irst of two articles

You work from dawn to dusk and many times far into the night. You make phone calls to not-so-willing prospects; you visit merchants who reluctantly have agreed to listen to you try to sell your wares. Most of the day you deal with rejection or just downright rudeness.

Such is the life of the sales professional. Telemarketers have not made your job any easier. Most prospects receive so many phone calls each day that the minute you try to tell them how you can help them, they turn surly and unresponsive. How many times last week were you hung up on? How many times did you hear "No"?

Sales professionals have one of the most difficult jobs around. Even the most seasoned pro gets tired of being turned down. So how do you battle this? How do you take care of your most important asset ... YOU?

That's right, you actually have to think about and put some effort into taking care of yourself. To most of us this just sounds self-indulgent. Or possibly it sounds obvious. But the simple truth is that most of us just keep pushing until we reach the edge. Perhaps it is time to start a program of self-care so that you don't get so close to that edge.

The first part of taking care of yourself is taking care of your physical body. During our busy days, we forget to stop and take breaks. While you are on the phone, make sure you get up and walk around for five minutes every hour. While you are up, drink some water. Keeping hydrated will help you maintain peak performance. Remember that coffee will only dehydrate you more, so if you are a coffee drinker, drink water, too.

Don't forget to eat. You need to refuel your body, especially in the morning. Sure, it sounds like a cliche, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Your body has just gone for a long period of time without food, and it needs to recharge so you can attack your day with the energy it deserves. A balanced meal will provide you with this energy.

Make sure to include protein in your breakfast. The energy you receive from protein is longer lasting than the energy you receive from carbohydrates although both are important to your health.

While you are on the phone and computer, it is important to move around. Many of the aches and pains you may be starting to notice can be avoided by making sure that your workstation is properly set up and that you are taking breaks to move around. Sustained periods of sitting are very hard on your back. Even just standing and doing a simple series of stretches throughout the day will prove beneficial.

Of all the things you can invest time and money into, the item that will provide you with the biggest benefit is your chair. Make sure that the chair you pick for your workstation is fully adjustable. You should be able to adjust the height of the seat pan, the tilt of the back and the seat pan and, ideally, the length of the seat pan itself.

When you adjust your chair, your feet should be placed flat on the floor with a slightly open 90-degree angle on your knees. Your elbows should be at approximately a 90-degree angle, and your arms should be parallel to the floor. For computer work, you should be able to place your arms at the keyboard, keeping your wrists in a neutral position. It is also important to keep your wrist in a neutral position while using your mouse.

The monitor should be at a height that allows you to look straight ahead instead of bending your neck up or down to allow comfortable viewing. You should also make sure that your monitor is 18-30 inches away. If you find that you have to hunch forward or squint at this distance, perhaps you need to go to your eye care professional for a VDT vision test.

One last thing to remember is to get enough sleep. In addition to fuel, our bodies need time to rest and restore. By getting at least seven hours of sleep a night, you give your body the chance to perform when you need it to.

Following these simple steps will help you keep up with the physical demands of your chosen profession and maintain a positive attitude.

Next: taking care of your mental needs