Just Do It! Six Reasons to Ride a Bike or Walk to Work

As an avid walker and bike-rider, I have to admit that I am biased in my views about biking or walking to work but I am also an excellent case-study of someone who has become much healthier since taking up biking and walking several years ago. I also spent the last year biking to and from my job at a local university.

So... why should you buy those new walking shoes or invest in a good bike? Here are my six reasons for riding a bike or walking to work:

1. It's efficient. Biking or walking to work allows you to accomplish two things with the same activity. First, choosing to bike or walk solves the issue of how to get to work. Second, by biking or walking you improve your health, fitness, and mental outlook. In fact, biking or walking to work is both efficient and effective.

2. It's healthful. There's no question that walking or biking to work at a decent pace (no need to set records here) provides excellent cardiovascular exercise, offering many health benefits, including weight loss, muscle tone development, as well as lowering your blood pressure and stress levels while also reducing your risk of heart attack, hypertension, osteoporosis, and type II diabetes.

3. It's cheap. Consider the gas, tolls, parking, and upkeep on a car or the monthly bus or train pass you are currently paying versus the cost of walking or biking to work. You may need to invest in a new pair of walking shoes or a better bike, but once you've made that purchase, you have minimal additional costs. And if you're really lucky and work for an organization that has a workplace wellness program, you may even be able to get the shoes or bike at a reduced price -- or even free.

4. It's rewarding. Besides the psychological benefits of feeling better about yourself, walking or biking to work also offers very clear mental benefits -- from adrenaline and endorphins -- that boost your mood and provide you with a sense of well-being. Because it's often a solitary experience, walking or biking also provides opportunities for deep thoughts that tap into your creative side, leading to new ideas and ways to solve problems.

5. It's green. You don't have to be a diehard environmentalist to appreciate that by walking or biking to work you are doing something to personally reduce the negative impact of other forms of transportation. One expert states that for every four miles ridden on a bicycle (or walked presumably), you are keeping 15 pounds of pollutants out of the atmosphere. No fossil fuels, no ozone depletion, no deadly pollutants.

6. It's fun. Driving to or from work is often stressful (or at best boring), while biking or walking is always an adventure. It's relaxing, especially on the way home, to know you have had another good day at work and are now helping yourself live a longer and healthier life by biking or walking. And no matter where you live, you're bound to encounter people or things in nature that make you appreciate life.

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Saying No to Your Boss

When you think back to your childhood and your mom said, "We'll see," it was always better than a flat out, "No." Much like "possibly" is sufficient when you ask your boss for time off and "I'll think about it" gives you hope when you ask for a raise.

Though all of these responses are really just a more polite version of "no," they're easier to hear than the actual word itself. While hearing "no" is hard enough, it seems that saying no is even more difficult for some people -- especially when it comes to your boss.

"Most employees avoid saying no to their boss because they fear it will ruin their relationship, cost them their job or appear disrespectful," says Joseph Grenny, co-author of "Crucial Conversations." "With the right set of skills, it is possible to be 100 percent candid and respectful when holding this important conversation."

The reality is, we can't say to yes to everything, so it's essential to position yourself in the best way possible if and when you have to say no at work. The trick, experts say, is not really what you say, but how you say it.

"Many of us won't say the word because we are afraid to, especially in this economy," says Mary Byers, author of "How to Say No ... And Live to Tell About It." "It's easier to say no at work if you don't actually use the word. That way, your boss won't feel like you're being insubordinate."

Elisabeth Manning, a human potential coach, recalls a time when she was an assistant to the president of a major company. The president wanted to make Manning her marketing manager at the same time -- and the same salary.

Manning, who knew that she would have too much on her plate if she accepted working both jobs, told her boss that she wanted to maximize her capacity for potential at the company and accepting the offer would not be the best, most efficient use of her time.

"I was neutral, not emotional and held my ground," Manning says. "I spoke as if it were already a done deal, without fear."

Here are five situations where you might find yourself needing (and wanting) to say no at work and how you can do so tactfully -- and without losing your job.

How to say no to...

... Your boss assigning you too much work
It can be tough to tell your boss you have a problem with the amount of work he or she is assigning you, but it's possible if you can make your boss feel safe, Grenny says. Start with facts instead of harsh judgments or vague conclusions and let them know you care about their interests and respect them, he says.

"Strip out any judgmental or provocative language and be specific," Grenny says. "For example, 'Last week, you gave me two large projects to finish in a very short amount of time and I had to complete these on top of my regular responsibilities. I am afraid my large workload might be affecting the quality of my work.'"

... Outrageous demands
If your boss asks you to do something like run his errands or work all weekend and you can't (or don't feel like you should have to), focus on what you can do, says Dr. Susan Fletcher, a psychologist, author and speaker.

"The next time your boss asks you to go pick up his or her dry cleaning, instead of saying no, say, 'What I can do is cover your phone calls for you while you are out of the office,'" Fletcher suggests. "Or if your boss asks you to start up a new company initiative, instead of saying no, say 'What I can do is brainstorm with you on the strategy for the initiative and help get the proper team members in place who can execute the strategy."

... Something you honestly can't do
Of course, it's always good to learn new skills, but if you truly believe you aren't the best person for the job, you should say no. Byers suggests responding with something like, "Is there another department where this project might fit better, or someone we can collaborate with?"

"If you know you don't have the necessary time, resources or knowledge for a given project, this is a good way to open dialogue about the best way to get an assignment done," she says.

... Unrealistic deadlines
If you frame your response in a way that helps your boss to rethink his request, you'll be OK, says Beth Sears, president of Workplace Communication.

Be aware of your tone of voice and try something like, "I understand your need for this assignment to be completed, but I need some help prioritizing my other work. You requested me to complete 'A' by tomorrow, 'B' by Thursday and 'C' by Friday. This last assignment 'D' would make it impossible to accomplish all of these. How would you prioritize these tasks?" Sears suggests.

... Anything illegal, unethical or that crosses personal boundaries
Say no to anything that will you get into trouble if you say yes. Meaning, if something will be detrimental to your career or goes against your integrity, you should always say no.

Jennifer Bergeron, an HR training specialist, recently said no to one of her bosses who asked her to lie to her direct manager.

"I said, 'I'm not comfortable doing that, because the result will be [X, Y and Z]. Please don't ask me to ever lie to someone," Bergeron says. "He said, 'OK, you're right. I didn't realize all that was going on.'"
by Rachel Zupek for CareerPath.com