Category: Habits

Bad work habits have attached to most individuals. Bad habits do not target any particular individual or manager. These bad habits can sneak up on someone without any flags or hints of being present. Unexpected bad work habits can have negative effects on an individual’s relationship with a position in an organization or on the organization itself such as: monetary cost, time cost, performance and good management (Gil, 2015; Smith, 2012; Weinstein, 2017; West and Berman, 2011).

Sometimes when individuals have been in a position at an organization for a lengthy time they can become too complacent and begin to exhibit bad work habits (Chantham, 2016). Other individuals possessed these bad habits prior to employment and brought them along with them their first day on the job. These bad habits do not only affect the individual, but can affect coworkers and the organization. Bad habits can monopolize valuable time (Gil, 2015). These same bad work habits can even cost an individual’s position in the organization (Smith, 2012).

If an individual possesses only one bad habit it may not be detrimental to retaining employment. But, over time, if it continues the organization may grow weary waiting for this habit to cease. Bad work habits can reflect poorly upon an individual (Smith, 2012). In the beginning a bad habit may only annoy coworkers but repeated offenses can cause others in the organization to steer clear of the individual all together. These individuals who practice bad work habits may eventually find complete isolation from others within the organization. Coworkers may eventually complain to management. If one coworker complains it may not carry much weight, but when more than one joins and brings the bad habit to management’s attention the result could be costly. These bad work habits can end an individual’s career. If an individual is terminated due to bad work habits other organizations may become aware. Finding a position in another organization after a termination can become difficult. Managing away bad work habits can literally save an individual’s job (Smith, 2012).

Many individuals are not even aware of possession of bad work habits. To advance in an organization, individuals need to make strategic efforts to self-examine and identify any potential or existing bad work habits (Smith, 2012). Focus should be to achieve real results and avoid unproductive behavior (Kaupin, 2013). This will aid in the individual becoming a value instead of a cost to an organization.

Bad habits are not coworker copyrighted. Mangers can possess bad habits that can spread throughout an organization quickly. This bad leadership has negative effects on the employees in the organization. A study conducted by Dr. Allan Lee in which he evaluated two separate groups focused on managers, possession of bad work habits, and the effects on employees. The employees became so affected by the managers bad work behavior that employees too began taking unnecessary sick days, taking office supplies and even being abusive towards other coworkers. Managers not completing tasks which in turn caused issues with others in the organization led to employee’s commitment to the organization to reduce significantly (Lauren, 2018).

A study that was conducted in 2006 used a mail survey of city managers and administrators in six hundred fifty United States cities and followed up with telephone interviews. The study found that bad work habits by managers reduce performance. These management bad work habits were greatly present in forty-five percent of the cities. Just a few managers with bad work habits profoundly and negatively affected the organization’s performance and good management work habits. The bad crossed out the good which gives relevance to the concern of bad work habits possessed by managers (West and Berman, 2011).

Not all managers set out to utilize bad work habits. Sometimes they come on due to being overworked by an organization. This can lead to feelings of not having enough hours in a day to complete tasks in a timely manner. This can result in bad work habits that can cause more harm than good (Dunnigan, 2009). Matt Rizai CEO of Workiva notes bad work habits poison work environments. “Bad habits and a lack of professional development can be costly to any organization, not only in dollars, but also in time and a decrease in quality of life,” he stresses (Weinstein, 2017).

There are many bad work habits individuals and managers practice in organizations. This paper will address six of those bad habits and provide strategies to overcome them. These bad work habits are as follows: messy desk, body language, poor time management, email etiquette, dishonesty and negativity.

The goal of this study is to try and decipher how habits form in the brain, why they stick, and why we cannot shake bad habits even though we consciously know that they are detrimental. This is achieved by studying the formation of habits in rats and seeing what changes when we activate or deactivate certain areas of the brain.

