your life.  Neglecting these will result in sub-optimal wellbeing and ultimately performance:

Healthy and Balanced Diet
If you don’t give your body good fuel, you can’t expect it to function at its optimum.  I’m not going to go into depth about what you should or shouldn’t eat because you already know what is good for you.  Most people do.  You don’t necessarily have to cut anything out, just don’t consume anything excessively.  If it is too sweet, too fatty or salty then it should be a treat consumed occasionally.

You know the drill; a mix of good complex carbohydrates, protein, vegetables/salad and fruit.  Crisps, chocolate bars, donuts, biscuits etc are NOT FOOD.  You should not eat them when you are hungry.  All you will do is get a sugar rush and not longer after, feel a dramatic downer.  Not good for your concentration or health!  Don’t accept what is most conveniently available if you can get more nutritious food with a little more effort.

Keep Hydrated
Your body needs to be hydrated to function properly.  How much water do you need to drink?  It really depends on your size, but the average person should drink 6-8 glasses of water a day.  This is approximately 1.5-2 litres of water.

Coke or any other soft drinks do not count as a substitute.  Alcohol during the working day is silly, though the Friday afternoon lunch often extends to afternoon drinks in some professions.

Some people complain about water making them want to go to the toilet.  Unless your office doesn’t have a toilet, I really don’t see the problem with this.  Others say they don’t like the taste of water.  It’s too plain.  Well, there are two things you can do about this.  Get used to it or bring some juice concentrate to add to your glass/bottle.  Blackcurrant, lemon or lime works a treat!

The best way to get your day started is with a glass of water, followed by some breakfast.  Then have a glass of water before you leave for work.  This re-hydrate your body by replenishing the fluids lost overnight and neutralising the acid build-up in your body.

Water is your friend, especially in air conditioned offices that literally suck the moisture from your skin.  Keeping hydrated will allow you to maintain an optimal level of alertness, improve your productivity and give you a general feeling of well being.  It’s also brilliant for your skin and helps keep you looking fresh.  Don’t underestimate the benefit of this in the office.

Get Enough Sleep
You should know what constitutes a good night’s sleep for you by now.  My minimum is 8 hours, though I am a light sleeper.  Some people can get by on as little as 4-5 hours.  There is no right or wrong as everybody has their own requirements.

To find out how much you need, you should note what time you go to sleep and how you feel when you wake up.  A good night’s sleep will leave you feeling fresh in the morning.  If you feel as though your body is sore or like you want to stay in bed longer, then it is very likely that you haven’t had enough.

If you are consistently sleeping for more than 8 hours and still feel like it’s not enough when you wake up, then you are probably oversleeping or need to improve your sleeping patterns.  There is plenty of information on the internet about getting better sleep.  Google is your friend ;)  My general rule of thumb is: required hours of sleep + 30 minutes to fall asleep + 10 minutes to get out of bed.

How much or how little is really a matter for you to figure out.  So long as you establish a routine that works for you and accommodates your career ambitions without compromising your wellbeing.

In the next post I will be explaining why taking care of your physical wellbeing lays the foundation for you to attend to your other personal needs.

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Tags: after college, graduate program, graduate recruitment, life after college, personal life