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SOMEBODY TOLD ME yesterday that they feel as though they are on a non-stop treadmill at work that refuses to switch off. Unable to press the ‘off’ switch for fear of losing out on that all-important promotion, they struggle on. Arms and legs flailing as each day goes by, their minds numb as to what they are actually doing – they are, in other words, “going through the motions”.
Now, imagine how they then felt when their boss sent around an email in the office about a novel new way to stay fit during work hours. None other than a desk treadmill. Yes, I kid you not. It’s the craze that is sweeping the States and is wreaking havoc in offices the length and breadth of the USA. Apparently some bright spark got the idea that if we want to get more from our employees then we need them fit and healthy. Oh no, we don’t want them taking long lunch breaks to run or exercise – they can do it right here at their desks, where we can see them.
The virtual treadmill could be just as counterproductive as a real one
The premise of the treadmill is that you will lose weight while you work, burn calories as you crunch those numbers or finish that drawing on AutoCAD, become a joy to work with as you are less stressed and be a beaming good example of a happy employee.
However, a new study presented at the American College of Sports Medicine recently found that while those using the treadmills at work did improve their blood pressure, they also noted that productivity took a nosedive while people were trying to concentrate on a computer and walk at the same time.
Isn’t it really the same scenario as that person who is on the virtual treadmill at work at the moment? They are stressed to the max, multi-tasking in the absence of their colleague who is out on sick leave with no return date, taking over their entire workload, unable to properly concentrate and co-ordinate things because of the complete disorientation and lack of structure in their job.
When I mentioned the treadmill desk to them, they laughed and laughed and laughed. Why? Because quite frankly, they don’t know if they are on the end cycle of the incline switch of this treadmill or have already fallen flat on their face and simply are too tired to notice. The tears followed. The realisation that they are completely and utterly burnt out; too busy to even notice the symptoms or warning signs.
There’s no denying that we need to be moving frequently throughout the day
But then I had to step back from all of this treadmill talk for a minute and look at the hard facts of being stressed at work. In another report from the University of Regensburg in Germany, which surveyed over 4 million participants, the authors found a significantly larger risk of bowel, womb and lung cancers among those with the most sedentary lifestyles. Very simply sitting down is dangerous; we need to be moving frequently throughout the day.
Just as sitting back and allowing your career to cruise along at its own speed, careering around dangerous bends and rocky slopes, is dangerous – so are how many of us are now failing to pay heed to the warning signs. Rushing our breaks, not taking our breaks, working longer hours, taking fewer holidays, bringing work home, reading emails before turning out the light to sleep at night.
We are all guilty of it. But the human cost is rising. We have a crisis on our hands. Employees are coming to the HR manager’s door to ask about taking time off; and many leave before they can muster up the courage to actually go in and ask. Returning to their desk, weary, exhausted, confused and stressed, they trundle along and play the dutiful employee. Until that one day – and that one day will come, there is nothing more certain. It might being with an innocent visit to a job board, a trawl through your emails to find that old CV, the frequency of conversations with partners and friends about how horrible your job is, the one you used to love.
Find the strength, courage and confidence to press stop
Somewhere in all the chaos and up and downs of “I do like the job, I don’t like my job etc” we have to find the strength, courage and confidence to find the emergency stop button on the treadmill.
Even if we finally crawl off, exhausted and defeated, just know that you are finally off the damn thing. It has stopped. You can rest. You can begin to think; no more worrying about those inclinations that grab you by surprise, no more endurance programmes. Just like sitting down for lengthy periods is bad for your health, sitting back and freefalling into bad health because you are unhappy in work is equally dangerous.
Life is not and should not be an endurance test; nor should your job. It’s all about knowing your pace, respecting your body and knowing when to stop.
Karen Frampton is a career coach and founder of a new initiative “When I Grow Up”, which brings careers into the classroom and inspires children to think about a wide range of careers and professions.