Before we can delve into the formation of habits in the brain it is important to first know what a habit is an action that has become routine and no longer needs to be done deliberately. Habits are a double edge sword. Their advantage is that they allow us to automate menial tasks and free up brain power for more important things. On the flip side, when habits become ingrained, our brain no longer monitors what we are doing and it becomes hard to realize if a habit is becoming a detrimental addiction. On top of that, even if we do realize that we have formed a bad habit, it is extremely difficult to break it. According to Smith and Grabiel (2014), the stubbornness of habits can actually give us insight as to how they are formed. As it turns out the reason it is so hard to kick a bad habit, even though we know that it’s bad, is due to something called reinforcement contingencies. Reinforcement contingencies refer to the way that the brain decides whether or not to keep a certain habit. For example, if doing action A nets you a reward, and doing action b nets you a punishment, then the brain will look at both outcomes and use these to influence your future decisions. Another method that the brain uses to determine future behaviour is called ‘reward prediction error signals’. This is when the brain compares the real outcome of an action to the predicted outcome of an action to see how accurate it’s prediction was. Based on this comparison, the brain then assigns a positive or negative value to the action making us either more or less likely to repeat it in the future. In order to get a closer look at how exactly the brain forms habits, Smith and Graybiel (2014) turned towards lab rats. In a variation of an experiment from the 1980, the researchers at MIT had rats run down a T shaped maze and either turn left or right at the top depending on an audio cue; at either end of the maze would be a reward in the form of food. The regular food was then switched out for distasteful food. If the rats, after tasting the now devalued reward, still ran to it, the researchers could come to the conclusion that the rat had formed a habit. The habit now goes, the researchers could study the brain of the rat to see what had changed. In the first runs, before the habit had been formed, the motor control part of the rat’s striatum was active the whole time the rat was running down the maze. After the rat had formed a habit, the researchers saw that the rat’s neurons where mostly active during the begging and end of the run. What had happened was that the rat’s striatal cells had turned the act of running down the maze into a single prepackaged action. Instead of the rat having to make continuous deliberate decisions to run down the maze, it could now do it ‘without thinking’. As the researchers delved further into the functioning of the brain they found three major areas of the brain that had control over habits. The first was the striatum, which could package up the habits once they were formed. The second was the deliberation circuit which came into effect when deliberate action was needed while performing a habit. This circuit becomes used less as a habit becomes fully formed. The final part was the infralimbic cortex, which constantly monitors habits as we execute them. As it turns out, the infralimbic cortex needs to on and monitoring in order for us to be able to perform habits. This was confirmed by researchers who experimented on rats. When they turned off the infralimbic cortex, they were able to completely block even the most ingrained habit.

In conclusion, when habits are formed, they are converted into chunks of neural activity and can be performed almost in a subconscious manner. However, researchers found that even when we seem to be performing habits without realizing it, our infralimbic cortex is always monitoring our actions. This realization makes Smith And Graybiel (2014) hopeful that future technology may someday allow us to control our habits via the infralimbic cortex. For the time being however, we can take solace in the fact that we are still in control of our habits, even though it may not always seem that way. As a final message, the researchers leave us with a quote from Mark Twain reminding us that getting rid of habits is a process to be taken slowly.

I thought that this article was extremely informative. The functioning of the brain as habits are formed was a topic I knew nothing about and that made the article a very captivating and enjoyable read for me. It was very interesting to learn how the brain turns actions into packaged chunks that it can play at any time almost like a movie. I also enjoyed learning about the relation between different circuits of the brain and the fact that as a habit became fully formed, the part of our brain that makes deliberate choices becomes less and less active. I feel like this article added onto the chapter about the different cortices of the brain and their function as well as the chapter about human behaviour and was able to make a link between the two chapters; showing us how what goes on inside the brain affects our behaviour. This article made me reflect on my own bad habits, and made me feel less bad about not being able to break them right away. The final quote also made me more determined to try and slowly shy away from the bad habits I have. I am overall very pleased with this article and what I have learnt from it.

Most of the things you do on a daily basis lead from habits. Every morning, you reach out for your toothbrush, knowing just where it is because you have become used to it or it’s your habit! We must understand what we are dealing with to alter habits effectively!

What is a habit?

Habits are regularly performed routine behaviors. The behaviors are repeated and often unconscious and are frequently repeated. Several habits are oblivious as we don’t realize that we’re doing them. For instance: as part of your routine, you clean your teeth every morning. You do not have to work yourself up to clean your teeth or set alarms as a reminder to you. You do as you’ve been practicing this habit for a long time.

When you go to the kitchen or work, you have your morning coffee. It’s a habit. It happens on your part with very little conscious thinking. Habits describe our personality, emotions and ideas, and normal behaviors. We can also notice that habits are practices that are almost or completely unconscious and that we improve or achieve better output because they are repeated frequently.

What does psychology say about habits?

A habit is to be considered as a connection between a stimulus and a reaction. It acts as a psychic connection between a thought (stimulus) trigger and our reaction (the reaction) to that trigger. This connection is a habit and affects all our subsequent decisions and conduct. It becomes almost permanent if we repeat this connection frequently enough without intentional intervention to change it.

