The Guide To Applying The 7 Habits In Holistic Healthcare
Mastering The Aspect Of Your Health Using Stephen Covey’s Timeless Model
Table of Content
Foreword
Synopsis
Habit 1: Be proactive
Habit 2: Put First Things First
Habit 3: Begin With The End In Mind
Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen The Saw
Wrapping Up
Foreword
Stephen Covey created a sensation when he wrote and released The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Suddenly, people began to sit up and take notice. They felt… there are so many ways they can implement to enhance their lifestyle. And that they can bring about these enhancements just by making minor alterations in their mindsets and their way of approaching things.
The book became a phenomenon because of the large number of lives it touched. It still continues to do that today. It is at the top pedestal on most bookshelves even today and the great clamor for it has still not died down.
However, there are more implications of this wonderful book than you might think. There are more ways to harness the vast richness of knowledge and wisdom that is housed in this book. Our eBook is an endeavor to make people understand this bestseller better, and include these tips in their lives so that they can live better.
But, our eBook is not just a different way of saying what the legendary Stephen Covey has already said. We will be peppering our eBook with many tips and suggestions throughout which can give a whole new positive direction to your life. So, keep reading. There is a lot to be learned in the pages that follow.
Synopsis
Health is a very personal and individualistic aspect of our lives. All the same, it is a highly influential factor… it influences the way we live our lives.
A lot of people spend more on their healthcare than on anything else.
For a significant majority of these people, health is directly related to longevity. That is the reason people go to drastic lengths to improve their health.
But, you should know that you can implement the seven habits Stephen Covey has told us in no mean words that we can use his seven habits to whatever it is that we are doing.
The true benefits of the seven habits are fully apparent only when these habits are made a part and parcel of our daily lives.
7 Habits to Enhance Your Health
Your health is your chief asset. You are only as successful as you are healthy. This is one aspect of our lives that we should give the highest priority, but, sadly, there are a very few people who take care of their health.
However, if you take a look at the daily routines of the most successful people from around the world, you will see that they have always been keenly observant about their health. They make sure that they live healthily, abhor all vices and take care of not only their physical but also their mental health.
You could also control the reins of your health, and you should do it now before it gets too late. Health is something that keeps deteriorating if it is not taken care of. The most terrible thing about it is that after it deteriorates beyond a point, then there is nothing you can do about it. When such a point arrives, all the money, relationships, goodwill, fame, etc. that you have built all through your life become a sordid waste.
If you want to be a really successful person and keep control over your success all through your life, then you should tread cautiously at every moment in life. It is never too early to begin.
The interesting point here is that the seven habits can be quite effectively used to improve personal health as well. Yes, that is true.
Though you might feel that health is a purely biological thing and there is very little you can do about it in most cases, the fact is that there is a lot more you can control about your health than you think.
If you are optimistic and follow the right practices, you will not only be able to master your health, but you will do it in an amazing manner.
In the following pages, we shall see how the seven habits can be used to improve your health. Now, I am not going to tell you that you will live forever using the seven habits, because the Good Lord hasn’t ordained it to be so. But, every moment that we exist on the earth should be filled with health and happiness. We should be able to do what we please as long as we are alive. Our health should not be an impediment in doing that.
Stephen Covey’s model can be used to do that… to gain mastery over health. Though you cannot change biological inevitabilities, you can at least ensure that as long as you live, you are healthy and don’t have to succumb to the dictates of poor health any more than you should.
Habit 1
Be proactive
The first thing that you need to realize is that there are several things you can do about your health. You have the power to make the choice.
You have the power to decide whether you want to live a lazy, indolent life, or you want to be active and do things that you have always set your mind to.
Some people, quite unfortunately make the former choice. In fact, a lot of people do so. That is the reason why success graces but a few people while the vast multitude just keep teeming in depression and frustration, depressed that they could not do things in life that they should have done.
The choice is eventually yours to make. You can decide whether you should eat a healthy diet or not, whether you have to quit smoking or not, whether you have to kick that alcoholism habit or not, whether you have to hit the gym or not, whether you have to meditate or not, whether you have to go to that health spa or not.
It is all up to you. Some people hide behind excuses such as the lack of time or company, or some people say that they work so hard that they need their binges now and then. But, are these really worth it? If you know that something is going to take you down Doomsville, then why would you go that way?
