How healthy is your life?  In a world where you are constantly bombarded with commercials for fast food and where the television programming is getting more intriguing, it’s tough to stay ahead of the game and continue to live a healthier life.  Everything around you tells you not to worry about your health but it’s a well-known fact that if you take care of your body now, you will thank yourself in the future.  Whether you live a healthy life now or are interested in starting, these ten tips will help you to live for your future.

1. Exercise Regularly – This is probably one of the most important aspects of staying healthy.  You don’t need to workout three times a day to stay in shape.  Instead, try a variety of activities (running, biking, aerobics, etc.) in order to give your body a chance to get itself in shape.
2. Eat Moderately – I can tell you from experience, eating healthy is not easy and, believe it or not, you don’t need to in order to live a healthier life.  The key is moderation.  Instead of eating fast food four times a week, try to gradually cut back to once or twice.
3. Partner Up – Accountability is another important aspect of becoming healthier.  Find someone who shares your same goals and interests and hold each other accountable in your quest to be healthier.  It can go a long way.
4. Get Sleep – Your body should get six to eight hours of sleep each night in order to function properly the next day.  If not, you’ll be feeling tired, worn out, and irritable.  Getting plenty of sleep at night is a key part of staying healthy.
5. Eat Breakfast – Eating breakfast is essential to starting your day in a healthy manner.  You should eat a balanced breakfast but, in the end, anything is better than nothing.  Too busy in the morning to stop and eat?  Invest in some miniature cereal packets or cereal bars.
6. Brain Exercises – Not only should your muscles be exercised in order to stay healthy, but you should exercise your brain, too.  Problem solving, creative thinking, and logic games are a great way to check this off of your list.
7. Lifestyle Choices – Researchers estimate that 70% – 80% of your life expectancy is based upon your lifestyle choices – drinking, smoking, eating, sleeping, and exercising (just to name a few).  If you’d like to start living a healthier life, changing your lifestyle habits would be a huge step in the right direction.

I think it’s pretty safe to bet that most people who use an email service receive some kind of spam message.  It could be forwards from friends of friends or it could be random ads for useless products.  Either way, we all receive messages that we don’t want.

I recently acquired a few good tips regarding this issue – filtering and unsubscribing.

In GMail, it is easy to filter messages.  Simply type in the filter name and parameters and it’s done.  With other email clients, it isn’t so easy.  If you are unsure if you can filter your messages, I would suggest doing a search and finding out.  Filtering your messages can remove a lot of junk right away.  No need to wait or cherry pick; it is filtered and processed accordingly.

Another way to reduce inbox clutter is to unsubscribe to all of the site-specific ads that come in that you never look at.  You probably bought one thing from Old Navy online and now you get at least three to four messages a week with news and updates.  For most emails from retail stores, you can click the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the email.  This also works for social networking sites and other places where you need to log in to access data.

I used to get around 20-25 emails a day before I cleaned up my inbox.  Now, if I’m lucky.  I get 5.  With fewer emails, I have more time to do other things and have less distractions.  I suggest giving it a try.

Do you have any inbox clean-up tactics that you use?  If so, share with us in the comments!

One of the things that I struggle most with is clutter.  I can never seem to create a clear workspace, either at home or at the office.  However, after reading some helpful blog posts and testing out some ideas, I found a few ways that you can create that clear work space that will foster great ideas and reduce distractions.

Move It Out

One of the things that I found helpful was to move everything on top of my desk to somewhere else.  Or, at least try.  There are some things that must stay on top of my desk, i.e. my computer, but other things can find a home elsewhere.  With less on the surface of my desk, I have fewer distractions and the area simply looks cleaner, which raises my self confidence and productivity levels.

Keep It That Way

Probably the hardest part of cleaning your desk is keeping it that way.  It seems like the next day I’m at work, I just pile more stuff on the surface of my desk and I’m back to square one.  Instead of trying to clan your desk off at the beginning of the week or in the middle of the week, why not do it on your last day in the office that week?  You can take home certain items, throw away others, and not have to be bothered with your work area for a few days.  Then, once you get back into the office, your desk will feel like new because you feel like new.

