Six months earlier…

“SURPRISEEEEEEEEE” Everyone yelled when Zahra, the bride-to-be walked in. Salma had invited all the girls to celebrate her best friend Supa’s engagement to Ali.

“Oh my God you know those irritating people who flutter their eye lashes and say ‘I’m so blessed’? Well, I’m one of them now.” Supa giggled. “I really am blessed. AlhamduleAllah”.
Salma forced a smile on her face even though she was seething with jealously; she literally thought her envy might emit a sizzling sound. But then again, she was positively sure none of them would notice the green eyed monster she’d been harboring deep into her soul for weeks. Salma covered it up so well. She’s throwing a party for Zahra! Would a jealous friend do that?

Oh if only they knew…

Zahra’s eldest brother Ibrahim and his wife Aisha waited in the car with Omar, Zahra’s twin brother, for the bride and her best friend to come down. They were all invited to the groom’s house for dinner, Ali, who also happened to be one of Omar’s friends.

Sitting in the backseat of the car between Salma and Omar, Zahra couldn’t help bouncing up and down with excitement.
“Ibrahim is married. I’m engaged. It’s your turn now, Omar!” She winked at her twin.

“Oh now I know why they call you Supa, coz you’re ‘Super Delusional’.” Omar mocked. “I’m happy for you Zoe, but just so you know, don’t go expecting to hear any wedding bells in my future.”

“First they won’t be bells, they’ll be old women’s shrills’ Zahra laughed. “And secondly, who wouldn’t want to find everlasting love? It’s the best feeling ever. Ibrahim, say something.”

Ibrahim didn’t reply or even smile. He kept on driving silently while Aisha sat next to him in the passenger’s seat, staring at the ‘Oscar’s Best Dressed posts’ on ‘Instagram’, completely detached from the conversation.

“Maybe there’s a special girl out there who might one day change your mind.” Salma fluttered her eyes, desperate to get Omar’s attention. She’s been in love with him since God knows when and yet he barely knew she existed.

“Trust me, she doesn’t exist. Besides, I’m not the marrying type. I’m more of the ‘fun-partying-watch-my-friends-get-hitched-and-shake-my-head-at-their-dubmness’type of guy.” Omar replied.

Salma was fuming, especially when everyone laughed at the stupid insinuation, even Supa! Well, as long as she was happy with Mr. Perfect, what did she care about other people’s feelings? Salma’s jealousy, resentment and anger were bubbling inside her like lava. She had to do something about it before the fire coming out of her ears burns through her Hijab.

“I heard you’re throwing a party for Ali, too” Salma commented. “Copycat!”

“Yeah, the difference is I know how to plan one. You invite a few girls to gossip in your living room. I on the other hand party like a rock star” Omar boasted.

“You mean dancing and drinking till dawn. Isn’t this what you’ve been planning for Ali’s bachelor’s party? Yeah, I definitely can’t compete with you.” Salma smiled wickedly. That should ruin the night she thought.

Omar threw her a dirty look and glanced quickly at his eldest brother Ibrahim, who was on the phone. Thank God he didn’t hear her snide comment. Of course Aisha made an unreadable face and turned away. It was his twin sister Zoe who was shocked and hurt the most.

“Alcohol?” She whispered. “Seriously Omar? I thought we talked about this. Is this how you want your future brother-in-law to start his life with me?”

The twins argued while Salma listened, taming her envy with a liberating conclusion that ‘Supa’ wasn’t that super after all. She had a reputation for having such great motivational and persuasive techniques, that some of their friends predicted Zahra would become one of those famous influencers or inspirational speakers. Yeah right! She couldn’t even get her own brother to believe in God.

“I’m sick of hearing this Zoe. You don’t need to be religious to be a good person.”

‘I say it because I love you.  Just try to open your heart. I know you’ll eventually find your way back to God” She said softly.

“If God has a problem with me not believing in Him then He should take it up with me, man to man. Right here, right now!” Omar yelled.

It all happened at the same time

Omar was challenging the great Lord..

Salma was simmering with envy to the point of wishing evil upon her own best friend.

Aisha was disappointed they were almost there. She had secretly asked God to create an excuse big enough to stop them from going to the dinner party, just to spite her mother-in-law.

And Ibrahim, consumed with fear, passion and guilt, while checking his cell, he took his eyes off the road for exactly two seconds. The wrong two seconds.

And then the crash happened and everything went dark..
“Is everyone okay?” Ibrahim panted. The pipes on the truck they rammed into speared through their glass, completely shattering it. Ibrahim could hear the ambulances’ sirens approaching and was relieved to realize that even though the sharp pipes caused some minor injuries, everyone was still breathing.
They had no idea the car crash chose only one victim to pay the price.

“I can’t see anything…” Zahra whimpered.

A week later..
“Mom I don’t care if she’s blind. I love her and I promised her nothing would tear us apart. I know you disagree but it’s my life.”
Ali slammed the door behind him and went to see his beloved Zahra, who was still refusing to meet him. Her parents asked him to stay away and let her move on with her life.
“I’ve been praying day and night for them to agree. They will eventually. They know I can’t live with her.” Ali insisted.
“My daughter is a proud young woman, she’ll never agree to marry a man without his parents’ approval” Zahra’s mom said.
He left the building feeling crushed, got into his car and drove off like a maniac at the speed of lightening.  This is when he got into a terrible accident too and was rushed into surgery about two hours later.

No one dared tell Zahra about Ali’s accident. She was now at the institution learning how to cope with blindness and trying to adjust to her new life. Although her anger at the world made this ordeal an impossible, endless struggle.

“I know you don’t want to see anyone..”
“See? You think I can ‘see’ anyone? I’m as blind as a bat you idiot!” Zahra snapped at the poor nurse.
“I’m sorry” Zahra’s mom apologized to the nurse. “Please don’t take her tone personally. She’s been through a rough time”
“There’s a woman here to visit, and she’s insisting to meet Ms. Zahra” The nurse continued.
“Who is she?” Zahra asked.
“Her name is Rehana”
Zahra clenched her jaws, and pressed a hand to her throat, feeling her veins about to pop from her suppressed rage. “Mom, give us a minute please.” She hissed.  “I need to speak to Rehana alone”

Later that day

“Rehana honey tell me what happened” I ran to hug my friend who had been waiting for me on my porch. She was shivering and sobbing hysterically, I could hardly understand a word she was saying.
“I talked to Ibrahim’s sister” Rehana sniffled.
“You what? Rehana you told me it was all over! You said you had repented and closed that page.” I scolded.
“No Lilly you don’t understand. They got into a car accident and his sister Zahra lost her eyesight. She’s staying in the same special needs institution I volunteer at. I couldn’t not go see her. Especially after what Ibrahim said. He blames me for the accident and for everything that has happened.”

I tried to hide my disappointment and be supportive instead. After all, I wasn’t just her life long friend I was also her therapist now, ever since she finally decided to confess her sin and asked me to help her get back on the straight path.

“Ibrahim thought confessing the truth to his sister would help him clear his conscious. He admitted he got distracted while driving coz I was texting him.” Rehana gasped for breath. “I went to ask Zahra for forgiveness, but she wouldn’t listen. It was horrible.” Rehana sobbed. “Even after I swore I ended it with her brother, she called me the worst names. She said she couldn’t understand how good people like her end up suffering instead of devils like me. She’s right Lilly. She’s so right.”
“She’s angry, Rehana. No one knows what they’d do if they were in her situation.”
“She said she wasn’t gonna suffer the consequences alone, and then threatened to tell my husband and my parents. She said she’ll make sure this scandal follows me everywhere I go, at work and at the institution. She never gave me a chance to explain.” Rehana was shaking uncontrollably I could tell she was about to have a nervous breakdown.
“Somebody HELPPPP” I cried.

Later that night

“Psych ward? Are you people insane?” I asked the nurse when I went to visit the next day. “Rehana is fine. She’s just a bit stressed out.”
“Doctor’s orders, ma’am.” The bored nurse replied.
“I need to see her”

Rehana was sitting on the floor alone in a dimmed room, barefoot and her hair disarrayed. She looked exactly like the first time I met her in fifth grade sitting in detention outside the principle’s office. She had the kindest heart yet, ever since we were little girls; she always ended up getting herself in trouble.

“It’s over Lilly…” Rehana stared at the wall blankly.
“It’s not honey. Have faith in Allah. He can change the unchangeable. You know that, right?”
“Ibrahim hates me. Zahra hates me. My parents hate me. My husband hates me. And even you hate me..” Rehana bowed her head down in disgrace.
“I don’t hate you Rehana. I love you and I’m gonna help you through this.” I cried.
“It’s too late for me. I don’t deserve Allah’s forgiveness…”
“Please don’t say that. The door to repentance is always open..”
“I know Allah hates me for what I’ve done. Zahra’s right. I am the devil.”
“What happened to Zahra isn’t anyone’s fault. It’s an act of God, and God will never allow bad things to happen unless good comes out of it.” I insisted. “Allah loves us, Rehana.”
“I’ve done so much damage, Lilly. You don’t know how many people I’ve hurt and how many lives I’ve singlehandedly ruined.”
“There’s still time to learn from your mistakes and fix what you broke. Like Omar Ibn Al Khattab said, ‘sometimes the people with the worst past create the best future.’”
Rehana buried her head in her two pale palms. “Lilly, I really loved Ibrahim and I never wanted to hurt him or his family. Promise me you’ll help him fix his life and find happiness. Promise me you’ll help everyone who suffered because of my actions.”
“I’ll try” I replied, desperate to say something soothing.
“I left a letter to my husband asking for his forgiveness, please make sure he gets it” Rehana whispered before sliding out a gun from under the carpet she was sitting on.

Where on Earth would she get a gun in solitary? I wondered silently, my heart pounding so loud, evidently distracting my brain from coming up with a plan.
“Please, don’t” I pleaded. “Trust me, there are other options!”
“I wish that were true..” Rehana whispered.
“Noooooooooooooo”

A couple of weeks later

“She tried to take her own life?” Zahra repeated the question like an endless tireless echo.

