Zippy would have my head if I didn’t remind you that Mother’s Day is this Sunday. No, I haven’t bought her anything…not even a card, but I am planning on a cookout with the kids around the pool. She understands that I always seem to order her gift last minute, so her Mother’s Day gift from me won’t arrive for a while. Then again…as I always tell her – YOU’RE NOT MY MOTHER 😉
WHAT?
First of all, I’m not a fishing kind of guy. I could be, but I don’t think that I’ve held a rod in my hand since fishing off the bridge near my home when I was in middle school. Oh, I’ve been out on plenty of “fishing boats” but the only thing we were really fishing for was another beer and another story. So, why am I writing about fishing from a kayak in the days of social distancing?
Because it’s a great way to spend time alone
Mind you, I’ve never kayaked either, but Zippy and I live near the ocean and there are plenty of kayak rentals that dot the beach area, making them inexpensive and easy to access without even owning one and I imagine that there’s nothing quite like the combination of the thrill of fishing and the solitude of ocean kayaking (except maybe hitting a bucket of golf balls or skiing down a quiet mountain trail).
Don’t you think ocean kayak fishing sounds like fun?
Apparently, anyone can do it, not just professional kayakers, and all that is required is the right kind of kayak and you can be on your way. Imagine floating in your kayak in the middle of the ocean, having a peaceful day of fishing. It could be you (or it could be me – just not you AND me)! I do know that it’s really important to have some basic kayaking skills for this kind of kayaking activity. The only difference between fishing in your back yard, fishing in your kayak and fishing in the ocean is the kind of kayak that you use.
If you’re going to buy one, I’m pretty sure that you will find that ocean-style kayaks cost much more than other types of kayaks. And, you want to be sure that you buy a good ocean kayak, because the ocean can be a dangerous place if you do not have the best equipment. Ocean kayaks are easy to find, but they may be hard to select among. Choosing a kayak is a difficult decision unless you are well-informed. Knowing what is required is important. It makes your decision so much easier. That’s why I suggest renting at first, to make sure that you really enjoy it and exactly the type of ocean kayak works best for you.
The good thing is that ocean fishing kayaks are very much more durable than other kayaks and are built for comfort and speed (vs just floating along down a lazy river). They have tall backrests to keep you in place when you encounter waves and is storage space to keep your fishing gear and other equipment in so you do not dump them in the water.
Kayaking is a wonderful way to fish. It makes for a relaxing and enjoyable trip wherever you go. Now’s the time to start catching those huge ocean fish. Or if you’re like me, you’ll come home and tell your wife about the one that got away.
It happens DAILY. We waste an hour and a half just PREPPING for our workout, only to get to the gym and have to wait in line for the equipment.
Here’s the deal, you and I both know that exercise should be a regular part of our daily lives. This practice alone provides an enormous amount of benefits to virtually every facet of not only our bodies but also our quality of life in general. It gets our day off on the right foot, keeps us healthy, and has become an important part our of life.
But, with all that we have to do during the day, the idea of cramming literally anything else into our daily schedules seems out of the question. Especially WASTING all of that time just getting their.
I am going to propose a solution that serves as a middle ground between knowing that we should exercise and the time wasted: working out in your own home. Fitting in an exercise routine at home comes with a lot of good benefits. Here are 3 examples of how this routine can finally provide you with a way to manage the craziness of day-to-day life, while also keeping your body healthy and fit.
As you can see with my own schedule, when it comes to going to the gym, there always seems to be a lot time required in the process besides the actual workout (not to mention the REVERSE on the way home). For most of us, the commute to and from the local gym can often take longer than the actual workout! This is especially true if you are in the habit of working out just before (or even after) work. That morning rush hour really sucks.
I know for me, that this fact alone keeps me from even attempting to establish a fitness routine. Time, especially in our world today, is such a precious commodity. The last thing most of us can afford is to dedicate several hours of our day to workout for, at most, an hour (cough, cough…okay, half an hour).
