Podcasts about abi carver

In this week's episode of Going Pro, Michael sits down with guest Abi describes her background as a personal trainer and how she started Yoga 15, yoga for athletic performance and recovery. She shares the development of this thriving company that serves a niche space for athletes as someone who was always incredibly athletic herself.  She and Michael discuss various types of yoga teacher trainings and Abi emphasizes the importance of learning from many teachers and taking a variety of trainings in order to find the combination that helps you develop your unique voice. She shares details of her yoga journey and how each training, each teacher helped her find her passion and deep love for yoga. Abi also talks about her path in the virtual space as opposed to a more “conventional” studio teaching style. She dives into all the opportunities in the online teaching world.  Michael talks about yoga as a self-awareness practice and the inclusivity of the body in that. So by teaching people about their physical body, they can better understand themselves. Abi adds in to say how very small pieces of information can radically change and create results especially in preventing injury and reconnecting with the body in a natural way. It helps teachers and sharers of yoga to understand the “why” behind what they are saying.  In this wonderful episode, Michael and Abi share meaningful thoughts on themes including perfectionism, imitation, finding your voice, resilience, and developing your unique path. As Abi says these things are all based on the mindset you have and understanding the value of these topics.  Abi's book recommendations: Mastery by Robert Greene  Awareness by Anthony de Mello FrameWork by Nicholas DiNubile 00:00 Introduction 02:05 About Abi 04:20 Developing Yoga 15 10:05 Yoga Teacher Training 17:30 Budokon Yoga 19:55 Tips for New Yoga Teachers 24:40 Just Get Started & Learning to Serve 29:30 The Medical/Anatomical Foundation in Yoga 37:00 Helping Yourself in Your Body 41:05 Imitation Vs Finding Your Flow 45:13 Perfectionism and Making Mistakes 48:30 Receiving Feedback 52:00 Your Mindset 54:50 Book Recommendations 57:05 Final Thoughts --- About Going Pro Yoga: At Going Pro Yoga, we help yoga teachers become even better by teaching them new skills and giving them the tools they need to make their yoga classes safe, fun, and special for everyone. **Right now you can try Going Pro Yoga FREE for 7-days and sample: All Tools Needed to Master Cueing, Sequencing, and Alignment Video Library of over 75 fully Sequenced Classes, Sequence Chunks, and Flows FIRST EVER Yoga Cueing System with Over 160 poses and Hundreds of Variations Wisdom Talks from over 20,000 Hours of Teaching Experience Anatomy and Injury Prevention as it relates to Yoga. To Learn More, Visit Going Pro Yoga, and ⁠⁠⁠Start your 7-Day Free Trial⁠⁠⁠! For more information about in-person trainings in Bali, ⁠⁠https://www.elementsofpoweryoga.com/advancedtrainings⁠⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/goingproyoga/message

Elle Russ chats with Abi Carver - a 2 x Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher and NASM Personal Trainer. She works with elite athletes across many disciplines and founded Yoga 15 in 2014. Yoga 15 is a comprehensive yoga program for athletes, designed to enhance performance and support recovery. The sessions are 15-minutes, non-spiritual, and focus on the benefits of the practice specifically for athletes. Abi establishes clear anatomical and performance-related objectives at the outset of each video to ensure maximum efficiency of time and effort and gives highly-detailed cues to make the videos accessible even to beginners.  DISCOUNT! Visit Yoga15.com and she is offering my audience a free 14-day trial + a  25% discount with the coupon "ELLERUSS" CLICK HERE!   SELECTED LINKS: Yoga15.com ElleRuss.com

Abi Carver, founder and instructor of Yoga 15, is a two-time 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher and the new Yoga partner for Team Oxygenaddict. In this interview, she explains how the right yoga program, specifically focused on releasing tension in the appropriate muscles, is essential for an effective use of yoga as part of our triathlon training.Yoga 15 is a comprehensive, non-spiritual yoga program for everyday athletes, designed to support your recovery and accelerate performance. What makes this program different is that it's not only about what you accomplish in your practice but also about what your practice can help you to accomplish in other areas of your life.If you like the interview, listeners of the show can get a free 30 day trial of the Yoga15 program here:https://yoga15.com/oxygenaddictInstagram: www.instagram.com/yoga15abi/?hl=enSponsorsprecisionfuelandhydration.comThis show is brought to you by Precision Fuel & Hydration, who have a range of tools and products to help you personalise your fuelling and hydration strategy so that you can perform at your best. Long time listeners of the show will know them as “Precision Hydration”, but they've changed their name to reflect the fact that they've been helping athletes nail both aspects of their performance for a long time now.Everyone sweats differently and the amount of fuel we require varies depending on factors like the duration and intensity of our activity, so a one-size-fits-all approach to fuelling and hydration just doesn't cut it. Head to precisionfuelandhydration.com and use their free online Sweat Test and Quick Carb Calculator to understand your fluid, electrolyte and carbohydrate needs during training and racing. Then book a free one-to-one video consultation with the team to refine your hydration and fuelling strategy for your next race.As a listener of the show you can get 15% off your first order of fuelling and hydration products - listen to the show for the discount code! Quick Carb CalculatorFree online Sweat TestBook a free 20-minute hydration and fueling strategy video consultationDidn't catch the discount code to get 15% off your first order of fueling and hydration products, drop Andy and the team an email at hello@precisionhydration.com and they'll be happy to help youLike what you heard in this interview? Join hundreds of other age group triathletes making the most of their limited training time, training with Team OxygenAddict! http://team.oxygenaddict.com - The most comprehensive triathlon coaching program for busy age groupers. To find out more, You can book a zoom, phone or skype call with Rob or the Team here Join the Oxygenaddict Triathlon Community page on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/666558563716897/Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/OATriPodSpotifyListen on iTunes: http://bit.ly/OATriPodiTunes

Go to BrockArmstrong.com/newsletter to sign up for my bi-weekly updates. Abi Carver (of Yoga15.com) is on a mission to bring yoga to men and women, passionate about their sports, who are training hard, looking for the edge and who recognize that yoga is a highly effective performance and recovery tool but don't know where to start.In this episode, we focus on Abi's skills as being someone who has identified how you can use yoga to benefit sports performance not by becoming a full-on yogi but by using yoga to build flexibility, mobility, balance, strength, coordination, and accuracy. We also dispel the myth that our goal should always be to just get more and more flexible (instead of being functionally flexible) but mostly we dig into some specific ways that we can use yoga to perform better in our chosen sport but also to stay mobile as we age … even if you aren't interested in doing one-handed-lotus-inversions :)You can find Abi at:https://yoga15.comhttps://www.strava.com/athletes/24184752https://www.instagram.com/yoga15abi/Make sure to check out nutritiousmovement.com/virtual-studio-membership and tell them Brock sent you!