“We stopped her at the last minute. Unfortunately she suffered major deficits and is now in a coma. Doctors don’t think she’ll wake up anytime soon”

I came to see Zahra at the institution, still overwhelmed and heartbroken.

“I can’t believe she tried to kill herself. Why? How can any Muslim do that? I swear I wasn’t gonna say anything. I’d never shame anyone that way. I didn’t mean it. I was just blabbering out of anger, I didn’t mean it.” Zahra slurred.
It took a couple of days for her to absorb the immense impact of her words. She couldn’t eat or sleep; she was practically going insane with remorse.

“My heart is gonna explode. I don’t know how to go back to my life as if nothing happened. I’m so angry and hurt I don’t think I can take this anymore.” Zahra cried.

“Rehana gave up the Lord’s endless mercy and submitted to the whispers of Satan. She forgot that He says “No one despairs of Allah’s soothing mercy except those who have no faith” [Qur’an: Chapter 12: Verse 87]. Her hopelessness affected so many people. Her loved ones will never be the same again and they’ll probably never forgive her. If you give up now… Zahra I don’t know what will happen to them, to Ibrahim, Ali, Omar, Salma, Aisha, your parents, your friends. It will change them. If you fall apart now, you’ll drop their hopes to their ground, shattering their faith and willpower. And like poison, this anger and bitterness will spread around and it won’t end. It will never ever end.”

“This is a huge burden to carry…” Zahra wept softly.
“Life is a test; it’s full of hardships. But we must remember the events that take place during our journey don’t control us, our decision do. And you have a decision to make. This is the tipping point Zahra, whatever you decide today will change everyone’s life forever….”

Three months later

“I can’t find Zahra” Aisha panicked; still holding her sister-in-law’s abandoned wedding gown. “I think she ran away”

“How could she possibly run away? She’s BLIND!”

To be continued…

What productive lessons have you learned from this episode? Share them with us in the comments!

Read Episode 1 | Episode 2 | Episode 3 | Episode 4 | Episode 5

If you haven’t read Season 1 of this series, you can read Inside the Therapist’s Office Season 1 for more insight on the pillars of Islam.

The post [Inside The Therapist’s Office 2 – Ep 6] The Whole Story appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

Ramadan is an exceptional month where every high-performing Muslim wants to be at their best: spiritually, physically, and socially. However, it can also be a very challenging month with lack of sleep, lack of focus, and lack of energy.

Since the start of Ramadan 1443H, I have partnered with Mohammed Faris, founder of The Productive Muslim Company, to test out a few biohacks and measure their impact on our levels of energy, focus, and overall wellbeing, while if you have issues with your productivity , you can get a mental toughness coach that will help you grow out of it and make you stronger and more productive.

We experimented using different combinations of what I’ll share below and used the Whoop 4.0 fitness tracker (affiliate link) to measure how each experiment impacted our sleep, strain, and recovery and recorded voice notes on how we felt throughout the day.

Before I share our top recommended biohacks for Ramadan, a quick introduction to biohacking and what it means for Ramadan.

What does biohacking mean?

When you think of a biohack, you probably think of a pill you take that’s supposed to alter your biology. However, biohacking covers a spectrum, from aligning ourselves with nature to technology and supplements.

The best approach to biohacking is to start with self-awareness and mindfulness about your energy/focus levels and what works and doesn’t work for you—followed by tapping into nature and life rhythms to make the most of how your body interacts with nature. Finally, using supplements and technology to help you ‘mimic’ our ancestors’ fitra (natural disposition) lifestyle before modern electricity, internet, work schedules, etc. 

A few points related to biohacking for Ramadan:

1. The purpose of this article is not to ‘cheat’ fasting or make fasting Ramadan ‘easy’. Instead, it is to help high-performing Muslims manage their energy and focus throughout the fasting month, especially those in critical roles like doctors and pilots.
2. Before trying any of the hacks below – especially those that use supplements – we highly recommend that you speak to your doctor to confirm that it is safe to adopt them. Myself and The Productive Muslim company will not be held responsible for any harm caused by following these hacks without prior consultation with a medical doctor.
3. Even with these hacks – you’ll still feel the difficulty of Ramadan. So following these hacks will not turn you into a super being. However, they can make your Ramadan much more high-performing than usual.

Alright, bismillah, here are the top 10 biohacks I recommend for Ramadan.

10 Biohacks for Ramadan

1. Wear blue light blocking glasses at night 

وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًۭا

And made your sleep [a means for] rest

Quran 78:9

Blue light blocking glasses help mitigate the damage that post-Maghrib light exposure causes. This is a critical circadian rhythm hack.

Screen lights and most overhead lighting in the evening hours are proven to disrupt our natural sleep cycles. Evidence shows that our natural sleep hormones are suppressed, and our natural daytime stress hormones get boosted every time we expose ourselves to screen light or overhead lighting at night. This leads to poor quality sleep for almost everyone on the planet, 365 days a year! As a result, we are not getting the restorative sleep essential for good health. 

During Ramadan, we will sleep less given the late iftars/Taraweeh prayers and waking up early for suhoor. So we need to optimize our sleep cycles to get better quality sleep while getting less quantity of sleep. 

Blue-light blocking glasses can block up to 99% of the harmful blue light in the evening and ‘hack’ your sleep cycle to experience greater levels of deep sleep and REM.

Practical Tip: I know this might sound weird, but wear blue light blockers in the last hour before your designated sleep time (yes, including at the masjid at Isha/Taraweeh), and notice the greater energy and mental performance you have the next day during fasting hours. 

2. Expose yourself to sunlight early in the morning

إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ

Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding –

Quran 3:190

This is another essential circadian rhythm hack. Getting outside and witnessing morning sunlight (as close to post-fajr (dawn) as possible) causes us to make more of our sleep hormone (melatonin) at night. This practice resets our hormonal rhythms every day.

Furthermore, the full spectrum of light that the sun provides has also shown positive results in impacting the damage and strain that artificial light causes during the rest of our day. 

Lastly, more interesting evidence is becoming available regarding the mental, emotional, and physical benefits of seeing the sunrise and sunset. Positive human genetic switches get activated when we witness the alternation of night and day, which Allah has mentioned in the Qur’an as a sign.

Practical Tip: Get out for 10 minutes in the morning as soon as possible and let the natural light of the morning enter your eyes. You will further improve your sleep quality, and you can experience greater biological system functioning. This doesn’t require looking at the sun. The sun’s light is powerful enough to register in our eyes without directly gazing at it. 

3. Move More 

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to go to the Quba’ mosque, sometimes walking, sometimes riding [Sahih Bukhari]

Note: The distance from the Prophet’s mosque to Quba’ mosque is roughly 7 km.

Movement is essential for a human being’s physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual health. We all generally know that exercise is essential for good cardiovascular and metabolic health. We now know that it is a much bigger story than that. Not only is it essential for hormonal health and balance (and hormones drive almost every process in our bodies), but it also directly impacts our nervous system, cognitive functioning, and emotional state. 

Sedentary living is one of the greatest contributing factors to nearly all chronic illnesses and even some degenerative mental diseases. Furthermore, deep down in the nervous system, a body that doesn’t move is perceived by itself as sick, weak, potentially incapable, and therefore in danger. What does our body do in response? It provides us with an abundance of stress chemicals to get us up and back in action! This daily dose of stress chemicals leads to a chronic inflammatory state that impairs our biological systems, leading to poor metabolic health, digestive issues, cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory health problems, endocrine system imbalance, depression/anxiety, etc. Can we truly show up as our best selves with high spiritual focus and performance levels under these conditions?

Ramadan is not a time to stop moving or continue our sedentary lifestyle. I’m sure we all can imagine how our righteous predecessors didn’t have the luxury of sitting all day, driving between locations, and ordering anything they needed at the touch of a button. The way for us to holistically improve our health during Ramadan and beyond is to mimic the way of our predecessors. And there is great news! It all can be done at home, and it takes a lot less time than we might think it will. 

Practical Tip: Here are three main movement lifestyle hacks to implement this Ramadan: 

• Walking. Walking is free medicine, period. A day without walking is not a typical human day at all. Walking activates our largest muscles. This, in turn, benefits our blood glucose levels, bone density, metabolism, serotonin/melatonin production, sleep quality, and more. Twenty minutes a day should be the minimum. Any walking you can do directly after your iftar/suhoor is even better.
• Sit / Stand. Standing more often while working will activate the largest muscles in your body and save you from back/neck pain, unwanted fat storage, and stress chemical release. Try to stand for at least 10 minutes after every 30 minutes of sitting. Use an alarm to remind you.
• Move heavy objects. Like all of our human predecessors, we are designed to pull water out of wells, carry various objects, lift and stack, pick up animals, squat for multiple purposes, etc. Find a way to grab a safe but heavy object (it can be weights of course) and prioritize time daily to mimic the old ways! For extra help on this, look up farmer carries and functional movement patterns. That should get you started, and all you need is a few minutes per day! This practice helps to increase our glucose sensitivity, which many of us will want during Ramadan. 

4. Eat Real Food

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ كُلُوا۟ مِمَّا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ حَلَـٰلًۭا طَيِّبًۭا وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ خُطُوَٰتِ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّۭ مُّبِينٌ

O mankind, eat what is good and lawful from the earth, and do not follow Satan’s footsteps, for he is your sworn enemy.

Quran 2:168

We might get tomatoes thrown at us here! Nutrition can be a sensitive subject. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach, as we all have different genetics, ages, goals, etc. The real food approach is the best starting point to create a new relationship with food. It goes a little something like this:

• the more ingredients it has, the less real it is 
• If it comes in a box, package, or wrapper and has words you can’t pronounce, steer clear!
• The closer it looks to its original source, the better (from the animal, tree, ground etc.)
• More refined = Less real
• The longer it is designed to last on a shelf, the worse it is for us.
• Lastly, implement the 80/20. Try to live like this 80% of the time and forget about the rest if you want to. 