When talking about cleaning, I must caution you: Out of sight does not mean it is not there.  I often take things off of the top of my desk and throw them into my drawers.  This is just as bad.  When you remove things from the top of your desk or clean it out for the week, reorganize your drawers and discard anything that you can.  Clean drawers will help you to stay organized and focused, especially when you really need to find that important document from six months ago.

If you are anything like me, you probably have about 100 thoughts going through your mind at any given time, especially before you go to sleep.  “How can I be more efficient in this area?  Did I remember to email everyone about Saturday?  Are there any chores that I didn’t complete?”  Well, I’ve found a good solution to such thoughts.

I recently bought a 500 pack of blank notecards and decided that I would use them as my “notes to self.”  Surprisingly, the concept worked out and I have been a notecard fanatic ever since.  I keep my notecards in various places so I can always write my idea or thought down when I need to.  I have a stack at the office, a stack near my home computer, and some placed in my car.  No matter where I am, there is a stack of notecards a pen.

This slight change in my note-taking system has helped me accomplish more, focus my attention on certain tasks, and have more free time.  I no longer have to sit around and wonder what I should be doing.  I have a list and an agenda to guide my thoughts and actions.

It’s not often that positive things are said about Social Security.  Normally statements like, “There will be none left for Generation Y” and “You will need to work until you die” are heard.  Well, don’t let those comments phase you.  It doesn’t have to be that way.

Sure, it could be true that by the time Generation Y is old enough to collect Social Security, there won’t be any left.  That only means that Generation Y (and anyone else who is interested) needs to start taking matters into their own hands.  Don’t want to get duped in the long run?  Create your own Social Security.

The tax rate per pay check for Social Security is 6.2%.  So, that means that whatever you make in gross pay (before taxes) is subject to the 6.2% Social Security tax.  Let’s say that over a two week pay period you gross $800.  From that amount, $49.60 would be taken for Social Security.  The more you make, more is taken.

In order to avoid any financial folly in the future, I suggest making your own Social Security fund.  It’s better to be safe than sorry.  In order to do this, simply take the amount that is deducted each paycheck for Social Security (in our example it was $49.60) and place it in a high interest rate fund, such as an IRA.  Here is how our example would play out if we were to do this:

$49.60 every two weeks = $1,289.60/year
$1,289.60 each year for 15 years = $19,344

It’s tough to calculate the precise amount that would be in the IRA once retirement age came around but this Roth IRA calculator suggested that we would have $23, 153.62 after 15 years at a rate of 6.9%.

That amount may not seem like a lot but it is.  That amount could pay for some college for your children or it could be used to pay off some outstanding debt or other needed expenses, such as home repairs or assisted living bills for a parent.  Plus, this amount is the minimum that would be accumulated.  If the investment amount was changed when more salary was earned, a higher total would appear at the end.

It is important to note that this should not be the only way you are saving for retirement.  Put as much money as you can into your 401K, gather a few investments, and save money in a savings or money-market account.  Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket!  This is an excellent way to save money, especially since it is such a small amount at any given time but don’t make it your only way to save.

It is a common misconception that exercising is easy, especially when you do it on a regular basis.  Anyone who has attempted to begin exercising can tell you that it’s not all roses and rainbows.  Starting a workout plan is difficult, especially when the “challenge” looses it’s luster.  But, keeping goals and a “want” list can keep you motivated and successful.   I learned this the hard way.

A few months ago, I decided that I wanted to be a “more fit” person.  Not necessarily bulk up, but just stay healthy.  I would eat right, exercise at least 5 times a week, and get in better shape.  I’m not overweight or on the verge of any serious conditions, but it was something I had always wanted to try and had never done.  It seemed like the perfect time to test the fitness waters.

