The What is Fitness Series?#Professional Fitness!

Professional Fitness might generate the image of a person becoming more physically fit, having and maintaining positive working relationships with oneself as well as one’s coworkers. It may also conjure up the idea of not only being able to sustain one’s position over their working years, but also potentially advancing within their career field. Each of those scenarios would be correct and necessary for one to feel and be professionally successful.

With regards to being physically fit, I want to first speak of a moment when I was in sixth grade. There I was sitting in gym class looking up at my two teachers, one female teacher for the girls and one male teacher or the boys and yet we were a co-ed gym class. As I sat there, the male teacher was speaking to us regarding the importance of gym class and general fitness. As I sat there listening, I remember this phrase, “No matter what you do in life, you must be physically fit. Even if you plan on being a criminal, you need to be able to run from the cops!” This hit me in such a way that I never forgot it. As I grew up, I eventually played collegiate softball, served in the United States Marine Corps, and have spent the better part of my professional life in the healthcare field.  In each endeavor of my life, being physically fit has only helped me. It has NEVER hurt me! It has benefited those around me to include my employer as I take few sick days and I am rarely injured in a manner that keeps me from working.

No matter the occupation, one must demonstrate some level of physical fitness. Without physical fitness, fatigue will set in faster, work place injury will occur with greater frequency, and when off of work for too long a time, income will be affected all the way down the line to the point of when one has the luxury of retirement.

Think of the office worker with poor body mechanics day to day. Without ergonomics accounted for, chronic postural injuries can occur. Without corrective exercises to help mitigate the problem the individual may need time away from work affecting productivity and pay. What about the construction worker who sustains an injury due to poor lifting habits. In time, a back injury will liking involve time off work which will cost the company money for the workers absence. In both cases, there is a level of needed commitment on the individual’s part to sustain work to prevent the injury from occurring.

With regards to professional conduct; this may include how one presents themselves at work, how they interact with others at work, or habit patterns while at work. Like it or not, our dress at work influences how others see us. It speaks to our willingness to put in effort and our level of attention to detail. Our ability to sustain our physical and verbal composure while around coworkers speaks to our ability to remain the professional in an environment that allows peoples to see us on display. Being able to maintain our composure though minimization or elimination of physical outburst or the use of profane language is a form of professional fitness.

Longevity in a position, is something that comes with maturity and the anticipation of what one’s needs are with regards to one’s life. One’s ability to stay in a position and develop themselves in that position in a manner that prepares them for the next level does not occur accident nor does it occur without some degree of emotional and mental maturity and endurance.