At the end of our fast, we are open to receiving. The cells in our bodies will take in what we choose to consume, especially at iftar time. What we eat becomes our physical tissues and hormones, and enzymes that drive our systems. In many ways, we are what we eat! Fasting is perfect for us, but not accompanied by an inflammatory diet and lifestyle. 

During Ramadan (and the rest of the year), our food choices will determine much about our daily health and well-being. Digestive issues (bloating, gas, cramping, heartburn, constipation, etc) are signs that what we are eating is likely not suitable for us as an individual. Furthermore, our gut health dictates our mood and sleep quality, which I’m sure we all want to improve. 

The well-known “happiness” hormone/neurotransmitter serotonin is mostly produced in our gut. An inflamed compromised gut directly impacts our mood, but since serotonin is a precursor to melatonin (our sleep hormone), it also affects our sleep! 

This Ramadan (and beyond), let’s commit to achieving better moods, focus, sleep, and energy through food. 

Practical Tip: Ask yourself a couple of questions before you decide what to eat for iftar/suhoor: 

1. Is this food “real”? Is tofu halal or haram?
2.  And is this food from the tayyib category that Allah mentions in the Qur’an?   

5. Nature mimicking nutrients/supplements – Vitamin D, Celtic Sea Salt 

Human beings need vitamin D. Vitamin D is not a vitamin; it is a hormone. It is a master hormone in many ways, and all of our other hormones don’t function well without it. Insufficient vitamin D levels compromise us both physically and mentally. The best way to get it is sun exposure, but that isn’t always easy for everyone. Getting sufficient levels from our diet is very difficult. Test yourself rather than guessing, and make sure you supplement if needed. 

We are likely spending too much time indoors during Ramadan (and all year long). That is why mimicking nature through vitamin D supplementation can be extremely important.

Another mimic that can be essential for many of us is related to minerals. Much of the water we are drinking is depleted of minerals. For that reason, prioritizing good quality water and adding a pinch of Celtic Sea Salt can be very beneficial. There are other mineral supplements, of course, but sea salt is an easy go-to, and it has over 70 essential minerals in it!

This can be very important during Ramadan as we tend to be minerally depleted at the end of a fast. Making sure that we restore minerals will help us ensure better biological functioning during this month. 

Practical Tip: If you have time, go get tested for vitamin D levels in your body and other minerals. Otherwise, get a vitamin D supplement and throw some Celtic sea salt in your water to tap into this biohack.

6. Temperature Hacks – Cold and hot

As uncomfortable as this truth might sound, human beings are not meant to be comfortable all of the time. We harm ourselves by not getting enough beneficial stress. Our entire being is designed to grow stronger and become more resilient through small doses of various stressors. This is known as hormesis.

There are many types of hormetic stressors. Exercise and fasting are among the more familiar. One that doesn’t get enough attention however is temperature. Human beings were not created to sit in perfectly temperature-controlled rooms. When we never get hot or cold, we lose resilience in our health. This is why saunas and cold plunges are the craze. For now, we’ll keep it simple by just laying out some of the benefits. 

• Heat exposure benefits immune function, reduces inflammation, improves brain function (through BDNF), detoxes the body, etc. 
• Cold exposure lowers body fat, improves blood sugar, boosts immune function, leads to better sleep quality, reduces inflammation, etc. 

A little of either can go a long way! 

Practical Tips:

During Ramadan, and depending on where one lives, it might be challenging to get extreme temperature exposure. We don’t recommend sauna use during Ramadan, but if you are in a hot city, you might want to spend 10 to 20 minutes outside during the day. It can be in the shade if the air temperature is hot enough. 

Cold is often easier to come by. There are ice vests, ice pits, cryotherapy, and just regular outdoor cold air and water for some of us. One way to get started is to do a couple of minutes in the shower of 10 seconds of warm water, followed by 20 seconds of max cold. This isn’t optimal as we will have the potential of wasting water, so as soon as you get used to it, try to shower only in cold water a few times per week! Focus on your breath and control your gasp response. This is an excellent Ramadan hack, as we can boost many of the benefits of fasting through this protocol. 

7. Grounding – Touch Nature

A man from the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) traveled to Fadaalah ibn Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) when he was in Egypt. After a brief conversation he asked him: “Why do I not see any shoes on you?” Fadaalah replied: “The Prophet (ﷺ) used to command us to go barefoot sometimes”.
[Abu Dawud].

When was the last time you touched a tree or stone? When did you last have your bare feet on natural earth? When we ask these questions, people often are shocked when they realize it has been ages! 

By now, you may have heard of grounding or earthing. It is the practice of connecting with the natural earth and the earth’s natural magnetic frequencies. This leads to an ion exchange that has many benefits, such as reducing inflammation, realigning our circadian rhythms (improving sleep quality), lowering stress chemicals, and more. 

This is such an easy hack, and definitely, we can get 10 to 20 minutes here and there throughout the week during Ramadan. Once again, some of the benefits are similar to the benefits of fasting. Therefore this hack is an excellent way to get a boost.

Practical Tips: In your next morning walk (see Hack #2 above), take off your shoes and socks and walk barefoot on the grass/sand, and touch a tree with your hand and really connect with the tree as a spiritual being that worships Allah just like you do.

8. Quality Fasting 

ۚ وَأَن تَصُومُوا۟ خَيْرٌۭ لَّكُمْ ۖ إِن كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

… But to fast is best for you, if you only knew.

Quran 2:184

As we already touched on, fasting is a beneficial (hormetic) stressor. All biomarkers improve in a fasted state, such as blood sugar, lipids, blood pressure, etc. Fasting has also been shown to promote detoxification and balance our gut microbiome. How we Muslims do it, dry fasting (i.e. without water), is even more powerful. 

Most importantly, fasting sharpens our spiritual faculties. When we hold ourselves back from food, drink, and our natural drives while at the same time guarding ourselves against actions and speech that we have been guided to avoid, our true virtuous nature can rise. 

With this opportunity to work on ourselves during Ramadan, we should do our absolute best to get out of our way. How can we do that? By not pairing this time of fasting with lifestyle practices that lead to less than optimal performance, brain fog, digestive stress, and fatigue.

Practical Tip: Take the quality of your fasting and Ramadan to the next level by combining the hacks you’re learning in this article with your fasting for maximal spiritual and physical performance.

9. Breathwork

وَٱلصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ ١٨

by the dawn that softly breathes:

Quran 81:18

Breathwork is our superpower. We take about 20,000 breaths per day, and each sends a direct message to our nervous system that determines much about our current mental, emotional, and physical state. 

It is known that the vast majority of people alive today have an inverted breathing pattern, meaning most of us no longer breathe from the diaphragm, inflating our belly when we inhale and deflating our belly upon the exhale. Most of us do the exact opposite and from the chest rather than the diaphragm (abdomen), which causes the release of stress chemicals as it is a breathing pattern that mimics the fight or flight response. This causes inflammation, impedes digestion, and leads to many other biological system imbalances. 

We can reconnect with our diaphragm while taking deep, slow breaths in our tradition. This is done through the slow recitation of the Qur’an. Watch videos of the well-known Qaris as they slowly recite and count how many inhales they take per minute. Interestingly, slowing down our breaths to about four or five breaths per minute has been shown to give us the benefits we need.

Practical Tip: This Ramadan, let’s try to connect with ourselves through proper breathing while reciting Qur’an and even in our dhikr practices. We also recommend using the Breathwrk app for guided practices on breathing.

10. Supplement with Nootropics (safely)

A simple definition of nootropics is natural or synthetic substances that can be taken to improve mental performance in healthy people (Healthline). The most common nootropic is caffeine. Caffeine from high-quality sources and in the right doses can increase energy, boost mood, and have neuroprotective properties. 

There are so many other nootropics (some referred to as “smart drugs”) ranging from simple and natural to synthetic and, in some cases, dangerous. We are not promoting the use of any nootropic substance without the consent of a medical professional. Also, some people can tolerate them, while others cannot, which is often the case with caffeine. 

For those who are interested in experimenting with the cognitive benefits of nootropics, we have listed a few of the common ones used by the average person to the more avid bio-hacker below:

• High quality Coffee OR Bulletproof Coffee
• Time-release caffeine tablets
• Qualia, 
• Ginkgo Biloba, 
• Maca, 
• Yerba Mate, 
• Lion’s Mane, 
• Modafinil (by prescription)

 If taken safely, you may find that supplementing them before starting your fast can help. This approach could be considered by those of us living in areas of the world where the fasting days are long, the work schedules don’t change, and you have high determination to accomplish the performance of ‘ibadah through the night. 

These supplements can give you the cognitive functioning and mental focus you might need to seize the early part of your day with higher performance levels. 

Practical Tips: We recommend that you don’t experiment with nootropics that you haven’t tried before during Ramadan, especially the synthetic ones. However, after Ramadan, you can experiment with some of the above after researching what works best for you. If you’re keen to experiment with one of the above, we recommend starting with Bulletproof Coffee, but of course in combination with a healthy approach to nutrition.

And that’s all! 10 Biohacks to help you maximize your spiritual, physical, and mental performance during Ramadan. 

If you found this useful and want to share your biohacking experiments with fellow Muslims, join our Slack community and check out the #biohack channel.

The post 10 Biohacks For High-Performing Muslims During Ramadan appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

“You are destined for greatness. Believe in yourself and go for it.”

This should be an inspirational and empowering belief. That’s why you’ll see it plastered around the internet as a motivational quote.

Go for it. Not only can you do it, but you are meant to do it.

At face value, it sounds healthy, but it can be a recipe for hustle culture. It is true that we are often our own worst enemies. We let negative self-talk become a barrier to moving forward. It is energizing then, to find something reinforcing the idea we most definitely will succeed. 