For instance, stress could be a stimulus for overeating. Stress can be physical, emotional, or mental, and can be caused by things like a limited diet, fatigue, argument, an awful day at work, or even negative thinking. The most go-to reaction for managing this pressure might eat. Over time, the connection can become so powerful that our automatic or continuous stress response is to eat. In psychology, as Pavlov’s dogs have shown, this is known as classical conditioning. The dogs learned to combine a tone with food and would be salivating whenever they heard the sound of whether or not the food was present.

We must weaken the link between the stimulus and the reaction so that the adverse behavior finishes and ends up entirely.

Addictions vs Habits

A habit can also turn into an addition.

How do you understand if you have created an unhealthy habit or are addicted to it? It can be hard to determine the distinction between both, as both arise from recurring behavior. However, it is necessary to distinguish between the habit and addiction, as their scope and treatment vary greatly.

An important difference between habit and addiction is the time and effort required to change conduct. It requires little effort, time, and thought to transform habits. On the other side, addiction often requires an integrative, long-term plan to treat physical symptoms such as withdrawal and emotional disconnection between body and behavior.

Unlike a habit such as brushing teeth, the addict has almost no control over his or her willingness to participate in addiction over and over again. You are unable to change behavior, even if the abuse of addictive substances harms your relationships, jobs, and well-being.

There is a lot of multiculturalism in the world. Each ethnic group has its own history and culture. Being so, there is also a big diversity of habits and traditions. Habit and tradition share a common characteristic: both involve repetitive actions that a person feels compelled to take, whether it’s a conscious decision or not. But there’s also a decided difference between the two. For instance, you may eat every day the same breakfast but you probably wouldn’t call it a tradition.

So, where does the distinction between a habit and a tradition lie? To answer that question you have to examine who is taking the action, what they’re motivated by and the period of time over which the action is repeated. The ‘who’ part is easy. A habit applies to an individual or small group, while a tradition typically applies to a larger body of people. The word ‘family’, for example, is often paired with ‘tradition’, but family and habit are not linked together in common language. A habit begins the process of evolving into a tradition when it extends beyond the individual and affects an expanding group. But that’s only part of the change that must take place. Motivation is a core component of tradition. The repeated actions of a group of people don’t rise to the level of tradition without having an element of honor, respect or at least acknowledgment of the past. Once a habit has grown beyond an individual to a group and has been repeated with the intention of commemorating something or someone, it needs just one other component to become a full-fledged tradition – time.

Understand that this is not a hard science – the exact amount of time that must pass is open for debate – but traditions (think carving the Thanksgiving Day turkey or coloring eggs on Easter) are often measured in years, not days or weeks. In fact, if you consider one of the formal definitions of tradition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary, you could make a strong case that it takes a significant number of years before an activity can rightfully be called a tradition. Merriam-Webster notes that it must be handed down “from one generation to another” to be defined as such. Another definition of tradition from Merriam-Webster, however, simply says the activity must be part of an “established or customary pattern”, which could, conceivably, be a much shorter amount of time. Habits can, certainly, turn into traditions but not until they broaden in their scope of participants, deepen in terms of their motivations and stand up to the test of time.

Portuguese traditions are part of our culture. And lots of them are about gastronomy. For example, codfish and sardines. Some centuries ago, the Portuguese spent a lot of time in the sea, where they didn’t have access to fresh food. The codfish came as a solution to this problem since this fish lasted longer when preserved in salt. As most of the population didn’t have money to buy fresh food, cod began to make its way in Portugal. And now there are so many ways to cook it. Codfish got so important that it is our tradition to eat it every Christmas. Sardines are part of our tradition since they are really consumed in festivals and holidays, especially in summer.

The Portuguese traditions are also marked by music. One of the most characteristic musical genres is Fado. There is also the tradition of couples marrying in Santo António. In São João everyone walks with a plastic hammer in Porto. Christmas festivities are seen as traditions, just as throwing rice at a wedding is considered a tradition. Traditions are just one of the many things that allow people from all over to interrelate and have a common bond.

We must respect traditions as long as they’re not harmful and inhumane. However, traditions aren’t always fun and games.

Reading books is one of the best habits a person can poses. It builds up one’s creative mind and also furnishes one with a fortune of knowledge. It is well said that books are the best companions as they enhance our confidence, and also refresh our mood. Reading books is the best exercise for the mind during leisure time.

