As shift workers we often feel like we’re on a constant uphill battle trying to achieve optimum health. The irregular hours, disruptive sleep patterns and work-related stress place an enormous amount of strain on our bodies every single day.

But what price do you place on your shift work health?

Many shift workers say they take good care of themselves, but are you really? Are you really doing absolutely everything possible to take care of your health?

Take a moment to think about your answers to the following questions.

1. Do you avoid buying ‘health’ food products because you think they’re too expensive?

2. Have you chosen not to join a gym, health club or yoga class because you believe they charge too much?

3. What about those dancing classes you’ve always wanted to sign up for but keep saying to yourself you can’t really afford to do them?

If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of the above, then it might be time to re-evaluate.

Healthy food is not expensive – it’s how you perceive it to be.

When Cyclone Yasi wiped out 70% of the banana plantations in North Queensland last year, the price of bananas went up – no question. But even though a banana cost $1.50 at the time I still bought one because it was cheaper than buying a chocolate bar or a bag of chips.

And for a shift worker who is starved of energy, eating a banana is always going to be a much healthier and better option than eating a chocolate bar or a bag of chips.

The same goes for buying fruit or vegetables. Even though I do try and buy things when they are in season (you know they are going to be fresh this way as well) – I don’t NOT buy them just because the price is higher than normal.

Why? Because I know my shift work body can function so much better if I provide it with the right kind of fuel – that is, the right kind of nutrition.

The same can be said about exercise. You don’t have to join a gym or class to enjoy the benefits of exercise. There are lots of outside activities that are free, but sometimes joining a club or signing up for a class is a great way to meet new people and you are more likely to work that bit harder than if you were exercising on your own.

So never underestimate the value of your shift work health.

Many people spend their whole lives eating all of the wrong foods and doing all of the wrong things because at the time they appear to be the ‘cheaper’ and easier option. But if you consistently abuse your all-ready-struggling shift worker body with bad food choices and little exercise it will eventually catch up with you when you get older – guaranteed.

“Those who think they have no time for healthy eating, will sooner or later have to find time for illness.” – Edward Stanley

Shift work health is all about prevention. Spend your hard earned money taking care of yourself now, so that you don’t have to spend a fortune correcting it when you’re older.

As we near the end of the first month of the year, how are your New Year resolutions coming along? Are you starting to lose momentum? Have you begun to lose interest and swayed back into your old habits?

Well let’s face it – most of us have given up within 2 weeks of starting any New Year Resolution or goal for the new year.

Of course when you work shift work, the erratic and irregular hours can make it even harder to commit to anything. In fact keeping to any type of schedule and sticking to it can be extremely hard.

That is, if you let it.

As the late, great Jim Rohn once said …

“When you know what you want, and you want it bad enough, you will find a way to get it.”

You see the key to achieving any New Year Resolution is you have to really want it or it’s just not going to happen. It’s no good saying that you’d like to lose weight or you’d like to get another job – you have to really want it.

So many people have the mindset they should lose weight, do more exercise or change jobs but it needs to be more then that. You need to write them down and look at them every day so that you are focussed on the end result. You have to be able to see it and feel your New Year Resolutions as being achieved.

The key difference is when you really want the results, it will spur you into the kind of action that will lead you to the results you’re after.

Now since we’re in the throws of the Australian Open tennis right now (and I’m a tennis fanatic), here’s something to ponder.

Roger Federer didn’t get to where he is today because he thought he’d like to be Number 1. He wanted it like nothing else and was prepared to do what ever it takes to get there.

This determination and unwaivering belief has made him one of the greatest tennis players of all time. In fact almost unbeatable to anyone that faces him across the other side of the net.

So don’t say to yourself “I’d like to lose weight” or “I’d like to get another job”.

Really want it. Go after it like there’s no tomorrow because even the littlest of things can make a difference.

Little things like eating a piece of fruit every day, going for a 15 minute walk every day, looking for ways to improve your education every day, looking for ways to make yourself more valuable every day .

Persistence will always leads to results.

So remember to have the drive, enthusiasm and commitment to achieving your newly set goals for 2012. Otherwise fast forward 12 months – and everything is going to be exactly the same as it is right now.

Don’t let working shift work be the reason you didn’t achieve your New Year resolutions and dreams for 2012.

Make shift work the reason you’re going to achieve them - no matter what.