Wrong.  Not so much.

My working out lasted about two or three weeks and then I became tired and worn out.  My eating choices continued to be healthy but I wasn’t as tough on myself as I was when I was working out.  This rut lasted for a few months until I realized recently that I needed smaller, more visible goals to keep me going out of the gate.

These smaller goals needed to be the lifeblood of my fitness plan.

Sure, my goals to be a healthier person and to get in better shape were great, but they didn’t have any physical dimensions – I couldn’t rely on them to get me exercising on a morning that I didn’t feel like doing anything.

More tangible goals, like the ones listed below, are great for those tough days when you know you should be exercising but really don’t feel like it.

Here are some of the goals I’ve put into place for my workouts and exercise times.  Remember – these goals are always going to change as I accomplish them.  Keep giving yourself new goals.

• Biking/running/walking routes that I have never traveled.
• Daily changing the workout routine that I do.  I even make it to where I’m not doing the same workout routine in back to back weeks.
• Trying to exercise with other people at least once a week.
• Participating in at least three different exercise styles each week (i.e. running, biking, tennis, working out, etc.)

These are only a few of the small goals that I’ve come up for myself in relation to exercising and staying in shape.  These goals are tangible.  I can see the results from them each day.

Having smaller, more visible goals will help you get through those moments when you don’t want to exercise and they will prove to be a vital part of your routine.

I’ve recently discovered the snackibility (probably not a word…) of granola. It’s a great food to munch on instead of super sweet candies or chocolate. Experimenting, I came up with the following healthy, and easy, treat.

• 1/2 cup of granola
• 1/2 cup of Rice Krispie cereal
• cinnamon to taste

1. Combine all ingredients in a sandwich bag and shake.

As I said, it’s a pretty simple recipe.  This is a great mid-afternoon snack, especially for kids in school.  I often make 2-3 cups and use it over multiple days.  It is also good with milk.

Has anyone tried this or a similar recipe?  What other things can you add to this to make it healthier or more interesting?  Share it in the comments!

Trying to find a new way to eat your chicken?  Try out this quick and easy marinade.  I put this together on a whim but it turned out pretty well.

• 1 lime juiced
• 2 teaspoons of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 1 tablespoon of Mrs. Dash or other sodium-free spice

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir thoroughly until all ingredients are equally blended.
2. If using with frozen chicken:  Apply marinade generously after turning chicken in the oven.
   If using with thawed chicken:  Put marinade in a Ziploc bag and let chicken soak for 6-8 hours.  Cook as desired.

Unlike most marinade, this recipe is low in sodium and is about as healthy as you’re going to get.  It adds a lot of great flavor, especially when the chicken has soaked for 8 hours.

Has anyone tried this marinade or a similar kind?  What are your thoughts?  Share with everyone via the comments.

I’ve always been obsessed with blenders for some reason but my family rarely ever uses one so I didn’t really have an opportunity to create all of the things I would dream about – awesome milkshakes, tasty smoothies, and so on.  This week I decided to take matters into my own hands and correct that.  I found the blender in the basement (it wasn’t hard because it was in a box that said “Mom’s Blender to Keep”) and began to daydream about the great things I was going to create.  Well, after I found the blender, I realized that I knew nothing about what I could and couldn’t blend, what combinations were good together, and how much to make.  That posed a slight problem.

I did some research on blenders and blending recipes to gather the information I needed.  I was able to get some really great information but I didn’t have any of the resources to put it into action.  I kept reading about strawberries, protein mix, and vegetables.  All I had was milk, oranges, and bananas.  Allowing my inner genus to come out, I decided that was all I needed.  Let me tell you, I wasn’t disappointed.

As the week progressed, I began to formulate a small shopping list of all the items I wanted to buy at the local farmer’s market for my blended concoctions.  I added strawberries, more oranges and bananas, lemons, and limes.  I also realized that I could include non-fruit items including oatmeal and peanut butter.