The habit of readings books has many perks. Firstly, it helps an individual to improve at a personal level. Regular reading of books helps to shape a person’s character to a great extent. It improves communication skills and also provides ample vocabulary. This habit builds a person’s confidence and boosts his self-esteem. It also develops a good personality. It also makes a person more focused and guides him to achieve professional and personal goals. So, books reading not only improve your knowledge and skills, but it also makes you more creative and focused to do anything you desire in the best possible manner.

Other than benefits at a personal level, reading books also have some influence person’s social life and on society. It enables you to express your ideas and thoughts effectively. Books explore our past, present, and future. There are various goners of books that provide information related to our culture, history, and social awareness, which helps any individual to become responsible towards its society. Thus, reading books not only conserves social values and beliefs but also helps to spread awareness regarding that.

In addition to the personal and social advantages of books reading, there are a few more areas under which this habit can have a great impact. It helps an individual to develop his thoughts and explore his life from different perspectives. It also helps to make wise utilization of time and stay occupied during the unnecessary time. Books provide effective solutions to various complicated problems. Reading books also provides academic aids in multiple sectors or fields and competitive exams. In all, the habit of reading books has ample advantages which can make us align towards our ambitions and provides fruitful results under any circumstances.

In a nutshell view, the habit of reading books is one of the best and most interesting habits one can poses as it leads toward self-improvement, growth, and development. It keeps the mind active, strong, and healthy. It helps in many dimensions of life and enables an individual to achieve all his desires. The benefits of reading books are irreplaceable, and one can never get bored if he has the habit of reading books.

Sedentary behavior is characterized not only by that individual who does not practice any physical activity, even the simplest activities, like walking or playing sports, or the one who sits in a chair or lying in bed all day. The lifestyle of a sedentary human goes far beyond that. Having this lifestyle means that the individual has bad daily habits, even in small details like preferring an elevator while avoiding a ladder. But not necessarily the individual who does not practice hard physical activity can be considered sedentary. Other types of activities can be done, such as going up and down stairs, and that also will be considered an important activity to do daily at home or work. A sedentary person is one who does not do anything to exercise the mind or the body. Currently, an issue like obesity and depression is increasing in our society, and this could be alarming, and both of those problems are related to a sedentary lifestyle.

May be influenced by daily factors, physical and mental inactivity is one of the biggest problems in our society nowadays. This sedentary lifestyle is increased, and this behavior can lead to significant health problems, physically and mentally. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2019), a sedentary lifestyle is harmful to health and can cause the onset of numerous diseases, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, cholesterol disorders, respiratory diseases, infarction, and obesity. A huge amount of those diseases can affect children, young people, adults, and elders. Besides that, not practicing any mental activity can lead to premature aging and many other mental diseases, such as depression and Alzheimer’s disease.

One of the most common problems that can arise due to sedentary behavior is known as obesity. This disease can be characterized by a disturbance that involves excessive accumulation of fat in the human body, and also obesity additionally increases the risk of health problems. Affording to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES, 2010), this disease has affected many people around the world, with more than 78 million people just in North America, and almost 70% of adults are overweight or obese. It is a disturbing number of people with this disorder. Besides, this physical disorder these individuals can contract other considerable illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, and some types of cancer.

In addition, another substantial problem that a sedentary lifestyle could cause is mental problems. Inactivity can easily influence the development of disorders such as depression, anxiety, and the development of Alzheimer’s disease. The brain is a muscle and likes all others should be exercised, and as a result, this disease is developed by the lack of mental stimulation. Mental illnesses are more common in older people, but these disorders can be developed early on due to a sedentary lifestyle. Depression is characterized by a continuous loss of interest in daily activities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2016), more than 264 million people around the world have suffered from depression.

On the other hand, there are several alternatives to solve most problems that are caused by physical inactivity. However, getting through a sedentary lifestyle will take a lot of dedication, effort, and willpower. Some people are unaware of the danger of having a sedentary lifestyle, but in general, many individuals are aware of the problems that inactivity can bring. However, these people do not like to practice physical activity, do not feel well, and do not feel like practicing some physical activity.

The first step to solving the problem of physical and mental inactivity is to organize the daily routine. Due to today quite busy and tiring people tend to want to just go to their homes and rest. However, to have a physically active life, one must organize a time to practice physical activities per day or at least three days during the week. By rearranging the routine and beginning to exercise the mind and body at the appointed time, this activity will become usual. It is important to emphasize that the choice of the activity to be performed is essential because the individual will have in his routine a task that was previously difficult to be fulfilled and never before attempted. Thus, there are several sports and activities like dance and jumping, for example, it is a way to start some physical activity.