“Yoga is a martial art you do against yourself”- Nic Gregoriades   In this episode I have a great conversation with Abi Carver, founder of Yoga15.com.  We have a great conversation about her life, what inspires her, and how she went from working as a magazine editor to chasing her charmed life moving abroad and creating Yoga15.  Abi gives us insight on her teaching methodology and how she designed it for busy athletes who want to mitigate injury and improve importance.   The Yoga 15 videos are 15-minute, at-home, non-spiritual workouts that focus on the benefits of yoga specifically for athletes. Practicing 15 minutes a day will maximize athletic performance, alleviate areas of recurring pain and increase longevity, allowing you to do more of the sport you love.    If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? Your feedback is important to me and it would also take less than 60 seconds and make a difference in getting those hard-to-get guests as we expand our reach.    Join the Do Hard Things Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/158988156090630   Follow the Do Hard Things Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dohardthingspodcast/   Join The Forge Community:  www.jaytiegs.com/community Connect with Abi Carver:  Website:  www.yoga15.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yoga15abi/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoga15abi/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abicarver/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/yoga15abi   Connect with Jay:  Website: www.jaytiegs.com  Facebook: www.facebook.com/sjtiegs  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/jay-tiegs  YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/jaytiegs  Instagram:

Abi Carver, founder and instructor of Yoga 15, is a two-time 200-Hour Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Teacher and the new Yoga partner for Team Oxygenaddict. In this interview, she explains how the right yoga program, specifically focused on releasing tension in the appropriate muscles, is essential for an effective use of yoga as part of our triathlon training.Yoga 15 is a comprehensive, non-spiritual yoga program for everyday athletes, designed to support your recovery and accelerate performance. What makes this program different is that it's not only about what you accomplish in your practice but also about what your practice can help you to accomplish in other areas of your life.If you like the interview, listeners of the show can get a free 30 day trial of the Yoga15 program here:https://yoga15.com/oxygenaddictInstagram: www.instagram.com/yoga15abi/?hl=enStrava club: https://www.strava.com/clubs/yoga-15-800701?hl=en-GBYou can find out all the details of the Alpe-Athon here: https://www.facebook.com/oxygenaddictcoaching/posts/3788293094524261Our Justgiving page is here:https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/team-oxygenaddict?fbclid=IwAR1R2fWsFiycR0LbQBQ9hZLNZpnMwrZYsEReJaVw-FrC7-6OKCeGoszQ2wsSponsorshttps://www.precisionhydration.com/ - Leaders in triathlete sweat testing and hydration, with multi-strength electrolytes that match how you sweat. Get 15% off your first order With the code OXYGENADDICT15You can book a 20 minute free hydration strategy video call with a hydration expert here: https://www.precisionhydration.com/book-a-sweat-expert-call/Mention you heard about it on the Oxygenaddict Triathlon Podcast and you’ll be entered in a free draw to win a £50 Precision Hydration bundle ! http://team.oxygenaddict.com - The most comprehensive triathlon coaching program for busy age groupers. To find out more, You can book a skype call with Rob or the Team hereJoin us for our Zwift - OxygenAddict Triathlon Podcast Power Hour interval training session, Tuesdays at 7.15pm UK time. Check the Zwift listings for details! Our Patrons : Support the show with a monthly or one off donation - thanks so much for your support!Join the Oxygenaddict Triathlon Community page on facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/666558563716897/Listen on Spotify: http://bit.ly/OATriPodSpotifyListen on iTunes: http://bit.ly/OATriPodiTunesSome links are affiliate links, which mean that we may get paid commission if you make a purchase via the link, or using the code, at no extra cost to you.

Abi Carver with Roman Fitness Systems shares 5 ways yoga can make you stronger. Episode 903: 5 Ways Yoga Can Make You Stronger by Abi Carver with Roman Fitness Systems on How To Improve Flexibility RFS originally began as a personal training company servicing the NYC Metro area back in 2003. Through that company, Roman coached everyone from professional athletes to actors to regular folks. In 2009, John Romaniello started the site to more conveniently merge his love of fitness and writing. While it was “just a blog” at first, it quickly became much, much more. Slowly but surely, writing articles, blog posts and books became the priority. Today, RFS continues to be one of the most respected sites for high quality fitness and lifestyle information around. The original post is located here: http://romanfitnesssystems.com/articles/yoga-make-you-stronger/ Please Rate & Review the Show! Visit Me Online at OLDPodcast.com and in The O.L.D. Facebook Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Abi Carver with Roman Fitness Systems shares 5 ways yoga can make you stronger. Episode 903: 5 Ways Yoga Can Make You Stronger by Abi Carver with Roman Fitness Systems on How To Improve Flexibility RFS originally began as a personal training company servicing the NYC Metro area back in 2003. Through that company, Roman coached everyone from professional athletes to actors to regular folks. In 2009, John Romaniello started the site to more conveniently merge his love of fitness and writing. While it was “just a blog” at first, it quickly became much, much more. Slowly but surely, writing articles, blog posts and books became the priority. Today, RFS continues to be one of the most respected sites for high quality fitness and lifestyle information around. The original post is located here: http://romanfitnesssystems.com/articles/yoga-make-you-stronger/ Please Rate & Review the Show! Visit Me Online at OLDPodcast.com and in The O.L.D. Facebook Group --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/optimal-health-daily/support

Abi Carver with Roman Fitness Systems shares 5 ways yoga can make you stronger. Episode 903: 5 Ways Yoga Can Make You Stronger by Abi Carver with Roman Fitness Systems on How To Improve Flexibility RFS originally began as a personal training company servicing the NYC Metro area back in 2003. Through that company, Roman coached everyone from professional athletes to actors to regular folks. In 2009, John Romaniello started the site to more conveniently merge his love of fitness and writing. While it was “just a blog” at first, it quickly became much, much more. Slowly but surely, writing articles, blog posts and books became the priority. Today, RFS continues to be one of the most respected sites for high quality fitness and lifestyle information around. The original post is located here: http://romanfitnesssystems.com/articles/yoga-make-you-stronger/ Please Rate & Review the Show! Visit Me Online at OLDPodcast.com and in The O.L.D. Facebook Group

Is there a way to use yoga to improve your performance and resilience at a particular sport? Get-Fit Guy picks the brain of yoga practitioner, Abi Carver of Yoga15.com to find out how she works with athletes to do just that. Read the transcript at https://quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/exercise/yoga-improve-athletic Check out all the Quick and Dirty Tips shows: www.quickanddirtytips.com/podcasts FOLLOW GET-FIT GUY Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GetFitGuy Twitter: https://twitter.com/getfitguy