I’m still shifting from blender newbie to experienced mixer but I’m enjoying the journey.  I can honestly say that I am feeling more alive and more energetic as my days progress due to my shakes that I have been making in the morning.  I have yet to purchase any sort of protein or glutamine supplement but it is on my list of things to do.  In combination with my shakes, I’ve been trying to exercise or work out each day.  I have a lot of friends who regularly work out and they are giving me some tips that I should try over the next few weeks.

I realized that this is the only body that I’m ever going to get so I need to take care of it while I can.  Heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol run in my family so I need to be extra careful of what I eat and how I treat myself.  I think that my blender mixes are going to lead me to be healthier person.  In the process, I’m going to be treating my body better, gaining more energy, and getting a higher level of self-confidence.  My final goal is to be healthier and more fit person by the start of the new decade and I think I’ll be able to meet that goal.

If you’re interested, here are some of the drinks I’ve created in the blender over the past week…

1 cup of orange juice (fresh squeezed is the best)
1 cup of milk
1 banana
2 scoops of non-fat ice cream
————————————
1 cup of orange juice
1 cup of milk
1 banana
6 strawberries
1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 tsp of peanut butter
1 tbsp of honey
(This tastes like a peanut butter and banana sandwich)

I’m sure you’re saying, “Yes, Eric.  I know that in order to be efficient I must list and prioritize my tasks,” but do you really do it?  Most likely not.  If you do, then you should still keep reading this post because you might just learn a thing or two.  I’ve recently been practicing this method and found that it is working out well.  Here are a few of the benefits of listing and prioritizing:

Keep track of your accomplishments

Keeping a prioritized list of things to do in a day or a week will allow you to keep track of the things you have accomplished.  I keep it pretty simple; I just check off the tasks that I have completed during the day.  I have also heard that some people enjoy writing out all of their completed tasks at the end of the day on a separate list to reiterate what was done  during the day.  No matter how you do it, keep track of your accomplishments so you can keep moving forward during the hard times.

Highlighters are your friend

It’s very easy for me to get lost in my daily list and it’s even easier for me to forget what really needs to get done and what can wait.  To solve these two dilemmas, I use an orange and a blue highlighter to make certain tasks just out at me.  For example, if I want to get something accomplished in the morning before I head out for work, I highlight it in orange.  Also, if there is a task that is considered extremely urgent (paying a bill, meeting with someone, etc.), I will highlight that item in blue.  Highlighters allow for you to divide your tasks even further.

Include work and play

A lot of folks only include work or non-leisure related tasks on their to-do list but it shouldn’t be this way.  Instead, when making a list, some enjoyable tasks should be included.  Not only do these enjoyable tasks provide a nice break in the day-to-day routine, but they also make you feel more accomplished.  Why not include a specific number of pages you want to read that day?  Why don’t you include the page you want to complete in your scrapbook?  When you include these activities in your list, you’ll see them get done and you’re purposely creating leisure time for yourself.

Don’t do it

Yes, this is a bit of an oxymoron, but hear me out.  When you are making your daily task list, be sure to include more than you’re able to accomplish.  When you include an abundance of tasks, you are telling yourself that your time is in demand.  If you complete all 50 tasks on your to-do list in one day, what are you going to do over the new few days?  You got it–waste your time.  In order to save your time, don’t do everything you have written down.

Tell it like it is

I’m guilty of over generalizing my to-do list.  Tasks such as “Blog” and “Read Bible” really don’t do too much in the long run,  Of course, it reminds me that I need to blog that day or read my Bible, but it doesn’t steer me in the right direction.  Specifics minimize self-debating tendencies.  If I were to write on my list that I need to “Blog about efficiency tips,” this would most likely speed up that period of my day instead of causing me to think of a topic, figure out what I’m going to say, and so on.  Be specific in order to be productive.

What benefits have you gained from scheduling out your daily or weekly tasks?  What strategies do you use to stay productive with your lists?  Share with other readers in the comments section below!