Surf events can be a great stress reliever, seeing as you are constantly near water and water is proven to have calming effects on the psyche. Imagine yourself just sitting on your board, riding the waves the ocean provides and just watching the sea life around you. It seems almost magical, and a lot of surfers report that it is that “one-ness” they feel with the water that keeps them coming back to the sport. Surfing is also a great way to work up your muscles, since the paddling and constant balance it takes to stay on a surfboard needs a lot of strength and muscle endurance. Taking trips with your family to exotic locations is one other way that people get into surfing. They may not start out going on the trips for just surfing, but as soon as people see the water there is a strong desire to tame it and capture the beauty.

Beginning surfers may start off their journey by questioning other surfers or locals what the sport is all about. It seems that right away after the first couple tries to stay on that board, there is a determination that builds into a need to master the board and the water. After the initial meeting of surfer and board, the bond is set and the next part of the journey is to travel wherever possible in search of the coolest and most fun surfing spots. Traveling around the world is not only one pastime that most everyone wants to partake in, but it is especially daring for surfers wanting to ride on any water that they can. Some pretty famous surfing spots include the Gold Coast of Australia, the Mentawai Islands of Indonesia, Jeffrey’s Bay in South Africa, Bali of Indonesia and Samoa.

Finding a surfing spot to call your own can be one of the most intriguing parts of being a traveling surfer. Constantly going to new countries and islands, discovering what they have to offer, and – if you’re lucky – finding a surf spot to truly call your own. Somewhere chill, where the swell is perfect and the waves are never-ending. A place not overwhelmed by tons upon tons of other surfers all trying to catch the ultimate wave. If you have a family, a nice place would be somewhere secluded where your kids can play or a nice rocky area where your wife can relax. Some of the best surfing spots are the best kept secrets, and there are still tons more out there claimed by no one. If you aren’t into the scene of competing, or just want a more serene ride, look into finding your own personal surfing spot.

International Surfing Day is on June 20th each year and is a fantastic time for surfers to unite and share their own favorite chill spots. As most of you know, the sport of surfing is an ancient one that has existed for thousands upon thousands of years before us. That being said, it is magnificent to think that we can still find spots that are brand new to us as modern age surfers. There is no status quo or stereotype that can be applied to surfers. People enjoy the sport no matter what ethnicities and religions they may be. Some places are united by surfing, such as California in North America. California has a very large surf scene and is home to many different surfing competitions worldwide. Australia’s Gold Coast is also a very popular surfing spot where people all gather to enjoy the same vibes.

Discovering new and exciting surfing spots has never been so easy with our modern age. The internet lets us share information indefinitely and will continue to be a great source for finding many new places to check out. If you want to try somewhere that has never been mentioned before and find an all new spot, I recommend just blindly putting your finger on a map and traveling to that country. Try and find a translator that may be able to show you the ropes and help you meet up with other surfers. See where they like to surf, and take it farther from there. Always make sure you surf prepared and be safe! Surfing is extremely fun but can be very dangerous at times. Never surf somewhere completely new to you without some sort of supervision. Surf’s up!

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Corporate activities may enhance individual and team growth and improve stronger connections within the team. But reducing this steep climb in health costs is actually easier than one might think. With some simple ideas and a bit of determination on the part of employers and employees, you can help improve the health of your workplace. Here are five easy ways that you can begin to improve the wellness of your organization right now.

1) Encourage walking

Walking is probably the most underestimated type of physical activity, yet according to health professionals, regular walking can:

– reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke;
– reduce blood pressure;
– reduce stress;
– lower blood cholesterol levels;
– increase bone density, which prevents osteoporosis;
– minimize the consequences of osteoarthritis;
– relieve back pain; and
– improve overall health and longevity.

Encourage employees to walk or bike to work rather than drive, use the stairs instead of the elevator and walk during their breaks. Offer flexible schedules so they can commit to an exercise routine. If employees take on these small changes, they will start to notice a positive difference within weeks.