Instead of overcoming self-limiting beliefs, believing you are destined for greatness may be the most self-limiting belief you can have.

What is our potential? What does that success look like? These are important questions that are not answered, so we are left to create our own definitions. Perhaps I feel that I have the potential to become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, and I won’t rest until I achieve it. 

Maybe I have a friend, who I think is less talented than me, that started a multi-million dollar business. In my head, this means I have the potential to do better, and now will not rest until I do better. 

Feeling destined for greatness becomes just another way of thinking that you deserve this image of success you have painted in your head. We tell ourselves that our hard work must pay off, and we will get to where we want to go. 

This forms the foundation for hustle culture. It doesn’t stop there though. 

If I believe I am destined for greatness, I will act accordingly. When presented with an ethical gray area, I may be more tempted to act slightly unethically in order to attain that success I wanted. It becomes easier to self-rationalize playing politics to get ahead and hurting others in the process. It makes it easier to justify sacrificing time with family to spend more time on work emails every night. In other words, it makes someone selfish. 

Ryan Holiday offers up this definition of ego,

“It’s not confidence—which is properly defined as evidence of our strengths and abilities. Ego is something different, something less earned, a kind of unhealthy belief in our own importance. … It’s the voice whispering in our ear that we’re better than other people, that our needs matter more, that the rules don’t apply to someone as exceptional as we are. It’s the sense that we are special and therefore need this success or that piece of recognition to prove it (or rather, we deserve it because well, because). It’s the belief that everyone else is watching us, that we’re destined for greatness.”

In Islamic literature, we are familiar with the idea of jihad-al-nafs, which is defined by Abu Aaliyah Surkheel as,

“… the personal struggle against one’s nafs; the lower self or ego, wherein a person strives to overcome temptations, carnal desires and the devil’s whisperings; striving also to internalize the Islamic teachings through acts of worship and devotion: like prayer, fasting, dhikr and almsgiving.”

Abu Aaliyah further continues, commenting on the concept of the nafs al-ammārah bi’l-sū’ (soul that constantly incites to evil),

“This unweaned soul is the abode of a multitude of incessant cravings and desires: be it for wealth, fame, power, physical gratification, exploitation of others – in short, anything that deflects one away from Allah and towards the lower, bestial possibilities of the human condition.”

We are adept at spotting this in others. In many cases, particularly when it comes to money or business/career status, we can spot the undue sense of entitlement from a mile away. We are not as good at diagnosing it in ourselves. One way our soul incites us to these same evils is by masking the undue entitlement with softer, more positive feelings such as deserving something or earning it through merit.  

Believing we are destined for greatness fosters an unhealthy belief in our own importance and cultivates self-centered ambition. 

In a professional environment, this manifests itself in a number of ways. A person will

• Not want to invest time in learning a tool or skill that does not serve the picture of success they have in their head.
• Have unrealistic expectations of what kind of role or position they deserve to be in.
• Lack self-awareness to see how they measure up against their peers.
• Not sacrifice for the sake of team or organizational success.
• Find it difficult to be content, find meaning, or find purpose in their work if they don’t “like” what they are doing.
• Not be engaged in their work. 
• Not be able to form strong relationships or network with others. 
• Constantly look for validation. 
• Deliver work that is subpar or obviously used shortcuts. 
• Seek credit and over-inflate their own contributions.
• Be unable to identify opportunities. 
• Have difficulty finding good mentors. 
• Not be receptive to good advice from others. 
• Garner a reputation as being difficult to work with, or in some cases even toxic. 

It is easy to read this list and immediately think of someone we know that fits this description. It is difficult to realize we might be doing the same things under the positive facade of working hard to be successful. 

To combat the ego means reframing our ideas of success. From a mindset point of view, it means focusing more on the akhirah aspect of success. Practically, it means shifting to a focus on process instead of outcomes. In doing so, we move away from the ego’s obsession with personal glory and embrace a more profound understanding of ego death, which allows us to grow and find fulfillment beyond mere material accomplishments.

Thinking in terms of “what can I do today to get better” shapes your actions drastically differently from thinking in terms of “how do I achieve X”. Focusing on finding purpose in your work goes much farther than only wanting to do what you are passionate about. 

At the root, you have to deprogram the idea of deserving something. 

If any human were to have the right of saying they deserved something, we might say it is the Prophet (s) deserving to go to Jannah. And yet, we find him saying this instead:

“Follow the right course, be devoted, and give glad tidings. Verily, none of you will enter Paradise by his deeds alone.” They said, “Not even you, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet said, “Not even me, unless Allah grants me His mercy. Know that the most beloved deed to Allah is that which is done regularly, even if it is small”

(Bukhari and Muslim)

The last two statements of this hadith offer a profoundly simple solution to the complex battle against our egos. 

The first is to acknowledge our station in front of Allah (swt). He provides and sustains, but he does not owe us anything. 

The second is to stay process-focused on your work. To make it into Jannah is a gargantuan achievement. In Silicon Valley speak, entering paradise would be the ultimate BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) – a reward worth infinitely more than all the riches of this world combined. And yet, the prescription for it is a reminder that the most beloved deeds to Allah are those that are small and consistent. 

It shifts our mindset from being outcome-focused to being process-focused. It takes us from a hustle culture mindset to a barakah culture mindset. 

Recalling the earlier example of a professional environment, this would look like

• Adopting the mindset of a student who is constantly learning
• Consistently delivering results, even when you do not feel like it
• Garnering a reputation for being diligent and responsible
• Able to receive critical feedback as a means of improvement instead of a personal attack
• Looking for ways to develop skills and add value to others
• Leading from a place of responsibility
• Strong ability to adapt to changing situations and circumstances
• Finding ways to give credit to and uplift others 

Breaking free from the idea that we are destined to achieve something is liberating. The moment I forget about the outcome, the less I worry and stress about it. It frees us from the shackles of unrealistic expectations, allows us to focus on doing the work we need to do to get better, and relegates the results of that work to Allah (swt). 

The barakah, of course, is that those results Allah (swt) gives us are often far more than we hoped for or deserved. 

Join the upcoming Careers Masterclass

I’m excited to partner with The Productive Muslim Company to launch the Careers Masterclass. A 5-week masterclass to learn practical tools and guidance to get ahead in your career without sacrificing your deen. Learn more at https://productivemuslim.com/careers/

The post Ego is the Enemy of Barakah appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

Although there are lots of books and resources that discuss how to run successful meetings, in this article, I’ll explore how we can approach meetings from a spiritual perspective and the impact our spirituality has on the quality of our meetings. 

I’ll also try to answer the question: how can our meetings be conduits of Barakah (Divine Goodness) for ourselves and organizations and even a means of personal and team-wide spiritual development?

This article will be useful for team leaders, managers, and really anyone who wants to see more Barakah in their work meetings insha’Allah.

Meetings As Spaces Where Souls Meet

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, “…souls are like recruited soldiers, those that recognize one another unite in harmony and those that do not recognize one another are at an aversion”.

[Muslim]

To understand the above hadeeth, we need to understand that the beginning journey of our soul is not the moment we entered this world. Instead, the origin of all souls was when they were created by Allah SWT, and made us witness His Divine Existence. Allah SWT says in the Quran:

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَبُّكَ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ مِن ظُهُورِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَبِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَآ ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَـٰذَا غَـٰفِلِينَ

And [mention] when your Lord took from the children of Adam – from their loins – their descendants and made them testify of themselves, [saying to them], “Am I not your Lord?” They said, “Yes, we have testified.” [This] – lest you should say on the Day of Resurrection, “Indeed, we were of this unaware.”

Quran 7:172

So in that pre-existence world, some souls met each other while some did not. That connection carried into this realm which explains how sometimes you may walk into a meeting and ‘click’ with someone even though you never met them before, or, the opposite happens – you try hard to work with someone and even though they are a nice person, you feel some kind of unexplained aversion to them.

To be clear, this is not an excuse to avoid working with some people because you don’t like them or create in-groups and cliques with people because you enjoy working with them. Instead, we should understand this hadeeth from two perspectives:

1. When we enter a space, we don’t just bring our professional selves to work; we bring our whole soul to work. And our soul may or may not connect with those in the room.
2. Just because we don’t connect with someone at a spiritual level doesn’t mean I should shun them; instead, we should see their presence as a test of our character and spiritual development. And if we can learn to work with them with ihsaan, that can only benefit the whole team as we’ll be able to learn from each other dispite our diverse and different way of thinking and being.

When You Bring Your Whole Soul To A Meeting

Dr. Abdallah Rothman, in his article “What Islam Offers to Modern Self-Help: An Islamic Paradigm of Psychology,” shares the following structure of the soul: 

He argues that unlike popular conceptions within modern psychology, an Islamic perspective of the soul includes multiple aspects, namely: body, mind (Aql), spiritual heart (Qalb), spirit (ruh), and self (nafs). These aspects integrate together to form the spiritual being we know as a human being. 

