After almost 23 years with the same company, I'm being downsized out. Rather than sit and stew about it, I'm looking at it as an opportunity for a new begining. I have a nice severance package if I don't find another position in the company so I'm going to work for ME the first 2-3 months. I have almost 200 pounds to loose so needless to say my confidence level isn't as high as it could be because of my weight. Right or wrong, first impressions to count. So for the first time in my life, I'm putting myself first. I'll be employed until the end of July but I've reactivated myself on SparkPeople, have begun tracking my food and exercising several times a week. Since I found out the Friday before Memorial Day (nice timing) I've lost 8 pounds and have much more stamina. By the time I'm ready to reenter the job market, I'll be even lighter and more fit. Hopefully I'll find a place as great as SparkPeople to work! - 6/20/2011   12:19:22 PM

You would have to really depresed not to see that this site is run by happy and healthy peoplr. It is to see that your employees are on a mission to encourage healthy, positive life styles with people who have been looking a long time for them. - 6/18/2011   12:40:34 PM

I am a Benefits Manager which can be very stressful (lowering medical claims costs...). But I also coordinate our Wellness Program - I love it that going to the gym and eating healthy is supported and rewarded and that I get to help make it happen for over 5000 people! - 6/17/2011   8:53:40 PM

I love my job. I work with really great people at the local university. I love working with students - they keep me young. My co-workers are really fun people and we laugh a lot. We are not the healthiest but we are all trying.

Aloha - 6/17/2011   4:01:38 PM

I do generally like my job and the people I work with. Finding the time to exercise while working full time, keeping up with the housework and raising two, busy little girls is hard. Recently, I found a walking buddy at work and now instead of sitting at my desk playing computer games while eating, we are walking 2.5 miles. It takes about 45 minutes and I can tell you 45 minutes of fresh air, sunshine and blue skies are just what the doctor ordered! - 6/17/2011   9:04:11 AM

sadly no so i try to fit in AM and PM workouts to help manage stress. haven't been doing such a great job of it lately though. - 6/16/2011   4:02:05 PM

Excellent choices... - 6/16/2011   12:46:25 PM

Since I've retired, my "job" does make me healthy and happy. Back in the day though, I was happy in my job ... but didn't really have time for healthy habits. - 6/16/2011   12:09:00 PM

I love supporting a company that is so wonderful to it's employees. If we could ALL work for SparkPeople :) - 6/16/2011   10:46:20 AM

My employer has great work-life balance programs - offers Weight Watchers at work, sells healthy (although expensive) menu items in the cafe, has an onsite gym, allows alternative work arrangements, and provides free mental health/counseling programs. Unfortunately, with restructuring and layoffs, the stress is certainly picking up, and not sure anybody has any time to take advantage of these things anymore... - 6/16/2011   7:45:54 AM

I no longer work,, THANK YOU 18 wheeler who hit me HARD ! GRR ! I LOVED my job !!!! It was in management which you would "THINK" would be stressful, but they rewarded you WELL if you hit the #s and I DID. Those under me supported their roles well and did their jobs FANTASTIC !!! What a team we were !!! Once I left, that team time, goals, etc, went way down hill and hasn't been the same. It was ALL in the attitude. What I got, I passed along. It only takes a MOMENT to say THANK YOU for the SMALLEST thing OFTEN and really MEAN IT. - 6/16/2011   1:29:48 AM

I worked in nursing which is a very stressful job. - 6/16/2011   12:07:52 AM

My husband and I both were very stressed out at our jobs. I really think that if he wouldn't have retired early, he would be dead from a heart attack. It was really that bad!! We were fortunate to be able to sell our 4 bedroom house (our kids had moved out) for a decent price and buy a smaller house for cash. We're trying to live off his monthly pension and enjoy life some. If it doesn't work out, we can always get a part time job. We both smile a lot now!!!

Thanks for a great blog!! - 6/15/2011   11:27:59 PM

I try not to link my happiness to the ups and downs of my workplace environment. Some days I'm successful and some days I'm not. I say the serenity prayer as needed. - 6/15/2011   11:23:44 PM

This blog hit close to home. Ironically I came to work at my last company because I wanted to concentrate more on my health and worklife balance; however, it was part of a takeover by a Fortune 50 company with a completely different culture. I was working 24/7 literally, being called anywhere/anytime - 4 in the morning, Christmas, etc. I could see what a toll this was taking on me. And the most frustrating part was that this company had "health programs" that looked good on paper, so they were always winning awards even though most of those in my area were working in excess of 100 hours a week.

I was ready to walk when the stock market crash wiped out my 401k so I stayed a bit longer, hoping it would recover. I found another position with the company that seemed less crazy, and was two weeks away from switching when I was struck down with a life altering illness. I've not been back to work since. So they say you can't buy health and happiness, which is sooo true. But any money saved was quickly spent on doctor bills, so not only would I have been happier with a minimum wage job and regular hours, I'd be healthier and also probably better off financially!

I guess my point is - don't keep putting off change - embrace it and act on it - you don't always have as much time as you think! - 6/15/2011   8:07:17 PM

I have moments of happiness at my job but they are getting to be further and farther in between. Any freelancers needed in the South Florida area? LOL. I think of my job as a place to get paid to sponsor the rest of my life. I would love to work in an environment that promotes wellness. My organization (a non-profit one) does nothing to promote wellness with its employees - 0.
- 6/15/2011   7:21:58 PM

My job meant that I rolled out of bed, sat at the computer and stayed there until it was time to go back to bed.

I was overweight, unfit and probably on my way to an early grave.

At 40 I decided to do something about it.
I scheduled exercise into my day and started to eat healthy.

Last year I joined a gym, and almost a year to the day on Sunday June 12th I became a qualified fitness instructor!
I am very proud of how far I have come and am looking forward to the future.
Will be 48 next month and starting a course for the next level Advanced Personal Trainer! - 6/15/2011   6:08:36 PM

Unfortunately, I am very unhappy with my job but I do make the most of it by making my life OUTSIDE of the office as active/happy as possible. If I do that, the days go by quicker, and I can get out and get to what I truly love. There's no gym and the temptations are out of this world with frou frou candy shops, bakeries and restaurants. My office is also rewarded with Cheesecakes or expensive lunches if we make a certain goal. I do my best to ignore all of the calorie laden food and bring stuff from home. So far, it's been working. - 6/15/2011   3:46:10 PM

My job makes me happy. I work from home 3-4 days a week, and they are very supportive of work/life balance. - 6/15/2011   2:55:39 PM

My job makes me happy and it's great about motivating employees to become fit. We have a wellness program and a gym we can use for free. - 6/15/2011   2:49:54 PM