2) Help employees butt out

Smoking is responsible for killing approximately 438,000 people in the U.S. every year, and tobacco is projected to be responsible for the deaths of one billion people in the 21st century. As well, employees who smoke can significantly impact productivity and benefits costs:

– Smokers are absent from work more frequently than non-smokers.
– Smokers can cost more in terms of insurance claims.
– Smokers are hospitalized for long periods of time more frequently than non-smokers.
– Smokers are more susceptible to complications such as infection, pneumonia or respiratory problems after surgery.
– Tobacco is enemy number one when it comes to employee health, but you can combat the problem with a workplace tobacco policy.

Promote a smoke-free lifestyle by showing employees the advantages of quitting and by offering psychological or clinical support to assist them. Consider offering subsidized tobacco cessation programs that include prescription medication to reduce the urge to smoke, along with telephone counselling and educational materials.

3) Provide healthy food

Supplying healthy foods that taste good will greatly increase the odds that your employees will eat well. Certain dietary trends like hypocaloric diets are notorious for being tasteless-and this reputation is often spot-on. To bring healthy and tasty together, you could offer health-oriented or vegetarian cooking courses, and workshops on how to shop healthy. Another smart idea is to replace the high-fat and high-sugar junk food from vending machines with healthier options such as nuts, dried fruit and low-fat popcorn. Consider lowering the prices of healthier options to encourage employees to choose them. Add more water coolers so that employees avoid sugary beverages.

If your company provides on-site meals, ensure the catering service offers high-quality, healthy foods and that their menu will provide enough energy for a good day’s work. Of course, there is a cost to providing high-quality food on-site, but this cost will be offset by the many benefits it brings: healthier employees will be more productive and make less insurance claims over time. You will also see greatly improved workplace morale and employee retention.

Provide your employees with nutrition information, advice, guides and brochures so they can learn how to change their habits. Some free guides are available at the following sources:

Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide

Dietary Guidelines for Americans (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)

4) Help employees control stress

Stress is now the primary cause of long-term employee absenteeism. From 1996 to 2000, the number of employees calling in sick due to stress tripled, according to a survey of 800,000 workers in more than 300 companies by The American Institute of Stress. An estimated one million workers are absent every day due to stress, and stress is estimated to cost American companies $602 per worker every year; the study reported that the total price tag for large employers could approach $3.5 million annually. The Conference Board of Canada found that employees who reported a high degree of stress balancing their work and family life missed 7.2 days of work each year, while those who reported very little stress only missed an average of 3.6 days. Studies conducted by the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health found that disability costs represent 12% of payroll costs, and that mental health claims are the fastest growing category of disability costs in Canada.

Chronic stress is a serious health risk factor; reducing stress is just as important as a healthy diet and exercise, especially for heart health. Counselling services and employee assistance programs can provide employees with information and advice on workplace stress, as well as emotional, psychological and personal issues. Offering meditation or yoga classes is also a way to help employees combat stress; meditation calms your physiological reaction to stress and even helps alter brain chemistry so that over time you become less reactive to stress, while yoga combines breathing and meditation with an element of physical exercise.

5) Diagnose

One of the most important measures for improving employee health is to conduct a diagnosis of your workforce.

This diagnostic should evaluate several different aspects of health, not just physical health and lifestyle questions. Rather, it should include an assessment of emotional health, so that stress and similar issues are properly considered and understood. As well, it should include an organizational health evaluation that asks employees about workplace factors, such as communication and workload, that affect their productivity and morale. Without analyzing these issues, employers cannot hope to have a wellness program that addresses the full spectrum of issues that impact health costs.

A diagnostic will inform company leaders about the overall state of health in their business-not just of the employees, but of the company itself. It will put the spotlight on the issues where an intervention is necessary. This allows management to implement solutions that are adapted to the specific needs of the employees and the company, thereby minimizing overall expenditures and maximizing the return on investment.

If your company is thinking about starting an employee wellness program, conducting a diagnostic should be the first action taken. Comprehensive scientific reviews show that work site health promotion programs improve health knowledge, health behaviours and underlying health conditions.

Fabien Loszach is a visionary sociologist and co-owner of Loszach Report. http://www.loszach.com

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Fabien_Loszach/1208511

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