The second step is looking for a sport that identifies itself as very important and will greatly facilitate the transition from a sedentary lifestyle to a healthier lifestyle. Some people prefer individual sports like running, cycling, or swimming, while others prefer to practice group sports like football, or basketball. Sports in a group are usually decisive because there is healthy competitiveness among athletes, which motivates them to work more and hard. It will also be a form of incentive so that they are always there practicing activities together. However, the physical activities developed at home may be feasible because it saves time; one can train anytime without pressure, alone, and without costs. During the pandemic of the new coronavirus (Covid-19), the number of people training from their own homes grew.

Activities that can be done for the development of the mind, such as reading and good nights of sleep, related together with physical activities, are extremely essential for all ages, being fundamental in growth, learning, and in many other aspects of life. However, usually, the practice of mental activities is indicated for the elders, since they are not able to practice physical activities daily. Mental activities to exercise the brain are essential in the life of any human being. In addition to the personal and professional growth that mental activities can offer, it is also important to prevent disease and is also responsible for slowing aging.

The practice of both physical and intellectual exercise is essential and vital for the health of the person, given that when it practices exercising, the body releases a hormone called endorphin, which is responsible for the feeling of well-being and pleasure. This change in metabolism brings several health benefits, such as body weight control, reducing the risk of developing high blood pressure, preventing bad cholesterol rates, and decreasing the risk of heart and respiratory diseases.

Regular physical activity is recommended for people of all ages, men or women, because has been shown to reduce premature mortality from strokes, coronary artery disease, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, as well as some forms of cancer. Besides, it slows aging, in addition to strengthening muscles, and has good effects on bones. An active lifestyle correlates with longevity and is important for both physical and mental well-being.

In conclusion, physical activity leads to increased physical fitness, exercise capacity, and risk reduction of diseases and mental disorders. This essay has indicated two problems and has evaluated two solutions. In summary, it has been shown that problems such as obesity and mental disorders are mainly caused by an increased sedentary lifestyle. The effects include several diseases and a huge worry for future generations. Also, it has described two solutions: reorganize the daily routine to do any physical activity and how choose the ways to practice physical activity. However, it was pointed out that a sedentary lifestyle can be very difficult for the individual to lead with that. In my opinion, people who consider themselves sedentary need urgently to take an attitude to tackle this problem and then improve a healthier lifestyle by practicing physical and mental exercises. The global population must become aware of this problem and should help others through this phase. Just as governments should urgently invest in public places for sports, encourage people to do physical activity, and advertisements to raise awareness of this big problem that being sedentary.

References

1. Lakka, T. A., Laaksonen, D. E., Lakka, H.-M., Männikkö, N., Niskanen, L. K., Rauramma, R., & Salonen, J. T. (2003). Sedentary Lifestyle, Poor Cardiorespiratory Fitness, and the Metabolic Syndrome. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 35(8), 1279–1286.
2. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (2013, February 03). Why Obesity Is a Health Problem. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/release23/en/
3. Reilly J. J., Methven E., McDowell Z. C., et al. Health Consequences of Obesity. Archives of Disease in Childhood 2003; 88:748-752.
4. Suzanne Falck, M. D. (2018, August 29). What Are the Consequences of a Sedentary Lifestyle? Medically reviewed. Retrieved from http://www.medreform.org/statistics/insurance/elderly-coverage/233
5. Tremblay M. S., Aubert S., Barnes J. D., Saunders T. J., Carson V., Latimer-Cheung A. E., Chastin S. F. M., Altenburg T.M., Chinapaw M. J. M., SBRN Terminology Consensus Project Participants. Sedentary Behavior Research Network (SBRN) – Terminology Consensus Project Process and Outcome. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2017 June 10;14(1):75.
6. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. DEPRESSION. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/health-topics/depression#tab=tab_1
7. WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (2002, April 04). Physical Inactivity a Leading Cause of Disease and Disability, Warns WHO. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/release23/en/

According to Charles Duhigg, “Change might not be fast and it isn’t always easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.” lack of awareness is the cause of many people’s negative habits. Sometimes habits require no reasoning imaginable, it is a learned behavior repeated regularly or practiced. Habits usually start as a conscious decision, then eventually become something that is done automatically and without any thoughts of the custom. Charles Duhigg manages to explain in the bestseller, “The power of habits” why habits exist and how individuals can change them. The habit loop is what psychologists and Charles Duhigg use in the novel to explain impulsive behaviors. It involves identifying a cue that triggers the habit process within the brain, then figuring out the routine of the habit, and finally interpret the reward of the habit.