Abi and Dave discuss the unconscious agreements we make within ourselves which in turn limit who we get to be in this life. Abi teaches yoga minus the bullshit. She has designed an online system of yoga Yoga 15 that is targeted, precise and systematic, to make the practice accessible to people who might otherwise be put off by the esoterica and mysticism of traditional yoga. Her students include International footballer, Patrice Evra, The XX bass player, Oliver Sim, World Champ mountain biker, Loïc Bruni, Roxy pro surfer, Leila Riccobuano, NY Times bestselling author, Robert Greene, restaurateur, Seamus Mullen, and Tour de France cyclist, Dan Lloyd. Elite performers across a variety of sporting and creative fields who recognise the power of yoga to keep them ranked amongst the best in the world. Follow her on Instagram @yoga15abi for tips, inspiration and motivation.   Find us at : Website: YogiLab.com Facebook: YogiLab Instagram: The_Yogi_Lab The Team: Dave Sascha Aren Brian Mikele  

Abi Carver, founder of @yoga15abi and David Hans-Barker @meditationdave creator of The Istana and Founder of YogiLab chat meditating entrepreneurship and discuss methods they use to access and enhance their creativity. Find us at : Website: YogiLab.com Facebook: YogiLab

Hello desk dozers, cubicle catnaps, open space snoozers, corner office conscious, home den dreamers and coffee shop slumbers. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am… not the Workplace Hero. That’s you! The point of creating this podcast was to make you into a Workplace Hero. I am merely along for the ride. You can think of me as a helpful hitchhiker. If you tend to suffer a sleepiness attack in the mid-afternoon, well it’s not all that odd. Many people experience a noticeable dip in their alertness, attention, creativity, energy level, and ability to concentrate in the afternoon. It’s true, the majority of us have been there: after an awesomely kick-ass, productive morning of finishing projects and heading for inbox zero, the clock strikes two and well, hell… you might as well pull down the blinds, slip on your jammies, and slide under your desk The good (and bad news is) that it’s completely normal to feel super-tired once the afternoon rolls around. Circadian rhythms, which affect our sleep patterns, may be to blame for the midday slump. In fact, our “sleep signals” peak at night and during the afternoon, which completely explains the phenomenon of the siesta. Secretly aren’t we all a little jealous of a culture that embraces an afternoon nap instead of scheduling another meeting through it? What happens is, your body releases your brain's natural sleep chemical, melatonin, telling your body that it's time to go to hit the hay, sometime between 2 and 4 in the afternoon. WebMD's sleep expert, Michael J. Breus, PhD, (who we will talk about more later) explains that the exhaustion you feel in the middle of the day is just like the tiredness you feel before bedtime at night as it has to do with a dip in your core body temperature. Right before you go to sleep at night, your core temperature begins to drop, which is a signal to the brain to release melatonin. The exact same thing happens on a smaller scale between 2 and 4 in the afternoon. It's a mini-signal to your brain to get sleepy. Basically, because we wake up super early for work, our body wants to go to bed in the afternoon because our natural clock is telling us to do so. Is all this talk about sleep making you tired? It's definitely making me nod off. *shakes it off* But other factors, like what we eat, hydration levels, and how much time we spend staring at a screen can also affect those droopy eyeballs. There is a great book called The Power of When by Michael Breus (who I mentioned in the WebMD article earlier) that explains something else that is very cool. It’s a thing called a chronotype and I will explain more about that in a second. Right now, if you are near an internet connected device, I want you to type this into a browser: workplacehero.me/getfitguy that will take you to the Quick and Dirty Tips network website where I just became the host of the Get-Fit Guy podcast. If you are listening to this episode when it first comes out, you will see that my friend Ben Greenfield was the Get-Fit Guy before me and the latest episode if actually him handing me the keys… so to speak. I gotta say that am grateful, thrilled and more than a little intimidated to be taking over for Ben. But that aside, if you are a fan of the short, snappy and information packed type of podcast like Workplace Hero is, you will likely love the Get-Fit Guy (and the other Quick and Dirty Tips podcasts). The goal of the Get-Fit Guy podcast it to help you enhance your energy, lose weight, boost your performance, and get your body looking better than ever without spending a tonne of time at the gym (or a lot of money on equipment). If you want to begin an exercise routine and don’t know where to start, or if you’ve been working out for a while and aren’t getting the results you want, I will give you the tips you need to reach all of your fitness goals. So head over to workplacehero.me/getfitguy or just search for Get-Fit Guy and check it out. Ok, now back to whatever the heck a chronotype is! As Michael Breus puts it, every person has a master biological clock ticking away inside of their brain, and dozens of smaller biological clocks throughout his or her body. But, unlike a normal clock, not every person’s biological clock keeps the same time or even at the same pace. If you’ve ever heard someone say, “I’m not a morning person”, well there’s a reason for that. Some people are meant to be more productive in the morning than at night, and vice versa. Yes, believe it or not – your body has been programmed to function much better at certain times of the day than others. Based on general morningness and eveningness preferences, different people fall into different classifications, called “Chronotypes”. Each Chronotype will reveal exactly what you need to do to work with your body, not against it. There are four Chronotypes (Dolphin, Lion, Bear, and Wolf), and most people fit into the “Bear” category (I am a dolphin, in case you are wondering). You can head over to thepowerofwhenquiz.com to find out your own chronotype but for our purposes here, we’ll assume the majority of us are bears and continue with some anti-sleep advice that I found at Greatist.com, mercola.com, and thebalance.com on how to combat, avoid or otherwise stay awake through our afternoon meetings. Since I just confessed to also being the Get-Fit Guy as well as (not) the Workplace Hero, this first one won’t surprise you. The first tip is… 1. Work Out A midday trip to the gym may not only boost productivity; it could ward off sleepiness, too. Stick to some light aerobic exercise before getting back to the books. Don’t have time to hit the gym? Try some deskercises to work out at work. Go back to workplacehero.me/workout for help with that 2. Step Back From the Screen In order to avoid eyestrain (which can make the eyes feel tired) keep a safe distance from the computer screen—about an arm’s length. That, or try a pair of snazzy computer glasses. Go back to workplacehero.me/airandlight for more info on that from Dr Tamsin Lewis 3. Stretch it Out Feelin’ stiff? Stretching out can provide a quick boost of energy. If there’s no stretching station in sight, try a handful of these desk stretches to keep the muscles loose. Visit my friend Abi Carver over at Yoga15.com for help with that. 4. Move Around A change of scenery may boost productivity, so do some work at a coffee shop or camp out in a meeting room. Try to park near a window for some natural light, which may keep us more alert. Check out workplacehero.me/stand for some help on that from Biomechanist, Katy Bowman. 