Pain and the Nine-to-Five
Pain and the Nine-to-Five
I’m a big advocate for people finding their passions in life, living in a way that allows you to be healthy and spend more time with the people you care about.
The 9-to-5 desk job is taking a huge toll on people’s physical and mental health these days and it only seems to be getting more pressured. Each day large organisations take the view that quarterly targets are more important than the pressure placed on the workforce to meet them. Simon Sinek’s wonderful book on the subject, The Infinite Game, is a great read for any of you wanting to understand this problem more.
Lucky
I consider myself to be very lucky for two main reasons. Firstly, 15 years ago, I decided I’d had enough of sitting at a desk as a designer in the printing industry, meeting crazy deadlines. I went and studied Sports Massage and at least got myself up on my feet and moving around, whilst also setting my own schedule. Starting a business for myself has been life changing for me in many ways and has significantly improved my aches and pains.
The second reason I consider myself to be lucky is because I realised that the internet holds an incredible amount of opportunities for us all. It gives us the ability to start a business with very little capital and do the one big thing Simon Sinek talks about in his book - the ability to work on a "Just Cause".
Just Cause
My "Just Cause” is to help as many people as possible understand pain and teach them how they can take better care of themselves, by themselves. The lofty goal is that everyone should have the power to help themselves live in a healthy body and mind.
The inactive and stressful desk bound life ins a large part of what causes pain and holds us back from living a healthy life. People are too physically and mentally exhausted by the time they get home to make good choices about diet and exercise.
Many people feel trapped between needing a pay-check and knowing their inactive job is making them slowly and gradually sicker. So if you’re trying to think of ways to free yourself from the pain of being sat down 8 (plus) hours a day, then I’d encourage you to seek out your own Just Cause. One that fulfils not just your financial goals but your health goals too. The digital economy doesn't just give us the opportunity of choice over what we do for a living and make a difference in people's lives, it also enables us to do it from anywhere at any time, which means you don't have to be stuck at a desk from 9 to 5.
A short video series
I got started on this path to building and expanding my career and helping solve problems for others online through a short but very interesting video series. If you would like to watch it too then I would be honoured to send it to you. Just fill in your name and email below, then check your email inbox.
Breaking the ties to your desk may be a real opportunity to take control of physical pains it creates.