The first step in changing a habit requires you to understanding it. Duhigg states in the novel that, “you cannot extinguish a bad habit, you can only change it.” At the beginning of the power of a habit, the author tells a story about a remarkable 34-year-old woman named Lisa Allen who started smoking and drinking as a teenager. Lisa was obese, could not keep a steady job, and was in deep debt. She fell into a deep depression when her husband announced that he was leaving her for a younger woman. Lisa even went through a dark period of mourning, then spying, harassing, and stalking her ex-husband and his girlfriend. While there, Lisa then has an experience in the desert that changes her life and perspective around. Lisa decides that she will go home in a year and instead travel across the desert. Lisa then decides that she would need to quit smoking to reach this goal.

In addition, Lisa’s sense of liberation from that one action sparked a sequence of changes that led her to success. Deciding to abandon one tiny destructive behavior helped shift Lisa’s perception that day in Egypt which made the big difference in her life. Over the next six months, by focusing on one practice Lisa replaced smoking with jogging to give her the same sense of reward after each run. While Lisa met her goal one year later, it was not as easy as she originally planned. But Lisa met her goal and seen the transformative nature of changing one habit. From there, Lisa decides to also lose sixty pounds, bought a house, received her degree, landed a career job that she held for over three years, and became engaged. Scientist’s studies show images of Lisa’s brain and her old habits as neurological patterns gradually being overridden by new habits and urges.

Furthermore, changing one keystone habit is like a domino effect. When we become aware of a routine that seems permeant, it helps us consider changes in other aspects of our life. Because Lisa had the patience and trusted the process, she now gets to live more years as a happy and successful person. All because Lisa had the willpower to start with just one thing that she could control a window of better opportunities and habits. We perform them automatically; these actions are habitual.

In conclusion, the habit loop is what psychologists and Charles Duhigg use in the novel to explain impulsive behaviors. It involves identifying a cue that triggers the habit process within the brain, then figuring out the routine of the habit, and finally interpret the reward of the habit. The author uses many stories in The Power of Habit to prove his thesis that habits affect everyone and how they are important. The many examples prove a strong argument because the author uses relatable stories that the reader can connect and relate to and see habits in their everyday lifestyle that are similar to those stated in the book.

In the year 1206 Genghis Khan had banded the Mongolian tribes together for the first time forming a united front to lead them on an expedition still known as one of the greatest conquests in history, forming the Mongolia we know today. Beyond the great Genghis Khan, the Mongols were known for their pastoral way of life, known as pastoral nomadism (Thomas, 6). This way of life caused the pastoral nomads to rely heavily on a specific five types of animals for survival and moving their habitat many times throughout the course of a year in search of water and grass for their herds. The following will discuss how each of the five major types of livestock looked after by the Mongols play into their nomadic lifestyle as well as some of the hardships that come with their lifestyle of choice.

The first of their five types of animals were the sheep. The sheep was by far the most numerous and valuable of the Mongols’ principle animals, as they provided food, clothing, as well as shelter for the Mongols (Rossabi, 157). The mutton from the sheep was an important part of their diet and the wool along with the animal skin were the materials used in their clothing and tents. If wood for fuel was scarce, dried sheep feces was collected and used as an immediate source of fuel. The survival of the young sheep was vital to the lifestyle, so a responsibility given to Mongolian women was to coax the ewes to care for and nurse their young.

The second and third of the Mongols five types of animals were goats and yaks. Goats and Yaks were not as prevalent as sheep, but they served more as complimentary change. The meat and milk of the goat and Yak were a part of their diet and the poor in the society of the Mongols used the skins of goat as clothing. The Yaks were used to pull carts, transporting belongings, as the Mongols migrated from one land to another. A main reason for why goats were not as prevalent was due to the fact that they would devastate grasslands, which would result in desertification (Rossabi, 163). While the Yaks were not as prevalent as they were unable to endure deserts.