The one—and the most important—thing that you have to realize right now that you can make a proactive decision about your health.
Think about the kind of person you want to be, the things that you want to achieve and then keep moving that way in an unflinching manner.
Even if your health is a problem, there are things you can do.
Probably you are suffering from an ailment that you cannot get rid of easily. Maybe it is a chronic problem. But, there is hope. Our medical science has advanced in great leaps and bounds, more so since the last 10 years.
Do not let anyone or anything tell you that something cannot be done, or that you cannot do something. You are the only person who knows yourself fully well. You know what’s going on within your body and mind and you know what you can do about it. If you have a dream, chase it. Make the choice to get the right treatment for your ailment; do not become a victim of it, because that would be a very sorry waste of everything.
Once you stand up and make your mind to follow through with a solution, you will find that the path before you gets better illuminated. You suddenly realize that there are things you can do.
You may even start getting better just because you made up your mind to get better.
There are other things that you should try to get out of your system. Is that weight around the abdomen getting to be a problem? Do you have a problem running a mile? Do you think you cannot concentrate on something that you should? Do you have bad sleeping patterns?
Do you get tired easily? Do you suffer from certain allergies? Are some phobias in your mind keeping you away from doing the things you should? Are stress and depression sapping you from within?
If any of these problems are occurring with you, you know that the solution lies in your own hands. You know that there are things you can do to resolve all of these above-mentioned problems and more.
You know that if you have complete determination and if you put in the effort, you can bring back your health to the level you were at before. But, then, what is stopping you? What is deterring you?
The reason why these things are not happening is because you are not making a proactive choice. You have considered yourself defeated and compromised. You just want to sit down and take things as they come. This is not going to happen so easily. You have to plan things out. You have to make the choice to live a better life.
So, make the choice and see. Just coming out of denial and building a determination to live a better life is something that will veer your life’s boat in the right direction.
So, be proactive. That’s the first habit. Be accountable, take responsibility. Do not sit back and think that you cannot do things. You can do them. You have to set your mind to them. This is how you start on your journey of success.
Habit 2
Put First Things First
When you make up your mind to live better, you will see that the improvement already begins to happen. You are happy that you made that decision, and you are happy because you are now following it through.
It is recommended that you get started by gathering all the things you would need. The first thing you need is a rock-steady determination and you have already got that. But you will need other things as well.
Maybe you should look at the support of your family members. If you tell them that you are going to take control of your life, they will be happily with you. Just tell your partner that you are going to do all you can to get a better body shape and see how they support you in that! Tell them that you are planning to quit your chain-smoking habit and they will be with you through all those difficult times of withdrawal and actually make that phase easier for you!
Another thing that you should gather before you start on your healthy life expedition is to gather all the information you can. What can you do to improve your health? What options are available? How are you supposed to do them? Can you do things on your own? What supplements, etc. can you use? What kind of food must you eat? What exercise will be needed? These are some of the things that you should be knowledgeable about. When you get to know these things, you understand what you can do. Things start becoming clearer to you… they start appearing more doable.
Maybe you should go out and get a medical opinion as well. A full body checkup should do good. You will know what’s lacking in you and what you should focus on. Do not delay those medical checkups; they are more important than anything else you do in life.
Begin your tryst with a healthy life equipped with these things. You will find things easier to do, and because you have educated yourself about what you are doing, you will be more optimistic about the results as well. You will know what will happen when you do something healthy, and that would be your incentive for doing that.
But, this ties up with the third habit, so we shall talk more about that on the following page.
So, the bottom line is that you have to start from the finishing line. Look at the finishing line with complete attention and move on forth, unflinching from your path. When you have your complete focus on the end, you are quite unlikely to move away from the shortest and the most effective route you can take to reach there.
Habit 3
Begin With The End In Mind
So you have fostered within yourself a perfect determination to live a healthy life. That’s good. But, do you think your determination is going to last for the long term?
Millions of people around the world make New Year resolutions to do healthy things the year round, but then forget that they had even made such a resolution by January 31st of that year! They do not even pursue their health determinations for the whole month, forget the year. So, why does this happen? Why do people not carry out their plans to live in a healthy manner?
If this is a problem with you as well, then the third habit can definitely help you. You have to begin with the end in mind.
Think about your goals when you are embarking on a healthy life.