Therefore, when a soul attends a meeting – they bring these different aspects of their soul to the meeting. Moreover, each of these aspects can be impacted by the interactions that happen during the meeting. Below are examples of how each aspect of a soul can be affected during a meeting:

• Qalb (Spiritual Heart): If the Qalab is spiritually healthy and not sick, it’ll be able to perceive the spiritual reality of what’s happening in a meeting and maybe be given insights (baseerah) that can be very beneficial to the team or organization. However, if the spiritual heart is sick with a spiritual disease such as envy or arrogance, it may filter through into the meeting in the form of office politics or toxic behavior.  
• Aql (Mind): If the mind is sound – not just mentally but spiritually sound – a person will use their Aql to make spiritually-intelligent decisions during the meeting. For example, instead of just performing a cost/benefit analysis of a project from a Dunya (wordly) perspective, they’ll consider the Akhira (hereafter) perspective of a project and its long term benefit, thus using their Aql to make a spiritually intelligent decision for this world and the next.
• Nafs (Self): Perhaps the part that is most ‘active’ in meetings is the Nafs (Self) which, if not disciplined, can be self-centered, territorial, and egotistic. We’ve all witnessed how the Nafs, if left unbridled by the Qalb and Aql, can wreak havoc in meetings. On the other hand, if we keep our nafs in check during meetings, we might go through tough conversations without feeling threatened or blamed by what is said.
• Spirit (Ruh): This is the antidote to the Nafs. The pure part of your soul that wants to pull you up to higher meaning and purpose. It wants to connect to the Divine and heavenly realities instead of earthly desires. It can be idealistic at times – but it’s precisely this idealism that makes it an important voice to hear during meetings.
• Body: Let’s not forget the physical side of our being – our bodies – which are the vessels of our soul. If we give our body its right – with rest, nutrition, and exercise – we’ll show up to a meeting in a much better state than if we are tired or unhealthy (We cover the topic on how to take care of your body in detail in our Wellness Masterclass). Also, simple things like dressing up and being well-groomed for a meeting will impact your performance and presence during the meeting vs. showing up scruffy (or wearing your PJs on zoom calls!).

Suppose we accept that meetings are spaces where souls meet and that each soul has different aspects which can be affected in various ways during a meeting. In that case, we need to design our meetings as conducive environments where we bring the best aspects of our soul to a meeting and reduce the triggers that may bring out the negative aspects of our soul. 

Moreover, let’s not forget that in addition to managing our souls, we have an archenemy that wants to negatively influence us, whom we need to be aware of – and that is Satan (Read the article: How Satan Impacts Workplace Productivity).

Practical Tips to Design Meetings for Barakah

If you’ve been following our blog for a while, you’ll know that we advocate for individuals and organizations to adopt Barakah Culture instead of Hustle Culture.

Barakah Culture is God-centered, hereafter focused, and purpose and impact-driven. Whereas Hustle Culture is ego-centered, worldly-focused, and material results-driven.

If we want to fuse our meetings with Barakah – we first need to adopt the Barakah Culture worldview as a team and then design our meetings as opportunities for whole soul development.

Below are ideas for designing such meetings that we brainstormed with our community members during our weekly calls (a meeting that was in itself full of Barakah!).  

We collected ideas on what to do before, during, and after the meeting to maximize Barakah – whether we meet in-person or virtually. I summarize the key points from our discussion below:

Before the meeting 

• Set the intention for the meeting: Why are you conducting/attending the meetings? What’s the intention behind it? How can you level up your intention for the meeting, so it’s more God-centered, Akhira-focused, and purpose/impact driven? (Hint: Use the Barakah Journal to help you level up your intention for the meeting).
• What Barakah Culture mindset, value, or ritual will you fuse into the meeting? You can use our Barakah Culture Cards as a tool to help you pick a mindset, value, or ritual to practice in the upcoming meeting. For example, if you decide to practice an “Abundant” mindset – you’ll be conscious of sharing your ideas and not hoarding information. 
• Schedule the meeting outside of prayer times: Make sure meetings don’t clash with prayer times and if for some reason you can’t avoid the clash, make sure that you schedule prayer breaks during the meeting or you inform the meeting host that you’ll need a 10-15 mins break for your prayers. Meetings should not be used as excuses to miss or delay prayers.
• “Tie your camel” and prepare for the meeting thoroughly: Don’t try to wing it at your meeting; it shows a lack of adab and respect for all attendees. If you’re the host, send the agenda early with relevant documentation. Make sure that the tech equipment and space are suitable for the meeting, etc. If you’re attending the meeting, read about what will be discussed during the meeting, have your own notes ready, and ask questions before the meeting if things are unclear.

During the meeting:

وعنه عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال‏: ‏ ‏”‏ما جلس قوم مجلساً لم يذكروا الله تعالى فيه، ولم يصلوا على نبيهم فيه، إلا كان عليهم ترة؛ فإن شاء عذبهم، وإن شاء غفر لهم‏”‏ ((رَوَاهُ التِّرمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: “حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ”))‏.‏

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whenever a group of people sit in a gathering in which they do not remember Allah the Exalted, nor supplicate to elevate the rank of their Prophet, such a gathering will be a cause of grief to them. If Allah wills, He will punish them, and if He wills He will forgive them.”

Al-Tirmidhi

• Attend the meeting in a state of spiritual purity: Right before the start of a meeting, I recommend that you make wudu (ablution), so you reduce the influence of Shaytaan upon you during the meeting. If you’re able to – ask your colleagues to do the same and come to the meeting with wudhu. If you have more time, pray 2 rakats and ask Allah for ease and facilitation during the meeting. Also, seek forgiveness often before the start of a meeting so your personal sins don’t impact the meeting outcome.
• Say Bismillah consciously: Start the meeting with an audible and conscious Bismillah – truly internalize that you’re starting this meeting “In the name of Allah”. If you can, after Bismillah, begin the meeting by thanking Allah (hamd) and sending peace and blessings upon Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to add more Barakah to your meeting.  
• Start with a Mindful check-in: If you are the meeting host, ask all team members to check in and share where they are at a personal level. This helps you assess people’s emotions and spirituality and may inform how the meeting is conducted. E.g., If someone is having a bad day, as a leader, you can ease the pressure off them during the meeting until they are in a better state. (BONUS: You can try a Mindful Practice advocated by our Mindfulness Masterclass Instructor, Wadud Hassan. He asks attendees to take 3 deep breaths and then explore how they are arriving with their mind, body, and heart. 
• Be vigilant of Shaytaan: Be conscious of Shaytaan trying to create animosity between your team members or fuel anger and arrogance in the room. Saying “Audhu-billahi min ash-Shaytaan-in-Rajeem” when arguments rise helps – or asking teammates to change their positions if things get heated up can help.
• Make proper shura: The purpose of meetings is to discuss topics thoroughly and not force your ideas on the team. Make your case, but be open to changing your mind or adopting decisions you may not like. 

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنفَضُّوا۟ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ

By an act of mercy from God, you [Prophet] were gentle in your dealings with them- had you been harsh or hard-hearted, they would have dispersed and left you- so pardon them and ask forgiveness for them. Consult with them about matters, then, when you have decided on a course of action, put your trust in God: God loves those who put their trust in Him.

Abdul Haleem 3:159

• Pause for Athan/Salah: I once attended a meeting with a leader of a large Islamic bank. When the athan went off – he went quiet and paused the meeting. After the athan, he asked that we take a break for Salah and resume the meeting after Salah. This was a  powerful example of Barakah Culture in an organizational setting.
• End the meeting with the kaffartul-Majlis dua: 

وعن أبى هريرة رضى الله عنه قال‏: ‏ قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏من جلس في مجلس، فكثر فيه لغطه فقال قبل أن يقوم من مجلسه ذلك‏: ‏ سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك، أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك، إلا غفر له ما كان في مجلسه ذلك‏”‏ ((‏‏رَوَاهُ التِّرمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صحيح)).‏

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, “Whoever sits in a gathering and indulges in useless talk and before getting up supplicates: ‘Subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, ash-had an la ilaha illa Anta, astaghfirullah wa atubu ilaika (O Allah, You are free from every imperfection; praise be to You. I testify that there is no true god except You; I ask Your Pardon and turn to You in repentance),’ he will be forgiven for (the sins he may have intentionally or unintentionally committed) in that assembly.”

At-Tirmidhi

After the meeting

• Pray istikhara: At the end of the meeting, once you have all the key decisions, pray istikhara either as a team leader or an attendee on all the decisions made and ask Allah SWT for Barakah in those decisions.
• Thank people: Send a thank you note to people who impacted you during the meeting. Maybe they shared something that inspired you or went the extra mile with their part of the presentation. The thank-you doesn’t need to come from the team leader only; it can be amongst team members themselves – privately or publicly.
• Seek forgiveness: Sometimes, in meetings, we say or do something that may be inappropriate. Reach out to the person you may have unintentionally offended and seek their forgiveness. If it’s something that you feel impacted the whole team – write/speak to them individually or as a group and seek forgiveness. Don’t let Shaytaan run between you and cause enmity. 
• Give sincere naseeha and feedback: Sometimes, you may notice a behavior from someone they may not be aware of that negatively impacts the meeting, e.g., showing up late always, or rolling their eyes when someone disagrees with them, or constantly interrupting the speaker. After the meeting, speak to them privately about the behavior and how it impacts the meeting. Give them sincere naseeha regardless if they are the CEO or the youngest intern. 
• Take action and take responsibility for the decisions made in shura: When Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) conducted shura on what to do before the battle of Uhud (whether to stay in Madinah or leave the city walls). The decision was made to go out of Medina – which wasn’t his personal preference. However, once the decision was made, he put on his armor and prepared to leave. Even when the companions felt bad that they convinced the Prophet to do something that he didn’t prefer – he didn’t change his mind but committed to the decision made in shura.
• Pray for your team: After the meeting ends, and perhaps after your istikhara prayers, take time to pray for your team privately. Ask Allah to bless them, ease their affairs, inspire them, and not let Shaytaan come between you all. These duas will be the spiritual glue that will keep the team harmony together.
• Reflect and introspect: Take some time to reflect and hold yourself accountable for your performance during the meeting. Not only from a professional point of view but also from a spiritual point of view. How was your qalb during the meeting? How was your nafs? What can you do differently next time to improve your professional and spiritual performance? (Hint: Use the end-of-day reflections in the Barakah Journal to help you with this exercise).

The above is not an exhaustive list of things you can do to attract Barakah to a meeting. However, I hope it’ll inspire you and your team to start thinking of meetings not as dreaded time-wasters but as opportunities to cultivate Barakah for yourself and organizations, insha’Allah.

If you’re interested in cultivating Barakah Culture for your organization, get in touch with us to learn more about our faith-based productivity and leadership training for teams. 

