If there are people who need to rest and take good care of their health, then it’s the charity workers in India.
These are people who work for long hours and go to remote villages to provide the necessary humanitarian aid to vulnerable communities.
Why India in specific? It is a country prone to earthquakes and adverse climatic hazards like typhoons and hurricanes.
Imagine going through the rubble, trying to rescue people trapped in there. Besides, they go to the camps to distribute aid.
It’s one job that you work for long hours but have no option because of the dire need to handle the humanitarian crisis.
A workout is essential for the physical and emotional health of the aid workers. Apart from that, here are some other reasons they need to workout
- Helps to maintain proper weight
- Controls blood sugar level
- Improves one’s mood
- Sharpens your cognitive and psychomotor skills
- Reduces the risk of lifestyle diseases
With all these benefits, what are the best workout activities for aid workers?
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Sporting activities
The best form of exercise is a sport, though it needs time. Outdoor sport is the best option since they make you engage in a full-body workout.
Another unique advantage of it is the social interaction that aids in emotional well being. The social circle of friends you make from these sporting events relieves you of the stresses of life from either home or at work.
Besides, they aid in exercise specific body parts too. Look at table tennis, for example, as you hit the ball with the paddle, your hands get enough exercise.
Don’t you need your hands to type reports or distribute the meals for earthquake victims? You don’t need to hold the paddle like a professional to enjoy the benefits; as long as there is hand movement, you are good to go.
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Taking nature walks
What aid workers see in their line of duty requires a relaxing activity after a hard day. At times, intense physical exercise may not be an option due to fatigue.
Do you know walking is a better physical exercise than running? Interacting with nature away from the norm stimulates the production of “feel good” hormones from the brain, giving an aid worker the much-required positive feeling.
It makes the mind deviate from the normal daily challenges and appreciate nature, which makes you meditate upon good things in life.
What a good way of relaxing both the body and mind? Are you looking for a “me” time to reflect on your life?
Generally, nature is a strong anti-depressant better than the conventional medicine used in treating depression.
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Mountain hiking
India boasts of hills and mountains known as summits of India. As an aid worker, you have the privilege of living in such a place.
As you go up the mountain and come down your exercise and sweat to maintain a healthy body weight.
It’s an intense exercise that requires preparation and practice. Check on your program and schedule a date when you have minimal activities at work.
You can use this as a team-building activity to have the team spirit to get to the top of the hill.
Doing it alone may not be the best option; you need encouragement and support to climb the steep gradients, jump the rocky places, and pass the scary caves associated with Indian mountains.
It’s an activity you can do weekly or monthly; with the kind of work at charity organizations, it’s impractical to do it daily.
Moreover, it also equips you as the aid worker with skills on how to navigate such places. You never know, you might find that will be your next area of assignment.
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Gym sessions
The exercises mentioned above need time and dedication. What if you want to have a daily workout plan, then the fitness center should be your next stop.
At the gym, you have a structured fitness plan that needs even more dedication and patience.
Before you enroll in your local gym, get to know if it’s in line with your schedule. Make sure you have a clean bill of health from your physician to be sure of your state of health.
At this point, talk to your fitness instructor on what you want to achieve out of the training sessions to tailor the fitness activities to your goal.
What are the options do you have as a beginner?
- Bodyweight training
- Cardiovascular exercises
- Dumbbell workouts
- Weight lifting
- General full-body workout
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Home exercises
Who said you couldn’t exercise at home? Once you have the dedication and the zeal to achieve your goal, nothing bars you from reaching your goal.
Use technology to your advantage in this case. Get mobile apps with customized workout plans which need no sophisticated equipment and start the program.
Monitor your progress to help you keep in check with your achievements and failures. What you need to know when working out from home
- Organize a place within the home specifically for workout
- Have a daily target and strive to reach it
- Exercise early in the morning before anything else
- Change into workout clothes
- Start small and intensify as you progress
- Allow your family members to be your support system
A workout is a doable activity despite one’s work schedule in the charity organization. Most people use time as an excuse for not working out, yet there are some of the events that you can do with your family members as you bond- taking nature walks.
It’s upon you as the aid worker to look for what works for you as long as you engage in a workout activity to improve your health.