The final two of the five types of animals important to the survival of the pastoral nomadic lifestyle lived by the Mongols were the horse and camel. Horses offered a massive mobility advantage allowing them to maintain as well as roam in search of a good pasture for their herds. The Mongols also used horses as a tactical advantage, being able to preform hit-and-run raids on Chinese villages, fleeing into steppe lands, evading a less mobile Chinese force (Rossabi, pdf). Camels were essential as they allowed the Mongols to transport heavy loads, such as household furnishings and trade goods, through inhospitable terrain (Bulliet). They were able to endure heat and required lest pasturing than other flocks of animals. Like most other animals pastured by the Mongols, the wool, meat, and milk were all essential to the Mongols for materialistic/dietary reasoning.

This nomadic pastoral lifestyle lived by the Mongols was not unbecoming of hardships, as the Mongols have served their fair share. The lifestyle was precarious, as constant migration had prevented them from transporting reserves of food and other necessities (Leicester, 6-7). Having a surplus of said necessities was rare, so starvation and vulnerability to harsh elements was common. Heavy ice and snows jeopardized herds and the spread of dieses among livestock was not uncommon impacting the survivability of the traveling Mongols.

Overall, the lifestyle lived by the Mongols in premodern times is still in practice today, with an estimated 30 million people, mostly found in central Asia, still practicing. In premodern times, we see the importance and impact the animals had to the survivability of the Mongols and what they had allowed them to accomplish with the assistance of the great Genghis Khan. This lifestyle did however, take its toll on the Mongols, as the constant migration limited supplies increasing the vulnerability of the Mongols to starvation and the elements.

Lifestyle is the aggregation of personal decisions over which an individual has control that can be said to contribute to, or cause illness or disease

Lifestyle modification involves altering long-term habits and maintaining the new behaviour for months or years. Lifestyle modification involves major modifiable factors such as diet, exercise, stress, smoking and alcohol consumption.Life style modification can be used to control and treat a host of conditions like Obesity, Type 2 diabetes, Hypertension, Heart disease, Depression, Cancer. Reflux disease.

Diet

Eating right is the most important component of lifestyle modification. Eating a variety of foods, regularly, and in the right amounts is the best formula for a healthy diet It is not about a single meal, it is about a balanced food choice over time that will make a difference For good health, we need more than 40 different nutrients, and no single food can supply them all. Fruits and vegetables are an important source of vitamins, minerals and fibre. We should try to eat at least 5 servings a day. Replacing refined carbohydrates with wholegrain foods and increase intake of vegetables and other foods high in dietary fibre is vital. Protein is an essential part of the diet and should account for anywhere from 10%-35% of total calories. We need to incorporate lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts into a healthy diet. Foods that are low in saturated fats, Trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars should be chosen. We should avoid sodas and sugar-enhanced drinks because of the excessive calories; diet drinks may not be a good choice.One should avoid eating a large meal before sleeping to decrease gastroesophageal reflux and weight gain. Limit salt intake. A high salt intake can result in high blood pressure, and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Adults need to drink at least 1.5 litres of fluid a day

Weight

Maintaining a healthy bodyweight is very important part of lifestyle modification. One should loose weight gradually to achieve a healthy body mass index that is less than 25 .The right weight depends on factors like gender, height, age, and genes. Being obese and overweight increases the risks of a wide range of diseases, including diabetes, heart diseases, and cancer.

Exercise

Physical activity is important for people of all weight ranges and health conditions. At least 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity is advised, and it can easily become part of our daily routine Exercise can be broken up into smaller 10-minute sessions. Almost any type of exercise (resistance, water aerobics, walking, swimming, weights, yoga, and many others) is helpful for everybody. Regular exercise can help control body weight and in some people cause loss of fat. Regular exercise can prevent and reverse age-related decreases in muscle mass and strength, improve balance, flexibility, and endurance, and decrease the risk of falls in the elderly. Regular exercise can help prevent coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure. Regular weight-bearing exercise can also help prevent osteoporosis by building bone strength. Regular fitness can help chronic arthritis sufferers improve their capacity to perform daily activities. It can help increase self-esteem and self-confidence, decrease stress and anxiety, enhance mood, and improve general mental health.

Sleep

We cannot underestimate the need for enough sleep daily; we all need at least 7-9 hours of sleep. Well-rested people not only cope better with stress, but may also have better control of their appetites. Research has shown that a lack of sleep can put our ‘hunger hormones’ out of balance — and possibly trigger overeating.