5. Grab a Towel Splash some cold water on your face to wake up. I call these birdbaths and no, I don’t have a link for this one. 6. Sip Green Tea With less caffeine than a cup of coffee, a mug of green tea can give us that afternoon pick-me-up without making us stay awake all night. Plus its nutritional benefits are enough to keep anyone wide-eyed! For more caffeine alternatives go to workplacehero.me/shiftwork 7. Talk it Out Instead of emailing a coworker down the hall, take a trip to his/her cubicle and talk in person. That'll stretch out the legs while providing a break from staring at the screen. Ummmm… nope. No link for this one either. 8. Have a Snack Not meal time yet? Have a snack to help boost energy levels. Try an ounce of cheese, a handful of nuts, or another high-protein snack to keep alert. Go to workplacehero.me/snacks for help from Quick and Dirty Tips own Nutrition Diva on that. 9. Try a Walking Meeting Take that meeting to the streets and discuss what you would in the office outdoors. When I worked for a big coffee company I would often take my meetings while walking along the seawall. 10. Switch Tasks Working on the same project for five hours? Try tackling something else to stay stimulated and keep things fresh at the desk. 11. Take a Catnap Sometimes the best remedy for fatigue is to simply shut the eyes. Learn how to power nap (10-20 minutes of snooze time!) to get that midday boost you really need. 12. Schedule an Appointment Have to hit up the dentist? Schedule an appointment during lunch for some forced activity that prevents us from feeling doze-y. This way, you avoid eating at your desk, too! 13. Take a Break Take five to do something besides work (like calling a friend or doing a crossword puzzle) in order to give your body and mind a break! Use these tips to relax in five quick minutes before getting back to the grind. 14. Chew Gum Afternoon energy may be as simple as chewing gum (seriously). Chewing gums with strong minty flavours like peppermint and spearmint are stimulating, and the act of chewing help the brain fight the feeling of lethargy. Works well when you are taking an exam or needing to focus 15. Turn Up the Tunes Listening to some favourite music might help us focus and feel more energised. Pro tip? Listen with noise cancelling headphones to really hone in on a task. 16. Remember Breakfast Like my friend Dr Cate Shanahan says: “breakfast is the most important meal of the day - to not screw up.” Eat a solid breakfast of protein, healthy fats and minimal carbs to sustain energy throughout the day. 17. Eat a Small(er) Lunch Supersizing that manwich may be the reason for nodding off. Choose a smaller (but nutritious) lunch; choose something with more protein and fewer carbohydrates to dodge drowsiness, like my favourite big ass salad with sardines. 18. Avoid Sugar A little sugar may go a long way—in the wrong direction. Consuming some sweets may provide a sugar-high that will only lead to a sugar crash, causing us to become even sleepier. 19. Stay Hydrated In order to avoid dehydration and its sleepy side effects, just keep sipping. There is no magic number of cups that every human needs to hit (despite what the internet may tell you) just drink to thirst and you’ll be good. If you want you can add some lemon or lime to your water to perk you up and as well. 20. Please Stand Up No! I am not making a Slim Shady joke. Staying on our feet could help avoid drowsiness and increase focus. Grab a standing desk and work away! Do I need to direct you to workplacehero.me/stand or have you got it by now? 21. Skip the Booze Ease up at the office happy hour. Fatigue is a symptom of a minor hangover, so avoid drinking during the week, or keep consumption to a minimum. (One to two drinks max!) 22. Get Enough Sleep This may be a no-brainer, but getting enough sleep is vital to staying energised throughout the day. If you’re not sleeping well, it will be next to impossible to avoid lagging energy levels. 23. Include Non-Exercise Movement Sitting for prolonged periods of time can also be a source of fatigue. Besides that, compelling research shows that prolonged sitting in and of itself is a major contributing factor to chronic disease and reduced lifespan—even if you exercise regularly. workplacehero.me/stand anyone? 24. Sit in the sun for 10 minutes. Even better, eat your lunch outside and divide your time between eating and taking a walk. You can reset your internal clock, reduce the amount of melatonin your body produces and boost your vitamin D. 25. Rub some peppermint oil on your hands. Rub your hands together and then pat your face. The scent of peppermint is known to increase energy. I use a diffuser for my essential oils but your coworkers may not appreciate that in the office. 26. Eat a square of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is very healthy, unlike milk chocolate, with high levels of healthy fat and antioxidants it contains. It also provides a touch of caffeine to give you a boost. 27. Do isometric exercises. By tensing a muscle and holding it, you encourage blood flow. Try tensing your biceps, holding for 5 to 10 seconds, and then releasing. You can do the same with your calves, thighs, chest, stomach and glutes. You may look like a weirdo but you will be awake! 28. Put a rosemary plant in your office. The scent of rosemary is known to be energising. Whenever you need a pick me up, rub a sprig between your fingers to release the fragrance. You can also rub one on your hands, neck, and face. Again… weirdo but awake. 29. Brush your teeth. We already talked about the mintiness factor but also doing something that activates your senses can wake you up. And not having swamp mouth is never a bad thing. Hrm… 29 seems like an odd place to stop but I don’t have a 30th. Ok. Well, I think that is still the longest list I have ever given you on the podcast! So… it must be about time for your homework. Instead of doing what I usually do, which is ask you to choose a couple things from the list and try them out over the coming week, I want you to do something different and take the thepowerofwhenquiz.com and find out which Chronotype you are. When you finish the quiz, you will be shown a video that explains your results. While Dr Breus doesn’t give you any specific instructions on what to do about your chronotype, it is nonetheless very interesting and will likely help you choose how you deal with your afternoon sleepies from here on out. One favour though - if you do decide to buy the Power of When book, please consider doing so by using this link: workplacehero.me/powerofwhen. All that does is give me credit for sending you to Amazon to buy the book and Amazon itself gives me a small kickback for the business. It doesn’t cost you anything extra but it does go a little way toward supporting this podcast. Aside from your ongoing dedicated downloading. Personally, I used to get tired every afternoon but since I switched to a standing workstation, I have been mostly good to go! I also eat a high protein breakfast, I aim to sleep eight hours a night and I do some sort of physical activity every single day. But I have to admit that still, occasionally, none of these things help. What I think it really comes down to is how often we're awake for such a prolonged period of time. Think about it: You wake up at roughly 6:30 and go to bed at around 11. That is 16.5 hours of full on awakeness. I don’t know about you but that seem like a long time to be continually thinking your thoughts. So, you can use some of the tips I just listed or fight off afternoon tiredness by drinking a bucket of coffee around 2:30, or simply embrace that hour or so when you feel like you're going to pass out on your desk. It’s up to you. Because in the end, as long as we're working such intense hours (with no siesta), we're likely going to be tired now and then between 2 and 4:00. Now go make this week and awake one. ** Workplace Hero is researched, written, narrated, and recorded by me Brock Armstrong in Vancouver Canada. Logo by Ken Cunningham. Music is courtesy my old band, The Irregular Heartbeats.