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Paying 1500euro for a 2 bed in Naas :(
@Free Online Games:
Seems reasonable enough , depends on the occupancy rate
@Free Online Games: rent apartment/ rent house more expensive than mortgage & some Dublin people move to country cheap. Blame landlord greedy
@Brian Flavin: I’m about 2 months off mortgage approval and will be looking at roughly 660euro monthly repayments on the same place. Can’t wait!
@Free Online Games: best of good luck new house & move in two months time
@Free Online Games:
Well done , best wishes on the new gaff.
@Colonel Grant: Thank you Sir *Salutes Colonel* .
@Brian Flavin: They always have been. The only point they weren’t was during the recession where properties were rented at a loss. That was never sustainable and those losses were always going to be attempted to be recovered. The additional charges were also always going to be added to rent. People didn’t care when they knew the rent couldn’t go up but once they were applied people started complaining.
@Free Online Games: How long have you been there? Do you know what the rent was before you moved in? If you have any contact with previous tenants (e.g. for post) you should ask them and if it was increased by over 4% between tenants, you can take a case to the RTB which will find in your favour and they will owe you the excess rent. I took a similar case to the RTB and got my rent reduced by €300 plus they owed me the excess rent.
@Colonel Grant: “Seems reasonable enough” will you get on up the road its almost a month salary for most couples, hence they are left with feck all to save to get themselves deposit for a house. Its complete madness and its on the way to another crash, landlords will be left with empty places and have to foot the bill for such due to people just jumping ship and emigrating again. Better life elsewhere with cheaper rent… Nobody to blame but the government and themselves….
@Free Online Games: Time to bring in maximum rate per sq metre for rent prices
Its total greed and these accidental landlords crying there being forced out of the market mostly are in full time employment while someone else purchases a house for them and invests in their pension. Your heart would bleed for them.
@Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: if it’s so easy why aren’t you doing it
@Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: 52% tax and repairs etc and risky as some tenements don’t pay. Not worth it.
@ed w: bit like asking why I am not an astronaut. They just sit .don’t even fly the things anymore. So easy . BUT I’AM NOT ONE
@Sandra Fogarty Tormey: the tax experts saw otherwise https://www.taxback.com/blog/tax-and-irish-rental-income-what-you-need-to-know/
@Daithi Ó Raghallaigh: alot of people are still in negative equity and have struggled for years to keep up mortgage payments during tough times. Why not make hay when the sun shines because let’s face it the sun wont shine for long in this country.
Sure phek all be done about it now, the boys are off on their holidaybops… Great bunch of lads, Brexit looming and these lads take a few months off.
Try 12% increase in Kerry
The RPZs are having a “positive” impact on rental inflation alright. Since they were introduced as a temporary measure (since extended of course) rents have galloped along as supply contracted.
@Sean:
Did you read the article?
@Patrick Nolan: your mother was a hamster and your father smells of elderberries.
A bit misleading to suggest the rules have been broken if they don’t check the rules were followed. Maybe a quarter of landlords that stayed in the market did up the property allowing them to raise rent above 4%
Not surprising . No real chance of being hit with penalties
If only there was some measure we could take to immediately decrease demand for rental property until such a time that enough new rentals came on stream…..
Moved out of last house because it was been sold 7 months later was on daft for 464 over the RPZ allowed amount
@Derrick Ó Súilleabháin: did somebody buy it and do it up? Or is what you are saying they left it vacant for 7 months before deciding to rent it after no sale?
@Derrick Ó Súilleabháin: “being” sold not “been” sold. I’m not surprised you bring a hard luck story to this forum since your grammar is obviously not very good innit.
@Craic_a_tower: they did not do it up did sell it pictures on daft are exactly the way we left it and I live near by and pass it every day to work no skips no builder were there
@Sean: I’m sorry that my medical cerified dyslexia offends you . I think you should be more aware of people’s conditions before you try to be smart
Landlords & Builders are bad people.
This what happens when you have a weak government and a poor I love everyone leader
Been saying this for years. Link rent charged to tax levied on landlords. High Rent = High Taxes, Low Rent = Low Taxes. This would put downwards pressure on rents and encourage more Landlords into the market due to better returns.
It works for Employment Income why not Rental Income??
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