Good Health Helps
Perhaps my observations are wrong, but I see too many young people getting caught up in screen time and too few trying to be physically strong.
I know that reading and class study and online research are sedentary activities, which I encourage. But we need to value our health because our bodies are the temples of our souls!
I am retired and concerned about my weight, though I do walk a lot. Since you may be much younger, I do want to encourage you to give your physical health a priority. Bad habit effects are much harder to reverse when you get older.
Science has proven that healthy habits, including eating a low-fat diet and regular exercise, can benefit you in many ways. Healthy joints, stronger core muscles, more energy, better sleep are just a few.
Plus, your health will affect your work options and income potential. And you will be more likely to live longer than those who exercise little and eat a poor diet.
I know this sounds like common sense, but when I sit down to watch TV in the evening, I wonder about those with no limits to what they can or want to watch. How much more time do they sit and watch TV?
I do hope you value your own health and choose to schedule daily exercise.
Bend Your Legs to Lift
When I did weight training, my coach reminded us often to lift with our legs and bend at the knees not at the waist. That is very important advice for anyone working a physical job or just working in the yard.
Maintaining good health requires us to use good body mechanics.
I have too many friends complaining about back problems. A stronger core might have helped.
Watch Videos Then Try
Perhaps you never had good examples to follow for a healthy diet or useful exercises. There are books to read and videos to watch for self-study.
A little knowledge will help when you decide to try to give your body a chance for a better future.
A study of your need for vitamins and minerals would be useful as well. You can learn how to get what you need in your diet and what you may need to supplement.
Physical Work
I experienced a mix of physical work and sedentary work over the course of my years of employment.
My physical work included work in a foundry, unloading freight, janitorial work, landscaping, and lawn work.
My sedentary work included accounting, driving a school bus, and managing a trucking operation.
Most of my working career was in accounting. Therefore, I can only speak to long-term physical work as an observer.
My mom was an RN, and my dad was a baker. Both jobs required a lot of time on their feet. So, getting their feet up in the evening was important for rest and to help their blood flow.
I know there is a lot of media coverage about the effects of AI on future employment options. And the concern is growing over the value of a college education. Therefore, physical work, which many try to avoid, may become your best career option.
My hope is to help you build a better mindset for money. And as part of that, I hope you will take a serious look at your income options, which include physical work.
Be An Apprentice
Too many see physical work as being boring and repetitive. But those who excel at it understand that there are elements of rhythm and physics in order to do what they do. And their work efficiency comes from learning the purpose of their work and the facts for doing their work correctly.
Some skills and understanding come quickly but some jobs require a variety of experience under different circumstances to learn creativity and adaptability. A lot of the most valuable experience will come from making mistakes and redoing your work.
That is why you need to think like an apprentice. I know the job may look easy, but if you value the experience of your teacher (supervisor), you can ask questions and avoid correcting a lot of mistakes!
As an example, when I had a lawn business on the side, I found getting good help was difficult since they did not care about doing a job good enough to warrant getting repeat business. I cared enough to do the job as well as I would want it done for me!
Take your physical work seriously and you will be respected for knowing how to do a good job.
Various trades are growing in demand. Welders, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, sheet metal workers, roofers, and heavy machine operators. They all require formal training and possible union supervised apprenticeships.
Be a good apprentice and learn to master the skills which can help you be both creative and professional in your job performance demands.
Skills Mean Opportunity
Even if you do not pursue a career in a trade, knowing as many skills as you can related to construction or mechanics can mean opportunities for added income when needed.
There is a simple rule for business. When you know more than someone else, they will seek you out when they need help with something they know little about.
Learning physical skills is very important since they can mean income opportunities.
Warning: Do Not Waste Your Future
I interrupt this message to bring a concern of mine.
There is an image that many in a trade feel obliged to pursue. That is the stop at a bar for a drink after work or the cigarette break on the job. I know you get thirsty but consider the long-term effects to your health.
I mention this as a warning for both blue-collar and white-collar workers. These and other bad habits can lead to serious drug and alcohol problems. They will undermine your physical health and your ability to earn a living.
Remember that good health is a condition for being successful with physical work.
Exercise for Maintenance
You should always be glad and respect the fact that policemen, firemen, and the military all require regular exercise.
And you should respect the fact that your success in any job, but especially in physical work, will require you to exercise to maintain good health.
I suggest you read about Jack Lalanne, who was a great example of conditioning for endurance. And we all hope to endure!
Learn to See the Big Picture
Physical work will become more difficult as you get older. For that reason, you must consider your options for earning an income when you are limited physically.
Consider learning all you can about the company you work for and how they fit into the economy. Learn about how to sell, how to do accounting, how to determine profitability, and how to be a leader.
Companies want people who can help them to be more efficient and profitable. Make observations and raise your value to the company.
Supervisors See the Big Picture
Please consider being a supervisor. The pay is better, though the demands for performance are greater as well.
Learn the big picture surrounding your employment opportunities and employers will seriously consider you for a leadership role.
Outsmart AI and Use AI
Doing physical work will help you outsmart the effects of AI on employment opportunities.
But be ready to use AI to help you do a better job no matter what type of work you choose. The quality of your work will depend on your understanding of the purpose of your job and how you can help your employer be successful. And AI can help speed up your learning process.
We are living in a transitional time with job options changing. This is a very important period where working on yourself and your skills will be more important than working on your current job. You must learn about your work options and the skills you need to do them, to provide income security for your financial future.
And, yes, you may have to condition for physical work!