The post When Souls Meet: How to fuse Barakah into your meetings? appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

Khadijah is feeling overwhelmed these days as she is: 

• feeling stressed with what seems like a never ending TO-DO list 
• unable to focus 
• juggling between multiple roles, and 
• not feeling like she is enough for anyone in her relationships.

She realizes she needs to take care of herself but does not have enough time. She feels guilty for finding her release through binge eating or binge-watching on weeknights which means she’s sleeping later than usual and waking up tired. The entire cycle, night after night, is causing her to lose confidence in her ability to overcome this sense of overwhelm. This is starting to negatively affect the quality of her Salah, and her ability to perform well in her most important roles: both at work and home.

Omar, on the other hand, recently received a promotion, which means he’s moving up the career ladder. While responding to all the messages congratulating him on LinkedIn, he’s feeling a deep sense of dread. He fears the following consequences despite a higher income and a bigger role:

• more responsibility 
• nonstop meetings 
• late work hours, and 
• less time to do things that make him come alive i.e. attending a good Halaqa, reading a good book, playing with friends, and spending some undistracted quality time with the family.

Can you relate to either Khadijah or Omar or maybe both? How do you ground yourself when you are feeling overwhelmed? 

What is overwhelm and why do we feel overwhelmed often?

Overwhelm can be defined as the imbalance in your optimal quality of life: our spiritual, emotional, or physical wellness. Why does Overwhelm happen? According to Cognitive Neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, we are exposed to more information, activity, and focus areas than ever before in human history. This is clear when we begin to compare the recent past with the present. For example, in 1976, supermarkets stocked 9,000 items compared to 40,000 today. In 2011, Americans took in five times as much information every day as they did in 1986 –the equivalent of 175 newspapers! 

We live in continuous exposure to technology, information, and distractions but are unable to build our schedule and habits in a way that can limit continuous exposure. Setting boundaries is important as it allows us enough time to focus and transition between activities that are most important to us: such as prayer, meaningful work, family, or self-care.

Beyond that, we need silence, presence, reflection, contemplation, to engage in self-accountability, to course correct and build habits and activities that help us operate at our optimal self.  But, again, due to the continuous exposure of factors contributing to our overwhelm, most of us do not even know where to begin!

We, humans, are busier, more distracted, and juggling more than ever before in human history, and that also in a resurgent pandemic. As we approach the month of Rabi al-Awwal, what inspirations can we draw from the Prophet (peace be upon him)? How do we address our overwhelm through cultivating a Prophetic Heart? 

Overwhelm and its relationship to the nafs

One effective way to start addressing our overwhelm is to detox from technology and create intentional time to cultivate our awareness of God. During this time, we shift ourselves out of a life on autopilot or distractions towards higher awareness and presence with God. This shift teaches us to recognize when we are being led by our nafs, which is one of the root causes of overwhelm.

While addressing the external factors of life is necessary to address and regulate overwhelm, addressing our internal awareness and mindset is even more critical. By changing the mindset, and learning the tools to be closer to God, we can overcome the overwhelms in our life.

Prophetic practice confirms this notion that overwhelm can be cured through disciplining our own nafs. Our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him) used to immediately seek refuge in God when he felt distressed or overwhelmed. He would say:

 يا حي يا قيوم ، برحمتك أستغيث ،  أصلح لي شأني كله ،  ولا تكلني إلى نفسي طرفة عين

Yaa Hayyu Yaa Qayyoom, bi Rahmatika astagheeth, Aslih lee sha’nee kullahu, wa laa takilni ilaa nafsi tarfata ‘aynin

O Ever Living, Ever Sustaining, In You Mercy do I seek refuge, in setting all my affairs right. Do not leave me to my ego for even a blink of an eye.

[Haakim]

Ibn Ata’Illah, a faqih and a Master of Islamic Spiritual Psychology addresses this in his Book of Wisdom: Kitab Al Hikam:

He wrote:

الغـافـل إذا أصبح يـنـظـر مـاذا يـفـعـل

 والـعـاقـل يـنـظـر مـاذا يـفـعـل الله به

When the forgetful gets up in the morning, he reflects on what he is going to do, whereas the intelligent sees what God is doing with him.

Since the forgetful man’s gaze is on his own capability, he attributes all his actions to his own self. Allah most high therefore assigns him to his own ego. Thus, all his affairs become difficult and he becomes entrapped in numerous problems. But, for the true believer in Allah’s oneness, the most difficult task does not overwhelm him because his gaze is fixed on Allah, the Most High.

– Commentary, Kitab Al Hikam

Let us apply this mindset shift to the challenges Khadijah and Omar and many of us are experiencing: It is not I but God, who is really in control and He is the Master of all my affairs. This shift can be profound and create a deep impact on lightening the “burden” and easing the overwhelm. 

This is also where intentional living with higher awareness and consciousness of Allah’s (SWT) presence and assistance in our life begins to shine through and we accept our role to serve Allah with spiritual excellence and flow. We leave the results to Him and become more focused on showing up as our best self to please Allah (SWT). 

Shifting out of our distracted, overwhelmed lower self to our intentional, aware, God-conscious best-self can be the antidote we need spiritually and emotionally to respond effectively to the overwhelm of modern life. Let us explore this in the life of our beloved Prophet (peace be upon him).

Exploring the Prophet’s heart at the lowest point in his life

Once Ayesha (ra) asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) whether Uhud was the toughest day in his life. Our Prophet (peace be upon him) replied in the negative and mentioned that it was actually the day of Taif – the day he was driven out with a mob pelting him with stones from a mountain city, 55 miles away from Makkah. 

Why was Taif so difficult? To answer this question, think of the most difficult problem you had in your life when you felt you were at the lowest point of your life. And at that moment – remove the most important pillars of support from your life – no parent, no spouse, no sibling to support you emotionally! 

The year the Prophet (peace be upon him) went to Taif, he first lost his parent figure: his uncle Abu Talib. After a few weeks, he lost his beloved wife Khadijah (ra), the most important pillar of support – the first person to affirm his Prophethood, become a Muslim, and spend all her wealth for his cause, the mother of the queen of Jannah i.e. Fatima, and the grandmother of the leaders of all youth in Jannah i.e. Hasan and Husain. He followed these two deep losses with a mission to Taif to find a refuge for his community.

Instead of finding relief, the Prophet (peace be upon him) was mocked by the chieftains of Taif and followed by a mob petting him with stones for miles until the blessed body of the Prophet (peace be upon him) was bleeding. 

As the Prophet (peace be upon him) finally sat down after this utter humiliation, how did he process his overwhelm? How did he react to this most difficult day of his life? What were the qualities of his heart that we can emulate to pick ourselves back up from when we are feeling low?

Let us explore the qualities of the Prophet’s heart below through the H.E.A.R.T. Mindfulness Model we introduced on the Productive Muslim blog before (click here to read the article) and how you can apply this model to deal with your personal overwhelming situation: 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) thrived with compassion. He achieved so much during that moment of strength and this is reflective in what came afterward — the entire tribe would later become Muslim and from their progeny comes a man named Muhammad bin Qasim Thaqafi, who conquers Sindh and brings Islam to the South Asian diaspora opening the migration of Islam and Muslims to South Asia. Even I, the author of this article, owe my Islam to this connected thread of history!

Most of us do not need to experience our lowest day, but just a simple disappointment is enough for us to lose our capacity for kindness.

Yet, once the Prophet found his healing in the present moment and resolve through mindfulness, purpose, and gratitude, look how he rose with patience, thriving with compassion.

Addressing Khadijah’s overwhelm with the H.E.A.R.T Model

Let’s take this a step further and apply the H.E.A.R.T. Model to Khadijah’s challenge with her overwhelm:

Mindfulness Masterclass this Rabi Al Awwal

Mindfulness, purpose, gratitude, patience, and compassion – this Rabi Al Awwal, we will learn to practice these Prophetic qualities through the Mindfulness Masterclass, where we work through and learn practical and immediately applicable tools through the intersection of neuroscience and Islamic Spiritual Psychology.

This is our 5th cohort of the Mindfulness Masterclass and we’ll be joined by alumni who have felt their lives transformed as a result of this Masterclass.

“This is a life-changing class… I’m more present in my Salat, I’m practicing mindfulness on daily basis using some of Br. Wadud’s practices, and I’m approaching life from being energy rather than doing energy, AND… I’m able to accomplish more!”

Amal Essader

During the 6 week Masterclass, you’ll invest in your spiritual and emotional wellbeing and learn how to cultivate a Prophetic H.E.A.R.T. We’ll cover the following:

H – Heal in His Presence

Shifting from living on autopilot to intentional living.

• Understanding the H.E.A.R.T. Model.
• Understanding neuroscience vs. the Islamic concept of mindfulness.
• Exploring the scientific benefits of mindfulness and meditation.
• Acquiring both neuroscience and Islamic tools for training your focus.
• Practically learning the methods of “Muraqaba” or meditation of three Islamic scholars: Al Muhasibi, Ibn Qayim, and Ibn Ata’Illah.
• Understanding the science-based mindfulness meditation.

E – Engage with Purpose

From mindfulness of God to deep awareness and actualization of your purpose in life. How to develop the resilience—that’s connected to excellence, optimism, and affirmation of faith and prayer—to achieve your goals.

• The power of purpose both Islamically and through evidence-based modern research.
• Developing a statement of purpose connected to your personal core values.
• The mindset needed to refocus when you steer off your purpose.
• Experiencing the “purpose meditation” to claim your worth and focus on your goals despite failures/setbacks.

A – Achieve with Gratitude

Evolving from mindfulness to being grateful to the Bestower. Linking gratitude to neuroscience, productivity, and peak performance.

• The Quranic and Prophetic principles and promise connected to gratitude.
• The neuroscience-based benefits of gratitude.
• Experiencing a “mindfulness-based” gratitude meditation.
• The concept and steps of reframing to upgrade from scarcity to abundance-mindset.

