The modern world encourages a sedentary lifestyle. You go from sitting at work to sitting at home, from facing a computer to watching TV and scrolling through your phone. As a result, it’s easy to get trapped in Coach Potato Syndrome.
All things considered, this might seem like a relatively minor concern. But it can have surprisingly big consequences. Not enough activity can lead to serious mental and physical problems.
According to the World Health Organization, a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to a host of ailments:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Depression
- Anxiety
Coach Potato Syndrome can also impact your career. You lose energy and drive, making it difficult to drive your professional development forward.
Given these problems, it’s important to break out of bad habits. With that in mind, here are some tips to break out of your Coach Potato Syndrome:
Get Moving
Coach Potato Syndrome is marked by a lack of movement. Break out of that sedentary cycle by finding time for exercise.
This can be tough in a busy schedule. Work takes up most of your day, plus you have your family responsibilities in the evening. By the time you get a spare moment, sinking into a coach seems like the perfect idea.
Still, you have to take a long view. A good exercise regime can improve your health and give you a metabolic boost. You’ll have more energy and better focus during your other daily tasks.
Leave the House
Sure, surfing the internet and watching TV count as hobbies. But it’s easy to fall into a lonely rhythm dominated by screens. To get out of this trap, put the devices aside and find an activity outside the house.
Join a bowling league. Head to the driving range. Wander around a real-life store instead of shopping online. Or put on some music and just go for a walk around the neighborhood. It doesn’t matter what you do. Just get out of the house.
Create a Free-Time Schedule
At work, you stay painstakingly organized. Every minute of your day is accounted for. Want to change your free-time habits? Apply these organizational skills to your out-of-work activities.
Create a schedule for your off hours. This might drain some of the spontaneity out of your free time. But if you usually end up on the couch anyway, there isn’t much suspense involved.
At least with a schedule, you can work in some variety. Schedule blocks of time for working out, for reading, for talking to friends – anything besides the usual TV watching.
Set Personal Goals
We know how it goes. After a long day, it’s easy to tell yourself, “I’m tired today…I’ll do something active tomorrow.”
You need a way to short-circuit that process. Start by creating long-term objectives. From there, you can break those goals down into day-to-day activities. Whatever your specific hobby, a more ambitious project will help you stay motivated.
Involve Other People
You might need help to cure serious cases of Couch Potato Syndrome. After all, humans are social creatures. Sometimes, you need other people to break you out of your rut.
A connection with others will encourage you to get moving. As such, try to join groups or make plans with friends. The social obligations will trick you into staying active, even when you feel like snuggling under a blanket and spending the evening alone.
A good work/life balance will help prevent Couch Potato Syndrome. Sometimes, that’s hard to find. However, teaming with a strong recruiting partner, like Recruiting In Motion, makes the process easier.
Contact Recruiting In Motion today to find employers who understand your broader goals.
