29.11.11

Free Time Is More Valuable Than Money, According To A Study

Money is at the root of all evil. Money makes the world go round. Money can't buy you happiness. It's the topic at the top of everyone's list when they talk promotions at work, and it's the topic of concern during this worldwide economic downturn and anticipated recession. Yet, money and materialism take second place to, of all benefits, free time.

A study by Manolis and Roberts (Xavier University, Cincinnati, OH and Baylor University, Waco, TX.) confirms that both materialism and compulsive buying have a negative impact on teenagers' happiness. 1,329 public school students were evaluated, and the results showed that the more materialistic they were, and the more inclined they were to engage in compulsive buying, the lower their happiness levels were. On the other hand, when provided with just the right amount of spare time, their happiness levels increased. The study, published in the journal, Applied Research In Quality Of Life, also found that having a surfeit of free time reduced the negative impact of materialism and compulsive buying. That is, being neither too busy nor having too much "time on their hands" was associated with higher happiness.

These results are exactly what those that live a minimalist lifestyle have been preaching. It is the rush to acquire and own that creates stress and anxiety, more so than the owning that provides a feeling of comfort. When one "owns" just the right amount of goods, and has a comfort level with his finances, stress is minimized.

On the other hand, the need to own may be a psychological impediment in itself. Like overeating, overbuying is linked to deficiencies in one's psychological health. The use of material possessions as status symbols may also be an indicator of an insecurity or dearth of emotional comfort.

When a person relinquishes the urge to score his success by the amount of money or the dollar value of his possessions, he is able to find more time to pursue activities that provide greater intrinsic satisfaction. Whether one spends ninety minutes savouring the flavour of a two hundred dollar meal, or ninety minutes relaxing and watching waves scour the sand at his favourite beach, each has maximized his hour and one half. Yet, which took the greatest effort to acquire? Certainly, the time spent working to earn the two hundred dollars is greater than the time taken to unfold a beach chair and plop into it!

We eagerly anticipate the day when we can retire from "the rat race." As the big event approaches, we stress about whether we truly will have enough money to enjoy life. We plan each moment leading up to and immediately after the day when we no longer are bound to the need to earn money. Mortgage free, at last!

But did we need that huge house, that massive debt, those costly furnishings, those fancy clothes for our retirement? Not likely! The first thing we do is plan a relaxing vacation full of - you guessed it - free time. It hasn't been free, at all. It has cost us time, health, mental anguish and stress.

Today is the day that we need to retire. It is the day that we need to say, "I'm finding time for myself." It is the day when we need to break open the piggy bank that holds the cash for our next big purchase. And it is time to invest in the most valuable, and the most satisfying asset we can own: free time!

Among other interests, Robert Lee is a writer who focuses on ethical considerations in business and living life simply. He is the author of six books, including The Last Drop of Living, A Minimalist's Guide to Living The High Life On A Low Budget and Wild People I Have Known. His blogs include http://findingtheoasis.blogspot.com, as well as blogs on minimal living, living in a yurt, harvesting wild plants and eco-innovations.

Tight Hamstring - Explanation and Remedies

The hamstrings are an important part of your leg and if they become injured you will find it difficult to walk and exercise without pain. This part of your leg is made up of one large hamstring muscle and several smaller muscles which assist in its function. The hamstring is positioned on the rear upper part of each leg and is responsible for the movement of your leg.

When the hamstring becomes tight, this will begin to cause issues which will need to be examined and dealt with quickly. Leaving this form of injury for too long can cause more damage and may affect your ability to walk and run in the future. Research is essential to guarantee that you understand what to do if you are suffering from tight hamstrings.

What causes tight hamstrings?

There are several different reasons that you may suffer from tight hamstrings and these may include:

• Poor posture and sitting for long periods of time will affect your hamstrings and make them tighter than normal. If you need to sit at a desk for long periods of time, you may need to adjust your position.

• Naturally short hamstring muscles are far more common than you may think and women and children typically have more flexible hamstrings than men. There are several different genetic causes which will result in your hamstrings being shorter and tighter.

• Old injuries can cause problems in the future with your hamstrings and the build-up of the scar tissue within your legs may cause the hamstring to be tight. Any injuries which occur will need to be dealt with to avoid problems in the future.

• Bad stretching techniques, or no stretching at all, will result in your hamstrings being tight. Learning how to stretch correctly is essential and will guarantee that you remain injury free in the future. Once your muscles have warmed up they are far easier to stretch and this needs to be performed both before and after any physical activity.

Sitting for long periods of time at a desk or driving, especially with poor posture or ergonomics, can cause the muscle fibres to become firmer or more stubborn to move. If exercise or movement isn't part of your lifestyle, then these stubborn muscle fibres can become stuck together and less able to stretch.

Unresolved injuries can result in a build-up of scar tissue within the hamstrings causing a restriction in the full range of movement. This limitation to the range of movement can cause the hamstrings to weaken, or the over development of the neighbouring muscles due to compensating for the weakened hamstrings. Scar tissue is a harder fibrotic tissue that can be broken down using massage techniques.

The issues that a tight hamstring can cause:

• Injury and tearing is exceedingly common with tight hamstrings, since forcing any muscle to perform a task that it is not comfortable doing will result in problems.

• Back problems are typical when you have tight hamstrings, as your pelvis and hips move backwards.

• Limited sporting abilities are another issue which you may find becomes a problem when your hamstrings are tight. You will find that you struggle to perform well and there will be sporting events which you cannot participate within at all.

Dealing with the tight hamstring:

• You can never do enough stretching and this is one of the best remedies for tight hamstrings, which can improve the condition in the future. There are several different stretches which you can perform which will help the tightness. These include passive, dynamic and static stretches which can all be done before or after exercise.

• Massage is fantastic when you suffer from tight hamstrings; however, it should only be performed by a professional. They will be able to assess the extent of the damage and be able to make your hamstrings more flexible.

Fran Kehoe, M.I.P.T.I.

Fran is fully qualified and insured with ITEC Diplomas in Sports Massage, Reflexology, Anatomy & Physiology, Holistic Massage and a FHT Certificate in Deep Tissue Massage.

Call 020 8166 8958 for Free Phone Consultation.

http://www.tmc-chiswick.com/