Exercise can be your Prozac

Despite everything I preached in "The Get A Life Campaign," I gave in today and got some weights to work out at home. I know... I said I hated working out in my house and was more prone to giving up. But, I figured that giving up halfway through my workout is still better than not working out at all, right?

The gloomy dark days and early nights are killing me. I had been doing OK with not working out when the sun was out all day, but I can't take it anymore! For the past two weeks, I've felt so tired, exhausted and irritable. I need a boost.

So, I went to Walmart and got a new barbell with weights (2 5-lb and 2 10-lb to be exact) and started recreating my workout from my weight lifting classes from last year. I tried to do the classes at my local Bally's, or even make a yoga class or two, but (BOO) the schedule wasn't working out.

Check out this barbell at Walmart - only $20!

As I type, my poor arms are so heavy! A a nice, steamy bath is calling my name. But, I feel good. Really good. The last month has been stressful and I'm actually proud of myself today.

Don't forget: Working out, especially aerobic exercise, can give you a "runners high," where the endorphins act like anti-depressants and give you that much needed boost during these gloomy days. So, do something - take the stairs at work, jog from the parking lot to your building (especially if you're late like me), walk briskly up and down the aisles at the grocery store - and I promise you'll feel better.

Get more info about "The Get A Life Campaign" at www.getalifecampaign.com

Start thinking about death...

So I recently learned that the younger and healthier you are when you apply for life insurance, the better off you will be.

Yes, I know, you can barely pay your bills, why should you add another expense? Well, the truth is, that if you "buy in" now, even if you get a term policy (which expires when you're 75 or so and earns no interest), you can usually convert them to a full policy without another health exam.
I applied a week ago for life insurance to cover my debt, my funeral (they are expensive!) and leave something behind for my son in case the unthinkable should ever happen. I had to answer a long survey about common things like asthma, colds, stress, etc., and then had to have my urine and blood checked. Now, fast forward 20 years and imagine sitting there doing all of these tests. I can't guarantee that I'm healthy now, let alone then. And if they feel that you're too much of a DEATH risk, you can end up not being insured or paying a ton.

Even if you have to get a flimsy term policy for now worth like $20K, you can always increase or upgrade it once you've been approved.

I MUST however, put in a plug for disability insurance. Why? Because every day that you're at work, or driving, or walking down the street, there is more of a chance that you will become disabled (meaning, unable to work a full time job, or work a job that you went to school for) than die. So, if you don't have it, you may want to explore that first. Keep in mind that if you have certain conditions like depression, it may be hard to get disability insurance. But it's useful. If you are in an accident and can't work anymore, life insurance won't put food on your table and social security is a joke.

Do your research and protect you and your family.

Dow Jones Meets "The Get A Life Campaign"

Check out this article from MarketWatch (Dow Jones):

MARSHALL LOEB'S DAILY MONEY TIP

Five ways moms can carve out some 'me-time'

By Marshall Loeb, MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) - If you aren't doing laundry while calling your parents, you're changing diapers while taking a conference call.

"Women tend to be such good multi-taskers, it can work against them," says Tyeese Gaines Reid, an emergency-medicine resident, new mom, and author of the book "The Get a Life Campaign."

This is particularly true of women trying to balance career and family. But it's important not to let your to-do list take over your life. Taking time out to do the things that replenish you isn't an indulgence, says Reid, it's a health precaution. If you sacrifice your own peace of mind in the name of responsibility, you run the risk of depleting your resources and falling prey to a variety of stress-related ailments. And this is likely to take a bigger toll on your family than insisting on some down time.

Here are five strategies for carving out time for yourself without falling behind, fouling things up, or feeling guilty:

1. Schedule chores. Is your never ending to-do list making it difficult to enjoy what little leisure time you have? One solution is to schedule a regular time to complete certain tasks, Reid says. If you know that Wednesday is laundry night, Saturday is shopping day and Sunday is the day to pay bills, these tasks won't weigh on you during your downtime.
2. Frontload your schedule. If you are assigned a project with a long lead time, don't wait until the last minute to finish it. Knock it out right away. This will help reduce your stress level and free up time for more pleasurable activities, says Reid.
3. Plan ahead. Advance preparation can help mothers steal moments for themselves, says Reid. If you pack school lunches the night before, you can use the early morning to do something for yourself. Reid also recommends packing your bag before you go to bed and choosing a week's worth of outfits in advance, so that you don't have to think about what to wear. You might even want to set aside some time on weekends to cook food that can be frozen and reheated throughout the week.
4. Accept help. For working mothers battling to stay on top of myriad responsibilities, accepting help can feel like admitting defeat. But no one will accuse you of shirking your responsibility just because you accept a helping hand. If a co-worker offers to cover for you so you can leave a little early, say yes, urges Reid. You deserve it.
5. Reclaim lost time. Many women feel they spend their days moving at warp speed, but even the busiest schedule contains wasted opportunities. Reid recommends writing down exactly how you spend your time to pinpoint lost moments. Do you waste valuable time every day taking the train to work? Or waiting in line at the pharmacy? Rather than simply resigning yourself to the way things are, Reid suggests making a conscious choice to use the time for yourself. Listen to your iPod or read a few pages of a book. Remember: every moment counts.

Marshall Loeb, former editor of Fortune, Money, and the Columbia Journalism Review, writes for MarketWatch.

Get more info about "The Get A Life Campaign" at www.getalifecampaign.com