Hardly Smart

If I hear one more time that it is not necessary to work harder, just work smarter, I think I will puke.

I totally get why it is the new administrative platform at schools. Teachers are being inundated with new data, paperwork, curriculum and new-fangled protocols. At staff meetings as we get hammered about benchmark scores and new standards, they reassure us that it can be done; just work “smarter not harder.”

At first, I buy it. But as we approach the second half of the school year, I am anxious as ever, stressing out and working really hard! Does that make me stupid?

I think about this philosophy and how it applies to getting fit. What I discover is that working smart requires diligence, creativity, resourcefulness and effort! In a nutshell, getting fit is HARD WORK!

Because I despise cold weather, this time of year I alter my normal exercise regimen. No longer will I be walking or running outside, and my trips to the makeshift office gym are curtailed. I just want to be home in the afternoons and on the weekends. What could I do to stay in shape and keep warm? How could I achieve the same benefits of the lengthy, sweaty workouts of other seasons in the comfort of my home?

School administrators at this point would throw out the old; just work smarter, not harder. GAG! But, I must be stupid, I found a creative way to get the exercise I need in the comfort of my own home, guaranteed to be rigorous.

First choose two different modes of exercise; one should offer cardio and the other resistance. One method works the heart and the other tones the muscles in the body.

For cardio, I use a DVD that incorporates plyometric moves. Plyometric exercises are intense sports drills that use the major muscle groups in the legs for extreme fat burning. It takes a little less time, but it is crazy hard!

If jump training is too intense for you, there are a plethora of other challenging home workouts that you can do depending on your interest. Step aerobics, boot camp, Zumba and low-impact aerobics are all excellent options when choosing a DVD. Make sure it is arduous enough for your fitness level to get maximum results.

Next, choose a workout that incorporates resistance exercises. Resistance exercises include those that require you to use and/or support your own body weight. This includes Yoga, resistance bands or balls, push-ups, pull-ups, and core work. You can read to develop your own workout or again, research DVD options that will give you the results you desire.

I recommend Yoga because I am convinced it is the best head to toe workout you can get that offers the added benefit of flexibility training. Again, I use a DVD that takes you through a series of poses to include lots of push-ups, incredible core work and low back strengthening moves. This is truly one of the hardest and most effective workouts I have ever done.

Next, ensure you are exercising at least four days each week; two days of cardio and two days of resistance.

Developing an exercise regime that is inexpensive, requires little equipment, can be done at home, and offers maximized results may be smart, but never easy. Whether you apply it to your career or getting fit, working smart is hard work. Having a work ethic that requires diligence, creativity, resourcefulness and effort is tough and should be commended!