R – Rise with Patience and Humility

How to rise beyond the challenges of this world by welcoming and regulating difficult emotions. Discovering our internal selves. Exploring your strengths, weaknesses, and triggers.

• The science behind emotions.
• Practicing a body scan meditation to be aware of your emotions.
• Imam Ghazzali’s spiritual self-awareness meditation.
• How journaling can be used as a tool for self-awareness.
• Tools for regulating difficult thoughts, emotions, and practicing patience.

T – Thrive with Compassion

How mindfulness, awareness, and deep connection to The Most Merciful God fuels the way we show up and connect with the world – starting with family. Overcoming the stresses of interpersonal relationships, communication, and leadership.

• The emerging evidence-based research on compassion and its effect on leadership.
• Differentiating between empathy and compassion.
• Practicing “compassion meditation”.
• The steps of the Prophetic Model of Compassion.

Wadud Hassan, co-founder of the upcoming Muslim Mindfulness app: Muraqaba

Sign up for the Mindfulness Masterclass.

Whether you join the Mindfulness Masterclass or not, stay ahead of overwhelm by shifting from auto-pilot to awareness, and by cultivating presence and inner calm in the practices you already have:

Spiritually: Make a slow and mindful wudhu to wash off your stress and prime yourself to be more present and grounded when you stand for Salah.

Emotionally: Take a few deep breaths with Dhikr when you are on the go, take a few minutes to transition between tasks, practice silence every day to take perspective, forgive, and let go.

Physically: Disconnect from your phone and immerse yourself in nature or just the present moment when taking a walk or doing your daily exercise.

Socially: Leave your phone away from the family musallah, living, or dining area, and connect with the family with all your heart while praying, playing, eating, or reading a book together.

And don’t forget the power of du’a! Incorporate in the du’a of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to seek refuge and shelter in the mercy and awareness of Allah (SWT). 

 يا حي يا قيوم ، برحمتك أستغيث ،  أصلح لي شأني كله ،  ولا تكلني إلى نفسي طرفة عين

Yaa Hayyu Yaa Qayyoom, bi Rahmatika astagheeth, Aslih lee sha’nee kullahu, wa laa takilni ilaa nafsi tarfata ‘aynin

O Ever Living, Ever Sustaining, In You Mercy do I seek refuge, in setting all my affairs right. Do not leave me to my ego for even a blink of an eye. [Haakim]

The post Addressing Overwhelm with a Prophetic H.E.A.R.T. appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

Challenges caused by “fall-back”

In the USA, the DST lasts about 8 months — starts early March and ends early November. Most of this time coincides with longer days, warmer weather. As practicing Muslims, our lives revolve around routines and rhythms – most notably, obligatory prayers at specific times. As Muslim professionals, we adjust our busy professional lives around this routine of worship. I find it easier to marry the two during the DST season for a couple of reasons: 

1. The days are longer, which means that I have more time between specific prayer (salah) times to complete my salah on time
2. More importantly, because the clock advances by an hour during DST, during most of DST, Alhamdulillah, Asr and Maghrib prayer times (certainly in the Dallas area – my hometown — and in most of the USA) typically lie outside of the core or busy office hours (between 8am and 5pm), which makes it generally easier to offer them on time without work distractions.  

And we settle into this comfortable routine during DST. Even though prayers times shift during the course of the DST period, but the above hold generally true.  The “fall-back” in November disrupts this routine and is a double whammy in terms of impact: 

1. The days are much shorter in winter which provides less interval between salah times. For example, in Dallas daytimes during DST last approximately 3-4 hours longer than in winter
2. Salah times for Asr and Maghrib move to the core busy working hours of the day when my calendar is full of business meetings and represents a constant source of conflict. 

So what do we do? Alhamdulliah, where there is a will, Allah makes the way easy. I will document some of the best practices that work for me. 

Approaches to deal with these challenges

Best practice 1: Start the work day as early as possible

Because of “fall-back”, Fajr prayer starts an hour earlier (in terms of clock time) than during DST, so that means we can get started with our workday earlier. I find that since Asr and Maghrib prayers follow in quick succession during the shorter days, it is difficult to plan “creative” or cognitive work between the two that requires uninterrupted focus. So starting earlier gives me that extra un-interrupted work time I need. In fact, it is a Sunnah of the Prophet to start work early in the morning, since that is a time for barakah (blessings)

Alhamdulillah, this is actually mercy from Allah . Since the nights are longer during winter, we get more time to sleep at night, so we can wake up refreshed, and get started earlier. Compare this to summer nights, where it is difficult to get even 5 hours (in the Dallas area – even less if you live further north) of continuous sleep (especially if I get up for Tahajjud prayers), which means that during DST, I am often groggy in the morning and often feel like taking a nap after Fajr prayer, which we know is not a Sunnah of the Prophet . 

Best practice 2: The lunch-time break is perfect for Zuhr salah

Another good thing about the standard time is that typically Zuhr prayer falls during the typical lunch hours (between 12pm and 1 noon). This represents a great opportunity to take care of Zhur prayers while we get a break in the work routine. 

Best practice 3: Book your prayers well in advance in your meeting calendaring system! 

As professionals, we all use online calendaring systems (such as Google Calendar or Outlook) to schedule our business meetings. Especially due to COVID-19, we may be traveling less, but it appears that our calendars are now busier with more and more online meetings throughout the day, especially during the “busy” time slots between 8 am-12noon and 1 pm-5 pm. The afternoon time slots are when we have conflicts with Dhuhr, Asr and Maghrib prayers. 

We typically look at calendars to find “free/busy” time slots to book meetings. To avoid potential conflicts I go ahead and reserve time in my calendar (showing “busy” for others who want to schedule my time for meetings) for all my Zuhr, Asr and Maghrib prayers well in advance – specially the Asr prayers, since it is Sunnah to not delay Asr prayers, and it is easy to miss Asr prayer since it occurs in one of the busiest time of the work day.

I try to block off time for the Asr prayers at the earliest timeslot when the Asr time commences. For example in the Dallas area in early December, Asr time starts around 3:45pm (Hanafi calculation), so I try to book a recurring 15 to 30 min slot on my calendar starting at that time.  Of course, I adjust the start time on the calendar as the time for prayer shifts. Please refer to any prayer time calculator (such as this one) for precise prayer times in your area. 

Alhamdulillah, this really helps, as other people will try to schedule (most of) their meetings in non-busy/“available” time slots. In addition, this serves as a formal reminder to me take breaks from work for prayer. We’ve all had days when the day whizzed by so fast that Satan made us forget to pray.   

Best practice 4: Shift personal time to the evenings

We often do find time during the DST period to squeeze in personal time for recreation (or exercise) during the daylight hours. That becomes rather difficult during the Standard Time period due to short days. By comparison, evenings and nights – outside of working hours – are longer, so that’s the best time to take care of personal activities. I was reminded of this during a recent conversation with a friend about 해외도박사이트, where we discussed how people often turn to online gaming and casinos as a form of evening entertainment. This chat highlighted the importance of finding suitable activities that fit into our schedules, especially when daylight is scarce.

Is one better than the other from a Muslim professional’s perspective? 

Given the adjustments that need to be made for the switch from DST to ST, I almost feel that we should just stick to DST all year. Matter of fact, strictly from the perspective of overlap prayer timings with work, I feel DST probably works better during the winter months and less so during the spring/summer/fall months. Many states in the USA are considering legislation to make this happen. 

However, regardless of what man-made time/clock system we follow, Allah, in His infinite mercy, will show us a way to adapt. May Allah guide us, grant us his forgiveness and mercy and make it easy for all of us. 

The post Adjusting to Fall-back time: A Professional Muslim Perspective appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

The following manifesto was written in the city of Barakah, Al-Madinah Al-Munawarah (The illuminated City), the city of Prophet Muhammad in November 2019. 

Click below to get the above Manifesto in high-quality 18″ x 24″ poster delivered to your home.

Backstory: Blessings upon Blessings

When I visited the blessed city of Prophet Muhammad in November 2019, I set the intention of writing a manifesto for the Barakah Culture that we’re spreading globally as part of our new company direction. What better place can someone write a ‘Barakah’ Culture Manifesto than in the city of our Beloved Prophet who supplicated for this city saying:

“O Allah, shower blessings upon us in our city, and in our fruits, in our mudd and in our sa’s, blessings upon blessings” [Sahih Muslim]

And He said as Anas b. Malik reported that the Messenger said:

“O Allah, increase in Medina twice the blessings (You showered) on Mecca.” [Sahih Al Bukhari]

Thankfully -and all praise is due to the Decree of Allah -, I realized after arriving in Madinah that I forgot my writing journal and I only had a few scraps of hotel notepads to write down the manifesto!

Due to the limited resources, Allah inspired me to follow the Prophetic example of saying only a few words but capturing many meanings. So I sat from ‘Asr until Maghrib prayer in the Prophetic mosque writing, scratching, and re-writing until I came to the first draft of the manifesto with the Help of Allah .

After a few iterations with the help of my team and advisors, we were able to refine these words to precisely 100 words – alhamduliAllah.

We ask Allah to accept it from us and to put Barakah in these few words so that they spread globally and guide all those who read them towards living a life of Barakah and embracing the Barakah Culture.

The post Barakah Culture Manifesto in 100 Words appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

It is hard to blame anyone for being completely confused with the rapid pace at which new nutritional recommendations are being made. It seems like everywhere you look there are new fad diets circulating in the news, social media and celebrity Twitter feeds.

For Muslims in particular, this trend may elicit even more head shaking. After years of having to defend against skepticism and backhanded comments from incredulous individuals in dismay about our backward fasting practices, everyone is talking about fasting like the concept never entered the mind of a human being ever on the face of the earth.

Frustration aside, there is a lot we stand to gain from the advances in understanding nutrition and fasting through a Western lens. Even the most traditional non-Western urban societies are much closer in resemblance to Western culture than their predecessors 1500 years ago.