Hello my cubicle comatose, open space snoozers, corner office coziers, home den dozers and coffee shop shut eyes. My name is Brock Armstrong and I am here to turn you into a Workplace Hero. And don’t worry, to be this type of hero, spandex is optional. Before we slip into something more comfortable, I want to direct you to SkywalkerFitness.ca. That’s the coaching business that I run. Whether you want to run a 10k or a marathon, race in a triathlon, put on some muscle, clean up your diet, or get totally ripped, I will create a plan specifically for you. No cookie cutter one-size-fits-all programs, just 100% tailored programs that fit around your life’s commitments. And for being a Workplace Hero, I will give you a special deal on your first 3 months of coaching. Head over to SkywalkerFitness.ca and send me a note referencing this podcast so I can start building you the perfect program to meet your wellness goals. Ok, back to the topic at hand…       Let me set the stage for you - It’s Monday morning. Once again, in a wondrous turn of events, you wake up feeling great! You had an amazing weekend of deep sleep, good food, enjoyable exercise, and aside from the beer you had with dinner on Saturday night you stuck to your diet exceptionally well. You are feeling so good that you pull out that fitted shirt that looks so good on you but you often feel too selfconscious to wear. And - yes! It looks goooood. Your morning is going great until around 9:30 or 10:00 am when you start feeling yourself losing energy and focus. Your eyes start feeling heavy and the words start to swimming on the page. So, you go grab yourself a second (or is it a third) cup of coffee and hunker down - but you think to yourself: How can I be so tired? I slept so well and had such a restful weekend. What the hell? Back in the real world, I just Googled the phrase “low energy at work” and in 0.90 seconds it returned 75,600,000 results. Whoa! So it is safe to say that this is a bit of a common problem. The search results come from big hitters like Redbull, FastCompany, Webmd and Forbes and the list goes on and on featuring titles like: 8 Unobvious Ways To Have Way More Energy At Work, Top 10 Ways to Boost Your Energy, 10 Ways to Skyrocket your Energy Levels, The Fatigue Solution: How To Increase Your Energy In Eight Easy Steps. And so on… So why is this such an issue? Why are we seemingly such a chronically low energy bunch of loafers? The DailyMail says that it might be because you are a perfectionist. Apparently being a perfectionist can sap someone's energy, as perfectionists spend longer than their less conscientious counterparts worrying and ruminating over their decisions. Another reason I saw on a few websites is that you might be eating too many carbs. Filling up on pasta, bread and rice – as well as cookies, chocolate and chips - causes spikes and dips in blood sugar that leave a person dozing off when the sugar is low. WebMD says that you might have a magnesium deficiency. They say that this mineral is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, including breaking down glucose into energy, so when levels are even a little low, energy can drop. They suggest two delicious solutions - adding a handful of almonds, hazelnuts or cashews to your daily diet, or eating more fish, especially halibut. Yum.  A Fast Company article suggests that you need to get more movement in your day. They say that we need not yield to the Sedentary Death that awaits our constantly sat seats; we can show some derrière-relieving daring-do by having walking meetings. Ah… what? Men’s Fitness suggests that we nix the nightcap. Alcohol prevents your body from entering REM sleep (the most restful sleep phase). So, even if you're getting plenty of sleep each night, you may not feel fully rested if you are finishing the evening off with a drinky drink. They also suggested eating more fish and nuts so there may be something to this delicious solution.  Prevention.com says that your body needs vitamin B12 to make red blood cells and keep neurons functioning properly. A B12 deficiency decreases the amount of oxygen your blood can carry through your body, leaving you with that sleeping-with-your-eyes-open feeling. Womentowomen.com says that the problem could be inactivity. The body needs both rest and movement. When it comes to fatigue — and you may find this counterintuitive but long periods of inactivity can actually make you more tired. Think of it as a kind of atrophy: use it or lose it. The Queen of daytime TV herself, Oprah, says that it might be your thyroid gland. Located at the base of your neck—and barely larger than the knot in a tie—the thyroid controls your body's metabolic speed by producing the hormones. If it churns out too little all the processes in your body slow down. The result: decreased endurance and a sluggish mind.  A website run by a fellow with an undeniably awesome name, Dr. Axe, suggested that we might just be dehydrated. He says that one of the first signs of dehydration is feeling tired or exhausted. That’s right – not drinking enough water could be the reason your energy levels are lacking and you feel exhausted. Because our bodies are made up of mostly water, even small dips in H2O levels are apparently enough to affect your metabolism. One last article actually suggested that you might have undiagnosed type 2 diabetes! Tiredness, usually accompanied by sight problems, a constant thirst and passing urine frequently, as well as suffering frequent infections, could be a sign of undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Yikes!  After spending a few hours pouring through articles, studies and opinions, I decided to enlist the help of my LA based Wellness Specialist friend, Hailey Rowe, to find out what she is encountering out there in the California trenches. Hi, my name is Hailey Rowe. I am the founder of www.theprimetimehealth.com. I’ve been in the fitness and nutrition industry for about 7 years now as a Certified Personal Trainer, Fitness Instructor, and Fitness Nutrition Specialist. I’m also a Certified Bulletproof Coach helping people to develop lifelong healthy habits. Working with people the ages of 18 to 70, I believe it’s never to too late or too early to start changing your ways. As you probably guessed, I share many of Hailey’s views… if not her sunny disposition. As a High Performance Coach, I work with a lot of clients who are drained from overworking & feel like their life is out of whack. I’ve noticed 3 major factors that lead to energy depletion in the workplace:    •Lack of breaks •Multi-tasking •Energy-zapping co-workers (AKA toxic people) I don’t know about you guys but I am generally guilty of all three of those issues. I am a terrible multi-tasker, I have issues dealing with negativity (even via email) and I often get in the groove and don’t want to take a break. Heck right now, as I type this, my stomach is growling and it is closing in on 2:00 pm - I clearly need to take a break and eat some lunch! Ok. While I make myself a salad, I’ll let Hailey continue: The brain was not meant to focus for 8 hours at a time. Taking breaks is not a sign of weakness. It’s actually a good use of your time. In fact, a study in the journal Cognition shows that even brief breaks from a task can dramatically improve work endurance, focus, and productivity. It is recommended to work in bursts of 60-90 minutes, followed by a 10-15 minute break.  