Your body is one big machine, all parts are connected and must be operating properly for you to function properly. If you want your brain to be at its best while you work on your firefighter promotional exam prep, you need to focus on the health of your entire body.
Less Time to Study if Always Sick
If you are not prioritizing your health you are likely spending more time sick or under the weather than those around you. When you are sick you will have much less time to spend studying for your firefighter promotional exam, as you will likely be resting. You do not want to lose precious studying time to a cold or other preventable illness because your immune system isn’t keeping up.
Less Energy
If you are not at your peak health you likely have less energy on a daily basis. Add in getting sick more regularly than most and you will never have the energy to do anything but survive the day, let alone devote the necessary time to study for promotion. It is critical that you focus on your health so you have the energy to live your life, focus on your firefighter promotional exam, and show up to work everyday so you can get promoted.
More Stress
Stress is such a double edged sword. The more stressed you are the more compromised your immune system becomes, the more sick you become, the more stressed you become for various reasons. Calling in sick is stressful, not being able to function properly is stressful, none of this stress is good for your mental or physical health. High levels of stress actually decreases the number of white blood cells in your body, the cells that fight off infection in your body. Not only that, living with high levels of stress increases the likelihood of anxiety and depression. None of these things are good for you and none of these things will help you pass your firefighter promotional exam.
Decreased Performance
If you are not at peak performance you will not get promoted. Living an unhealthy lifestyle will result in a body and mind that are not functioning to their full potential. You do not want to have to test to promote if your body is feeling run down because you have been putting your health on the back burner. You may be able to fool the testing officers and run your test well because of the adrenaline rush, but you will not be able to fool them for long if you get promoted. They will soon realize they made a mistake, and that you cannot keep up with the demands of the job because you are chronically fatigued and stressed out.
Basics For A Healthy Lifestyle
Good Sleep
Balanced Diet
Exercise
Regular Doctors Visits/Check-Ups
Important to Note
Living a healthy lifestyle can be hard for people who have a lower income. You have less money to buy healthy foods, less money to go to the doctor for preventative care or even go to the doctors when you are sick. There is less money in your budget to go to the dentist and eye doctor for preventative care. All of this results in worse overall health. You will likely have more cavities and more health issues that could have been caught earlier or prevented if you had gone in for regular check ups. These major health issues will result in you spending more money in the end on a serious health issue that you have to be seen in an emergent situation. A better job means more income which means the ability to live a healthier lifestyle. Do your best to prioritize your health now before it becomes a huge issue down the line. You won’t be moving up the ranks in the fire service if you are sick all the time and are missing shifts because of it.