Alcohol and Smoking

Although ideally one should avoid alcohol and smoking .Moderate alcohol intake is acceptable that is two drinks a day in men or 1 per day in woman. One should be encouraged to stop smoking tobacco. It takes about 15 years of non-smoking behaviour to achieve a ‘normal’ risk level for heart disease for those that smoke. Chewing tobacco should be stopped to avoid oral cancers Meditate or pray for at least 10-20 minutes each day. Contemplation is good for our soul, helps us cope with the demands of daily life, and may even help lower pressure. A healthy mind is the final equation into living a healthy lifestyle that is equipped with exercise and a healthy diet.

Lifestyle modification does not mean sticking to a rigid diet and exercise schedule but simply means making the right choices so that we look and feel good about our self. It also means doing things that make us happy, such as following our passions and living out our goals and dreams. The most important thing to remember is that we can make a difference in our health and well-being. We should take charge of our life, and be mindful of small behaviour changes that can make our lifestyle a modified and healthier one.

Numerous individuals dismiss schedules since they would prefer to be daring, accept circumstances for what they are, and keep their calendars open-finished. Be that as it may, there’s something to be said about keeping a daily schedule: it can enhance general well-being, prosperity, and profitability.

Bedtime Habits

Head to sleep and awaken every day around a similar time. This is the initial step to begin a daily practice. By hitting the sack in the meantime, you program your body to get into a custom of dozing for a set number of hours. Individuals have diverse rest designs that enable them to work consistently. When you feel enthusiastic, think about your present and confidence rises. Be that as it may, feeling tired can have a contrary impact.

So as to nod off during the evening, endeavor to kill every electronic gadget (PCs, telephones, tablets) somewhere around 30 minutes before getting into bed. Enable your eyes to unwind and get a break from the incitement of a lit screen. Peruse a book, write in a diary, or work out your daily agenda for the next day. By discharging your contemplations recorded as a hard copy, you can likewise discharge pressure and strain and set your psyche calm.

Set an alert in the event that you can’t wake up consequently in the meantime every morning. Consider including a couple of drops of lavender basic oil on your cushion to unwind and quiet the brain before bed. Take a couple of full breaths once you set down to discharge pressure. For a few, repetitive sounds likewise advance unwinding (also enable shut out any outside diversions). There are commotion machines accessible on the web and in stores, or there are free applications that play loosening up sounds, including shoreline waves, downpours, winged creatures twittering, and the sky is the limit from there.

When you get up in the first part of the day and need to feel stimulated and prepared for the day, set a goal or objective for the day. Figure out what it is you need to achieve or feel for the duration of the day. An everyday contemplation practice, regardless of whether it is brief, can enable us to feel grounded, calm, and increasingly arranged for the day.

As per neuroscientists, reflection physically changes the mind. An MRI looks into concentrate uncovered that accomplished meditators had a thicker cortex than non-meditators. This was especially valid for mind regions related to consideration, interception, and tactile handling. Your training can be two minutes or 20 minutes, whatever works best for you and your brain and body.

Eating Habits

Breakfast is the most critical feast of the day. All-encompassing well-being mentor Tracey Lemle says an eating routine shouldn’t be strict or like you’re being compelled to accomplish something. “Our bodies react truly well to redundancy notwithstanding with regards to eating. It resembles muscle memory yet for our stomachs”, she says. When you wake up, drink a glass of water and attempt to consolidate protein into your morning meal. Protein causes us to feel fulfilled for the duration of the day. Think about cereal or quinoa with bananas, almonds, and somewhat nectar for a sound, simple, minimal effort begin to your day.

Exercise Habits

Make it your objective to move here and there consistently. Physical action can diminish the danger of interminable infection, enhance equalization and coordination, help weight reduction, and enhance rest propensities and confidence. One of every four Americans doesn’t get any activity whatsoever. In any case, when perseveringly tired individuals practiced for only 20 minutes every day, three days seven days for about a month and a half, they believed they had an expansion in vitality.

Plan a program that works best for you. For a few people that implies taking an hour-long wellness class four times each week. For others, it’s a long run two times every week, and for other people, it’s a day-by-day stroll with companions. Experiment with various studios, instructors, classes, webcasts, and applications to figure out what suits you best. Whatever way you pick, simply recall the moving advantages of your body.

Conclusion

Keeping a daily routine is extremely important. We should all set aside time for ourselves and follow a daily practice of rest, food, and exercise. These are three urgent principles for carrying on with a solid and adjusted way of life. We should keep in mind that this is our life and we need to do it the manner in which that works best for us.