What is it that you are trying to achieve? What are trying to get by living healthy? There should be some short term and long term incentives for you. When you have such incentives in mind, you find that it is easier to stick to your determination.
For example, if you are trying to lose weight, you could make a short term incentive of fitting in one-size tighter jeans by the month-end.
Actually, go to the store and buy the sexiest, most expensive jeans you can find which is one size tighter than what you normally wear.
Don’t hesitate in making the purchase. After all, you have created a solid determination within yourself, haven’t you?
Then go home and hang the jeans in the prime position in your wardrobe. You will see how this proves highly effective in your endeavor of losing weight.
When you are on the treadmill and want to step down after 3 minutes, all you have to do is to think about that jeans hanging in your wardrobe and you will move along faster. When you think you will order that sizzling brownie in the café, you will suddenly remember the jeans you spent so much on and desist. Just because you created an ‘end’, you do not want to give up.
This is a short term incentive. But you can plan long term incentives as well. We have seen some amazing examples throughout history.
Louis Braille comes to mind.
The person who lost his vision wanted to ‘see’ and he succeeded in a way. He prepared the first script for the visually challenged people.
Sudha Chandran, a popular dancer from India who lost her leg wanted to continue her dancing career. She saw herself on stage and kept her determination high.
She was one of the first people to get fitted with a prosthetic foot in India and continued her passion for dance. She went on to win several accolades for her dancing prowess, and the world forgot that one of her feet wasn’t what she was born with.
These are people who have not allowed anything to shake them from their path of self-enhancement. Why could that happen? That happened because they visualized the end. They actually saw themselves doing the things that the world said they could not do.
They saw their victories so strongly that they followed through with their passion with reverent zeal.
You are no different. Whatever your health setback is, do not worry.
There are people who have overcome all their limitations and created records for themselves.
Think about what you want to achieve. In fact, think about it so hard that it becomes a real thing for you. It could just be a ‘moment’, but you have to make it real within your mind. When you think about such a real moment, your entire life is automatically going to reorient itself in a direction of achievement.
It is thus important to put first things first. When you are setting out to do anything, there are definitely a list of tasks in front of you. The best thing you can do in these circumstances is to decide which of these tasks is the most important and then go about fulfilling that first. In addition, when you are setting out on your task fulfilment journey, the first thing you should do is to get everything ready. This helps you do things in a much better way. The process becomes streamlined and you are surer to reach towards your ideals.
Habit 4
Think Win-Win
Even when you are thinking about your own health, there are situations in which you could think in a win-win manner. Think about it. Suppose you have a family. Now, when you are taking stock of your health situation, it is not affecting just yourself.
You are also benefiting your family by doing so. You are getting fitter and healthier, which means you can do more things for your family as well. So, your health is not as personal a thing as you think. There are other people who are influenced by what you do about it.
This is more significant in a relationship between two partners living together, and those who are dependent on each other for physical, material and spiritual reasons. Ill health of one of the partners can affect the other partner seriously.
Hence, it becomes very important that both partners take their health seriously. In fact, with partners the best thing is that they can embark on a healthy journey together. This really helps because both of them get support from each other while they are planning to live healthy and things become more interesting. The slightly competitive edge that that brings in is also good for health!
But, I should exhort you to think in broader terms. When you are thinking about your health constructively, it is not just you and your family that is benefited. You should think more than that. Your being healthy can have a positive effect on the world at large. Why not? You have a job, a business, whatever. You are doing your best with it. You are benefiting a lot of people with the products or services that you are offering.
Should you offer even a slight health malady to cheat your loyal people of the things that you can give them? By spoiling your health, you are lowering your productiveness at work, and this is tantamount to belying the trust of people who have placed their faith in you.
That is a wide outlook, but a really serious one. People who have a responsibility towards society think of it this way.
What would happen if a head of state or an entrepreneur running a business that employs thousands of people or a popular film star on whom millions are riding on fall sick? The entire affairs of the state, company or the film could be in a mess. When you are at a position of power, you have to act more responsibly as well.
We have to think about collective glory. This is not the age where a dictator could become successful by only considering his selfish gains. That sort of thing does not work today. What works is that we have to form a bond with the people we know and even with the people we don’t, and then think about success. We have to think about victory for everyone.