Working out at home is the best solution to this issue. There is no extra time involved (you’re going home anyway), and you’ll have no time spent waiting for a piece of equipment or rushing to make it to a group exercise class on time. When home is your gym, everything you need is already right there waiting for you any time you are ready!
 While having access to the large array of equipment included in most commercial gyms is great, it is certainly not a necessity required to get an effective workout in. Even without buying a single piece of equipment, you can easily get the job done. I know, because secretly I have been doing a LOT of this for a LONG time….right at home
Your body alone is capable of doing a ton of things. One of these things is serving as your own personal set of weights. You are probably already aware of the usual bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, squats, and burpees. These simple movements alone can whip you into shape in no time. However, there are many more creative exercises you can literally perform in your living room and around your ow neighborhood using alone your body.
Even if you decide some equipment is required, the price you will pay for a few items such as resistance bands, a jump rope or even a couple of kettlebells will still cost you less than a one-month membership at most gyms, and save you so that you can play more golf.
Whether you decide to build a fitness routine around bodyweight exercises alone or pick up a few extra pieces of equipment, working out at home certainly saves money in the long run!
 Two common factors that keep a lot of people out of the gym are the annoying gym rats that hog the equipment while they incessantly check social media and the feeling that other people in the building are judging them. You know who I’m talking about, the mirror mavens, the loud grunters, and the ones who simply stand next to the equipment and flex
By making your home the gym, it solves both of these annoyances right off the bat. At home, you are able to enjoy a focused workout in which challenging your body and improving your physical fitness are your #1 priority and not worrying about that guy in the corner who’s a PITA.
I remember it well. I’d go to work and tense up almost immediately. The worst part was that I’d bring all of that stress home with me and take it out on the family. I know that it wasn’t right, but at the time I had no idea how to deal with it. Work can be such a common cause of stress in your life, and it is important that you keep this type of stress low and try not to bring it home with you as I did. It was a difficult, but important lesson for me to learn, not only for my own health but for that of Zippy and Ben as well. The following guidelines are going to be a great start to no longer having work stress that you carry around with you every day.
It may seem simple, but I can tell you from first-hand experience, that I didn’t always see it, and the first thing you should do is figure out if and when you are experiencing works stress. Since there are so many different types of stress, it is important to first narrow down what you are experiencing, then try to find the root cause so you can figure out how to best deal with it.
Here are the most common signs of having work stress that needs to be addressed:
Figuring out what it is about work that’s “getting to you”
Once you actually figure out that you have stress at work, you should stop and look at the issues that might be causing that stress. It could be anything from the kind of work you do, to being passed over for a better job, loss of passion, or even problems with the people you work with. Start keeping a journal so you can better identify what about your job or work environment is causing you to experience stress. You may find that on days when you have meetings with certain people in management, that you have higher stress, or that you have an increased fear of being laid off. Your journal might also look at your stress simply being from the type of work you do.
Don’t Bring Work Home With You
I have found that one of the most important things to do if you have stress from your job is to not bring your work home with you (unless you actually work at home of course). This makes it harder for you because you feel like you never have a break from the stress. It isn’t always possible to get rid of what is causing your work stress, but if you are letting that bleed over into your personal life, it can have an even worse impact on your life.
A Few Helpful Relaxation Techniques
In order to relieve the work stress, you need to find healthy ways to relax, and for me it was a matter of researching some great relaxation techniques. Remember that we all respond differently, so this will depend on your lifestyle. You can start taking walks or starting a new fitness regimen to release endorphins, you can keep a journal, or you can try things like going for acupuncture or massage and try to do some meditation at home at night (or before work in the morning).
Now that I’m home all day instead of out on the road or in an office, I definitely find it easier as I can take a nap or watch a favorite TV show. That being said, I’m always up for learning new relaxation techniques and ideas.
What do YOU do to relax and de-stress?
Feel free to leave me ideas in the comments!