You might be wondering, like I am, why 90 minutes is the magic number?  That number comes from researcher Nathan Kleitman who discovered something called the “basic rest-activity cycle.” When we are sleeping, we progress through the 5 stages of sleep every 90 minutes. Our bodies operate by the same 90-minute rhythm during the day, going from high alertness to low alertness. Test it out. Try working for 90 minutes straight (intensely!), and then take a break. If you’re skeptical or you doubt your ability to focus for that long, try starting with 25 minutes followed by a 5 minute break. This is called the Pomodoro Method. I’ll put a link to the Pomodoro Method in the show notes at workplacehero.me/energy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique During your focus periods, keep distractions to a minimum by putting on headphones so co-workers know you’re busy, or politely ask if you can catch up with them when you’re done. Use your breaks to go outside, move around, or just step away from the computer for a few minutes. Bonus points if you do 4 minutes of exercise for every hour of work, just like Katy Bowman suggested on the WorkPlace Hero Podcast. You can find that one over at workplacehero.me/stand The second issue Hailey listed is something near and dear to my heart. I have a rule that I believe I stole from an episode of the 80s TV show, MASH. As Charles Emerson Winchester the Third once said “I do one thing at a time, I do it very well, and then I move on.” The odd time I deviate from that rather audacious game plan, I pay the price. Neuroscientists have found that multitasking literally drains your brain’s energy. Switching between different unfinished tasks confuses the brain and makes you feel tired very quickly.  Devora Zack, author of Singletasking: Get More Done- One Thing at a Time, reported that multitasking can decrease your productivity by up to 40%. Research also shows that you make twice as many errors when multitasking. Lastly, it can shrink the gray matter in your brain, which is much needed for self-control and decision-making. But what if I am in the middle of doing something like say, writing a podcast and I suddenly remember that I forgot to invoice a client? If the urge to start another task comes up while you’re working on something else, write it down and come back to it later. Turn off all potential distractions (phone, email, etc.) when working on something important. There are even apps for your computer and phone like FocusMe that allow you to block websites you use to procrastinate. Great advice. Turning off all notifications on your phone, tablet and computer is something I advise everyone to do - right now… well, ok when you finish listening to the podcast. There is not a single app that should be allowed to disturb you. You can check your email, Facebook, messages, and everything else on your own time. Not theirs. That small change can really make a huge difference. Now on to Hailey’s third and likely most touchy point - Toxic co-workers… The ability to remain calm and manage your emotions around stressful people is so important if you want to feel good at work. According to a study by leadership development consultancy, Fierce Inc., 4 out of 5 employees work or have worked with a co-worker who could be considered toxic to the office environment. Surprisingly, only 40% of bosses say they would eliminate a toxic team member, versus 88% of employees who would. To stay mindful and prevent yourself from getting sucked into the drama, practice the ABC method. This stands for Acknowledge, Breathe and Choose. Acknowledge when you’re allowing someone else to suck you dry or undermine your work. Notice your negative feelings and where you feel them in your body. Noticing your thoughts keeps you in control. The second step is to breathe. Take a deep breath, meditate, clear your head, or give it some time. Then, choose how you’re going to respond… Are you going to be solutions-oriented? Are you going to establish some kind of boundary? Or are you going to play the victim?  This simple acronym can come in handy if you find yourself slipping into a negative state around toxic co-workers. ABC - Acknowledge, Breathe and Choose. I like it! And if you need a reminder on one of my favourite breathing techniques, check out workplacehero.me/commute for instructions on how to do a Box Breath by Yoga15.com maven, Abi Carver. And now, it wouldn’t be an episode of Workplace Hero if you didn’t get some homework, now would it? And this week, I defer to Hailey. We’ve covered a lot of juicy material in this podcast, but you’ll only benefit if you take action. Your homework assignment this week is to build at least one 60-90 minute period of uninterrupted focus followed by a short renewal break. Bonus points if you can sneak in 2-3 short breaks throughout the day. If you’re worried about your co-workers judging you for going outside or taking a small break, just think about how happy your team will be when you are producing greater results using this trick.  Awesome advice. I wholeheartedly agree. Thanks Hailey! This is obviously a topic that we could spend many episodes on but hopefully this is a good start for you. Whether you try eating more fish, drinking more water, nixing the nightcap, getting yourself checked for diabetes, taking breaks, breaking the mute-tasking habit or practicing your ABCs, I would love to hear what works for you. Leave me a note on Facebook, Twitter, the blog post for this episode at workplacehero.me/energy or you can even send me an email at podcast@worplacehero.me. You never know, you may spark an entire new episode with your feedback! ** Workplace Hero is researched, written, narrated and recorded by me Brock Armstrong in rainy downtown Vancouver. Support and additional editing from Eleanor Cohen. Artwork by Ken Cunningham. Today’s Guest Hero is of course, Hailey Rowe. Check out her website at www.theprimetimehealth.com and sign up for her newsletter to receive a High Intensity Interval Training Guide for free.  Now, you know what to do - go make this week count!