Habit 5
Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Throughout your journey in life, you will find that the better you try to understand people, the healthier you can be. We are not just talking about physical health here. Health encompasses your mental framework as well.
If you are more comfortable with the people around you; if you can understand what these people mean and what they are looking for, then you will have a better idea about yourself as well. You will find that you can live in a more contented and satisfied manner just because you sought to understand people.
Also, think about understanding your health situation. Can you do anything about your health as long as you are in denial? You cannot!
You have to first understand that something wrong is happening with you, something that you have to take care of. When you do that, only then will you be able to take better control of the situation.
So, try to understand… understand the world, understand the people around you, understand yourself. It is only with this enlightenment that you will be able to master your body and mind in a better way.
One of the most important traits of a highly effective person is that they want to find out their facts first, which they do by listening. Then they quietly strategize, and only when they are ready do they tell people about what they have thought. This is an important quality to be inculcated. You must always strive to first understand the other person. Perhaps, this will make it easier for you when you try to establish a fruitful impression on them.
Habit 6
Synergize
Synergizing in the health context implies seeking better support and help from the people around you. It also means trying to form a closer relationship with your own body and mind, which helps you become a controller of them. When you are trying to give your health a truly positive direction, this is a very important thing to do.
You could falter in your journey towards good health if you don’t have good support from your family and friends. You need to tell them what you are trying to do and then get help and assistance from them.
Even a mere word of support from them could mean a lot to you.
Synergize with your doctor as well. What do they tell you about maintaining your health? These are people who are ready to work with you, especially the doctors you know you and have taken care of you for a while. They will give you the best advice if you want to take better control of your health.
But, the most important being that you have to synergize with is yourself. You have to know what your body needs, what your body is comfortable doing, what your body’s capacity is, what your mental needs are, what makes you happy and what makes you sad, etc. these are the things you need to realize, and then you have to do the best you can to give your body and mind the exact things that they are looking for… things that can keep you healthier.
Synergize! Get along with people who have different talents than you have, and make the use of these talents. Build a collective forge of talents and sally on forth. The world today is not about individualist glory at all. There are so many people helping each other out there. You make the most of it as well. Find the right people and seek their support. If you are looking for success, then this is one thing that you definitely cannot avoid.
Habit 7
Sharpen The Saw
You need to be sharpening the saw at every moment of your existence. You have to improve upon what you are, bodily and mentally. This is a constant process, and you should dedicate yourself to do it in an unfaltering manner. Let go of it, and you will see that your health begins to drastically decline.
Keeping your health in check should be always on your agenda. You have to consistently think about preserving your health and for that you should plan several things.
Maybe you could go for a jog every morning. Maybe you could include salads and fruits at every meal. Maybe you cut short on the drink and the smoke. These are things that you have to do in a consistent manner if you have to keep your health in proper order.
Remember that health is not just a physical thing; it relates to your mind as well. This is also an aspect that you have to constantly keep improving. Identify those stressors and work them out. Do not get unduly depressed. Do not get overworked; do not let things get to you. These are ways in which you should keep sharpening the saw of your mental health.
There are many benefits of preserving your health in a consistent manner. Firstly, you stay healthier in both body and mind. You are able to achieve more, and you are able to do a better job for the society. You are able to fulfill your family responsibilities in a better manner as well.
But there is more than that. When you constantly keep your body and mind in good order, you are taking care that you stay at your productive best. When you go for an early morning jog every day, you find that the energy that it creates stays with your throughout the day.
It freshens you up to face the whole day in a better way. This is something that is much needed to you. After all, it is only when you stay suitably energized that you can do a better job at whatever you do.
Consider staying healthy as a habit. That is definitely not a very difficult thing to do. After all, you have the greatest incentives in front of you—a better life! But, there is another thing that is to your advantage as well. Experts have analyzed that if you carry on with a good thing for more than 7 days, then it becomes a habit that you will find very difficult to get out of.
So, it is actually very simple to get into that jogging, gymming or healthy eating habit. You just have to work in the complete determination to do everything precisely for a week. If you can follow it through, then it will be a habit that will not be able to get out of for your entire life!
In order to become a truly enriched person, you have to deal with the four most important aspects of your existence and make sure that they are in perfect order. These four aspects include the physical, social or emotional, mental and spiritual natures of your body. These are the four prime areas that you have to focus on, if you want your body to assist you in your endeavors.
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