Hello, my cubicle carpoolers, open space cyclists, corner office car shareres, home den dawdlers, and coffee shop subway riders. My name is Brock Armstrong, and I am… not the Workplace Hero. If I am doing my job correctly, I am slowly but surely, podcast by podcast, making you into a Workplace Hero. I am simply an information super highway. Heh… remember how we used to call the internet that? No? You're probably too young. Anyway… Today's Heroic idea came from Workplace Hero, Erin Moline, who sent me an email saying "I'm in my car a lot and with traffic so heinous that I often have to focus a lot and it can be exhausting. I have my ergonomics correct in the car, but I noticed it makes me a little frazzled." And that is exactly what I plan to do with today’s episode. Remember, my Heros, that you can suggest topics you would like me to cover by sending me a note on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or by emailing podcast@workplacehero.me. Now, as much as I hate to start the podcast off with a depressing list of horrifying stats, that is exactly what I am going to do. Sorry. But before I do that - did you know that this podcast has an email newsletter that goes along with it? It does. And you can sign up for it at wokrplacehero.me. The form is on the righthand side of the page. Rest assured, because we believe strongly in the idea of Inbox Zero, you will only receive an email once per week, and it will be short, informative and easy to delete. Best of all, just for signing up, you will receive a coupon code for 10% off at the online health and fitness store, GreenfieldFitnessSystems.com. Over there they have a staggering array of supplements, gear, clothing along with some wacky things that will help keep you healthy and fit. So sign up for the newsletter at workplacehero.me and get your discount code now. And now, back to how commuting impacts your mental and physical health—and don't worry, I will also let you know what you can do to offset the damage. According to a report in USA Today, the average North American's commute is 25.5 minutes each way. That's about 51 minutes per day or about 204 hours a year spent commuting. Just to put that in perspective, researchers recently found that most adults only do 17 minutes of fitness activities per day or about 103.4 hours per year. So we are only exercising for approximately half the amount of time that we are spending commuting. Ug! The following list is from an excellent Time.com article called, 10 Things Your Commute Does to Your Body, by Carolyn Kylstra. 1. Your Blood Sugar Rises Driving more than 10 miles each way, to and from work, is associated with higher blood sugar, according to a report written by researchers from the University School of Medicine in Saint Louis and the Cooper Institute in Dallas and published in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine. And as we all know, high blood glucose levels can lead to diabetes. 2. Your Cholesterol is Higher The same report in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that the 10-mile one-way drives were also associated with higher cholesterol levels among commuters. This idea is similar to what we talked about in the "To Stand or Not to Stand" podcast with Katy Bowman a few weeks ago which you can find at workplacehero.me/stand 3. Your Depression Risk Rises The researchers from the University School of Medicine in Saint Louis and the Cooper Institute in Dallas also noted in their report that people with commutes of at least 10 miles each way have a higher tendency toward depression, anxiety, and social isolation. We'll talk about how to shake that in a bit. 4. Your Anxiety Increases A newer report from the Office of National Statistics in the U.K. finds that people who commute more than half an hour to work each way report higher levels of stress and anxiety than people with shorter commutes or no commutes at all. Now, while there's not much most of us can do to shorten or eliminate our commute, we can make the most of it by doing something enjoyable during it… like listening to your favourite podcast. Jus' sayin'. 5. Your Happiness and Life Satisfaction Decline The same report from the U.K. found that people with commutes of any length experience lower life satisfaction and happiness than people with no commutes at all. Riding a bus for 30 minutes or longer was associated with the lowest levels of life satisfaction and happiness. It also resulted in the highest amount of chewing gum found stuck to the back of your pant leg when you arrive at work. 6. Your Blood Pressure Temporarily Spikes A researcher from the University of Utah set up an experiment where participants were placed in simulated driving scenarios: They were told they were late to a meeting and had a financial incentive to get to their destination quickly. Half the group was put in high-density traffic; the other half in a less congested environment. The people who drove in more intense traffic had much higher reports of stress, as well as higher blood pressure. Now this likely goes without saying, but if you are one of those people who feel like you're always in a rush, it might be worth leaving well before rush hour—even if you arrive at work at the same time as you normally would, you'll feel less anxious. Keep listening for some breathing techniques you can use to help manage your stress level. 7. Your Blood Pressure Rises Over Time, As Well A study of 4,297 Texans found that the farther the participants lived from where they worked—the longer their commutes—the higher their blood pressure was. High blood pressure over time is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. 8. Your Cardiovascular Fitness Drops The same study out of Texas found that people with longer commutes also had lower levels of cardiovascular fitness and physical activity. It's not hard to see how spending more time in sitting in traffic results in spending less time pounding the pavement or pumping iron. 9. Your Sleep Suffers The Regus Work-Life Balance Index found that people who commute for longer than 45 minutes each way reported lower sleep quality and more exhaustion than people with shorter commutes. For some tips on how to get better sleep refer to the past podcast with Dr. Tam about Air and Light at workplacehero.me/airandlight 10. Your Back Aches Spending hours a week slouched over in a car, subway or bus seat has negative consequences on your posture and your back and neck. Which is why I always recommend standing on public transit. Not only will you not nod off and miss your stop but you will also spend the entire trip firing those little stabilizer muscles and engaging your proprioceptors which can help diminish many of the physiological issues associated with sitting for long periods of time. Not surprisingly, according to a new study by researchers at McGill University, commuters are more likely to feel happier walking to work than taking any other form of transportation. According to a BusinessInsider.com article, a team of researchers surveyed over 3,300 students, staff and faculty members about their travel times, comfort, safety, street harassment, cost, and wait times. The researchers found that participants were happiest when they walked, rode the train, or cycled to work — in that order. The researchers found that participants reported lower satisfaction when they traveled by car, subway, or bus - in that order. When researchers dug deeper into the factors that affect commuter satisfaction, they discovered that travel duration mattered a great deal. Unsurprisingly, people with longer commutes felt less happy than those with shorter ones. But - and this is cool - travel time mattered less to walkers, bikers, and bus riders. An extra ten minutes lowered their satisfaction by only half as much as it did for those who drive, ride the train, or take the subway. Gender was also a significant factor in determining satisfaction. Female participants were more likely to feel unsafe walking or riding the metro. The researchers explained that this finding makes sense because women can be more at risk for street harassment, so the safety of a car can feel more comfortable. So, is the answer to be a man, who walks or rides his bike to work for less than 10 miles? Well, no. I wouldn't leave you hanging there like that… but if the shoe fits, wear it with panache, fellas. Here are some healthy commuting tips for the Greatist.com article named, How to Make Your Commute Suck Way Less, by Sophia Breene. On Public Transportation 1. Take the train. According to one study, train commuters are less stressed and have better moods than those who drive to work. 2. Bring your own entertainment. Use a train commute to prepare your brain for "work mode." Instead of zoning out or mindlessly thumbing through Instagram, use a book or puzzle to warm up for or cool down from a long day at work. 3. Find your Zen. Place both feet on the floor, close your eyes, and breathe deeply. The morning trip to the office can be a great time to get centred before a crazy workday. I am a huge believer in breath work. Personally, I use a method called box breathing. My friend Abi Carver (of yoga15.com) has a great video and article demonstrating how to do that. Here is Abi to explain: This technique is practiced by NavySEALS to help them deal more capably with highly stressful events. Learning to focus on your breath helps to clear your mind and increases your capacity for concentration. Close your eyes, inhale, sit up tall, lengthen your spine and neck. Exhale, draw your shoulders back and let all the air out. Let's begin. Seal your lips and inhale slowly to a count of 5. Hold your breath for the count of 5. Exhale for the count of 5. And hold the breath out for the count of 5. Let's repeat that three more times… 4. Turn off technology. Why start working early? Are you getting paid overtime? Unless you're expecting an important call or text, refrain from technology during your commute. Rather than answer emails before you hit the door, use the time for your own self-care. 5. Snooze between stops. With someone else's eyes on the road, there's no reason you shouldn't take a short nap. Nodding off for a few minutes won't help you catch up from a severe sleep deficit, but a few short zzzs can help you feel refreshed and be more productive. Pro tip: before dozing, set a short timer, so you don't miss your stop. When you are driving 6. Really (really!) relax. OK, you can't actually meditate with closed eyes while driving, but you can still practice mindful exercises. For example, progressive relaxation is done by tensing and relaxing each muscle group for five seconds, starting at your feet and continuing up through your entire body to your face. Combine this with long, slow breaths for a bigger relaxation boost. 7. Learn something new. Turn that dreaded hour of gridlock into an opportunity to learn something. Download a podcast, or an audiobook, or an app like Duolingo, which teaches you a new language (I am using it to brush up on my French). 8. Change your shoes. Interestingly enough, something as simple as changing from work shoes to well-worn sneakers can make a commute much more pleasant. If you've got a formal dress code at the office (high heels or a tie), changing at the end of the day is not only comfier, but it also tells your brain that the stress of the day is over. 9. Loosen up before the drive. Sitting in the driver's seat after a long day in an office chair can have negative physiological effects. Get limber with some stretches before hopping behind the wheel. Abi Carver (from the box breathing video) also has a great list of yoga poses that undo the damage caused by sitting and a few yoga moves that boost your energy at work . Again, I will put both of those links in the show notes at workplacehero.me/commute And to round this all off, here are a few more happy/healthy commuting ideas I found during my research… Studies show people who bike to work take fewer sick days than their driving or train-riding peers. If biking all the way to work isn't an option, consider cycling to a train or bus station, or meeting your carpool group a few miles from home. Spending tons of time alone in the car is not only boring, but it can also cause feelings of isolation and general unhappiness. Instead of commuting alone, find someone to share the journey with. Unexpected evening traffic jams or delayed trains can quickly turn a great day sour. To prevent a pre-dinner meltdown, get in the habit of keeping a healthy snack on hand. For more info on snacks, go to nutritionovereasy.com/hero and get Monica Reinagel's Complete Guide to Heroic Workplace Snacking! And also make sure to check out our past podcast on snacking at workplacehero.me/snacks You already know that sitting for a long period is bad since you listened to the podcast about it… but if you must sit during your commute, watch your posture and keep changing it. Here are some things to try: - Sit at the edge of your seat for a few minutes and then sit as far back as you can, - Keep your feet flat on the floor and then lift them a little off the floor and see how long you can maintain that, - Draw your navel up and in, and lift up through the crown of the head. Hold this anatomically friendly position for 20 seconds, then relax and repeat, - Do some steering wheel isometrics. Grip the steering wheel as tightly as you can and hold it for 30 seconds, then relax and repeat, - By adjusting the way you are holding the steering wheel and which way you are applying pressure, you can do steering wheel pushdowns, bicep squeezes, or even chest flies, - Body weight resistance – If you are not the one doing the driving, you can try some elbow squeezes, commuter crunches, or torso twists. You may get some odd looks but think of it as brightening someone else's day - "You won't believe what I saw this chick doing on the subway this morning." - For your deep core – try some kegel exercises, glute squeezes, or pelvic tilts, - And as Abi describes in her article from earlier, do some neck isometrics – front, back, side-to-side. Another less active strategy is to listen to soothing music. It may be tempting to use high-energy music to wake up in the morning, but up-tempo tunes can make a morning commute more stressful. One survey showed that drivers who listened to heavy metal or loud rock were more prone to road rage and collisions. If there is one thing we have learned during this podcast, it is that you should try to walk whenever you can. Most commutes involve some sitting, so try to walk or stand wherever possible. Hoof'er to the bus instead of getting dropped off or park the car in the commuter lot in the farthest-away spot. And I can't stress this enough - if you are physically able, always take the stairs. Maybe if you work on the 25th floor, you get a pass on this one (no one wants to sweat up their Armani)… but you can only make this excuse on the way up! And here's something a little unexpected - you can try smelling something nice. Commuting can be downright funky so try some on-the-go aromatherapy. A drop of lavender or lemon essential oil can keep anxiety and commuter odors at bay. Lemon, lavender and other plants like basil, oranges, jasmine, and laurel contain linalool, a chemical compound that has a calming effect. Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't add a new favourite pass time of mine: Gratitude. Big crowds, late buses, bad weather, construction or inconsiderate jerks can rob you of your joy and feeling of wellness. The fix: Use the power of your mind to change your emotional reaction. If you let the commute do its magic, you'll feel miserable, so take that attention and put it elsewhere. The effects of gratitude and the ability to get in touch emotionally with a sense of thankfulness or appreciation can turn frustration and resentment on its head. And it is simple to do. Just ask yourself, "What am I grateful for today?" And then find something that really resonates with you. It can be fairly simple, like the kiss you got from your partner or the plans you have for the evening — or maybe it is that they finally spelled your name right on your morning latté. You can use these moments to create a “mental gratitude list” and then focus on it on the way to or on the way from work. If you can use one, two or all of these techniques, you may just find that you arrive at your destination in a more content physical and emotional state. ** Workplace Hero is researched, written, narrated and recorded by me Brock Armstrong with editing help and voice acting from Eleanor Cohen. Podcast logo by Ken Cunningham and music by my old band, The Irregular Heartbeats. Special thanks to Abi Carver for allowing me to use a portion of her Box Breath video. You can find out more about Abi at Yoga15.com. Now go make this week count!