And that means as much as we recognize, for example, the negative impact of a Standard American Diet (SAD, the most fitting acronym in the history of the English language) we need the same framework that produced that lifestyle to understand how to address it.

Modern science may even shed light on the past to address these problems in ways previously unimagined.

I have taken this all to heart, leveraging my background in medicine and a predilection to self-experimentation to develop a plan that incorporates the best of both worlds and times.

This year for Ramadan, I have a very specific goal: to be in a state of nutritional ketosis for the duration of the month.

Now, before you tune out what may sound like a fad diet approach to the holy month, let me add that I believe that this is completely in line with our deen (religion/way of life), the Sunnah of our Prophet , and an integral part of the journey to self-actualization; living the best version of ourselves.

We can benefit from an exciting field of research without getting sucked into the hype and misinformation that inevitably arises from the commodification of a “new” discovery.

Instead of struggling to focus, beating back hunger pangs and crushingly heavy eyelids, I propose we can approach this month in a way that improves our focus on worship and self-discovery, the depth of our connection with our Lord, and our resilience to engage this world and meet its challenges.

A good place to start this conversation is the current state of affairs when it comes to the average Muslim and Ramadan.

Misinformation on Muslims’ Health & Ramadan

It is a safe bet that we will hear at least once during this month about the negative impact our contemporary Ramadan culture has on us.

I have heard prominent figures lecturing on this topic, and already during one khutbah (sermon) this month, quote statistics that the average Muslim gains 5-10 pounds during Ramadan. But in a recent review of the medical literature, I have not found many high-quality studies that support this claim.

In fact, a recent systematic review [1] from earlier this year that included 70 different studies and almost 3000 participants showed a statistically significant drop in weight and body fat percentage in Muslims fasting around the world.

This is despite the fact that 11 of the 25 most obese countries in the world are Muslim-majority countries [2]. If anything, this is reassuring that despite our worsening problems with overweight, obesity, and associated health conditions, we still have the capacity to realize positive change in relatively short periods of time.

It is also evidence that our Creator has endowed us with a “physiologic fitra”; that is, an inclination for our bodily functions and processes to trend towards health under the right circumstances.

Our worldview is one of an integrated human being, without the distinctions between mind and body that is inherent in contemporary mainstream Western thought.

Our view holds there is a primordial nature to our being, and that would necessarily entail a physiologic aspect. More on this later.

It is quite natural to approach this month from the health angle. However, this approach is flawed because our imperative is to worship God , not to be beach ready.

Any objective other than fulfilling a commandment dilutes our sincerity in the act, and, at our peril, risks the rejection of an act of worship for being directed to other than God .

Rather, by utilizing our current understanding of metabolism, and approximating the physiologic states expected from the descriptions found in our tradition, we bring ourselves into closer alignment with the Sunnah for the sole purpose of perfecting God consciousness and worship.

With this in mind, let us reacquaint ourselves with examples from the tradition, but first a tiny bit of human metabolism.

Understanding How Your Body Functions

Most of us subsist predominantly on the burning of carbohydrates for fuel. We do this by eating or drinking a form of carbohydrates every day.

It is safe to say the vast majority of people in wealthy nations do this every single day, multiple times a day, for all of their lives (when was the last time you truly had nothing to eat for more than a day. If you can think of a time, usually it’s a major life event).

When our brain and muscles take their share of what is needed for their purposes, the rest of the sugar in our blood has to be stored in some way. That is either in the liver or as fat.

Our liver functions much like a savings account and our body fat much like a safety deposit box to store fuel in a different form of currency.

As long as we continue to use carbohydrates as a dominant source of energy, we have little incentive to use this stored energy. What’s more, the hormone used to signal excess-sugar storage (insulin) has to be sent out at higher levels to keep up with the increasing resistance of the body to dealing with all the excess supply.

This is the basic, highly simplified, start of metabolic syndrome (think: diabetes, high blood pressure, fatty liver disease, and obesity).

Even if it has not gotten to that point, if you can’t have a snack without crashing, you get hungry almost as soon as you stop being full, and your mood and level of focus throughout the day is highly dependent on having eaten, you may be struggling because you are completely dependent on this metabolic pathway to function.

The metabolism of a person who does not regularly have large sources of carbohydrates is quite different.

When carbohydrates are scarce, either because calories overall are limited, such as during times of food scarcity (intentional, as in time-restricted eating AKA intermittent fasting, or circumstantial, like famine), or because carbohydrates specifically are limited (think keto diet, very low carb diet, Atkins diet, etc), the body needs to use other sources of fuel.

When in need of energy, and dietary fats are available, fats are broken down into their basic parts, called ketones, which can be used throughout the body for energy.

When there are measurable levels of ketones in the blood, this is a state of nutritional ketosis.

When this happens regularly, the body, through a complex mechanism of gene signaling and activation will build the cellular apparatus to make use of ketones.

This process becomes increasingly efficient over time, and the body goes on to be adapted to ketosis, or “keto-adapted”. This source of energy does not require insulin to be available for your brain or muscles. As such, mental clarity and alertness is increased, the crash after sugar spikes is avoided, and a whole host of other beneficial cellular pathways in the body are activated.

In addition to weight loss, people frequently report better energy levels, focus, and relief from hunger.

When the consumption of food is time-restricted, such as fasting from sunrise to sunset, a whole host of physiologic processes come into play. These seem to play a major role in protection from obesity, cardiovascular disease, and endocrine dysfunction [3].

The immune system, for example, is directed towards the cells of our body that are malfunctioning to be broken down for energy.

Inflammation throughout the body decreases. This seems to be particularly important in the gut, which needs time to recover from the highly inflammatory activity of digestion. These two approaches to nutrition taken together may be a key to unlock some of the body’s most powerful tools for healing and health promotion [4].

So how do we reconcile this take on nutrition with the common recommendations to track all calories as the same, to eat small frequent meals, and to never skip a meal (especially breakfast because it’s the most important meal of the day)?

Essentially, most of what you have heard and what continues to be perpetuated about nutrition is, at best, misguided and outdated by about 20 years.

At worst, it has been heavily influenced by the food industry [5].

Eating multiple small meals a day does not help you lose weight, and skipping meals is not the worst thing that will ever happen to you (especially if it’s processed sugar for breakfast).

Eating fat is not what causes you to gain fat, and not all calories are the same. Restricting calories alone can help in weight loss for a short while, but study after study has shown that it almost always comes back because of the adaptive slowing of our metabolism [6].

The Prophetic LifeStyle & its Impact on the Body

Compare this with the example of the Prophet and his companions from the Seerah (biography of the Prophet ) and Shama’il (virtues and noble character of the Prophet ).

During that time the majority of people were not faced with the problem of excess. Indeed, hunger was the norm, as described in a hadith in which the Prophet would spend many consecutive nights and his family did not have supper, and most of the time their bread was barley bread. [Jami’ at-Tirmidhi].

The hunger would be so extreme at times, he and his companions would sometimes resort to tying stones to their stomachs to quell the pangs [Sahih Muslim].

On days there was no food in his blessed abode, the Prophet would declare himself to be fasting [Sunan Ibn Majah].

The Prophet stated “A human being fills no worse vessel than his stomach. It is sufficient for a human being to eat a few mouthfuls to keep his spine straight. But if he must (fill it), then one-third of food, one third for drink and one third for air.” [At-Tirmidhi]

That is, the expectation is for a few morsels. The division of filling the stomach in thirds is to limit the most that should be consumed.

He was also reported in hadiths to be muscular and have toned physique. “His chest and stomach were in line, but his chest was broad and wide. The space between his shoulders was wide. The bones of his joints were strong and large (denoting strength).” [Shama’il Muhammadiyah, The Noble Features of the Prophet].

If we were to guess which forms of metabolism were predominant in that community, which is more likely? If we add on top of that a regular practice of fasting, all while continuing the vigors of an active pre-modern lifestyle, there is little doubt in my mind that our predecessors spent a significant amount of time in a ketogenic state.

One last bit of evidence to consider is the hadith on the breath of those who are fasting in which the Prophet was reported to say:

“By Allah in Whose Hand is the life of Muhammad, the breath of the observer of fast is sweeter to Allah than the fragrance of musk.” [Sunan an-Nasa’i].

There is no doubt that dry mouth contributes to bad breath, which is common during fasting, and this hadith is usually taken to mean that despite our perception of bad breath, God is pleased by the act of worship that produces it; thus it is sweeter than musk.

However, ketosis also has an effect on the breath. One of the ketones made is acetone, which is released in the breath and has a very distinct fruity smell. I find that be a much more compelling explanation for what is being referred to in the hadith.

So, What’s The Point?

Now, it may appear that I am advocating for a keto diet. It’s not quite that. What I am advocating for is a cyclic ketogenic state that can arise by a combination of caloric restriction, time-restricted eating (the least of what we do in Ramadan), significantly reducing carbohydrates and getting most of our nutrition from healthy fat.

Ramadan is a time where most of these things can happen, especially the first two, and the duration is limited.

The body very likely needs a balance between these different states of metabolism, and there isn’t a one size fits all. It also can’t be done haphazardly.

Reducing our intake to the extent described in our tradition rapidly for someone starting from a SAD diet (which is generally unhealthy) is unwise as it would ignore some harsh realities. Those include the fact most of us are not physically prepared or adapted to do this because of our modern lifestyles, and our food itself is far different in nutritional density than previously.

Our soil is depleted and we have less variation in our diet. We have also lost a lot of the diversity of our gut flora that likely plays an essential role for physiology (something called the “disappearing microbiome hypothesis”).

This is essentially another disclaimer that, despite the potential benefits, this is not a casual affair; a game plan, including consultations with a nutritionist familiar with this diet, is of the utmost.

Done correctly, I believe, this has the potential to transform Ramadan for many of us who are motivated to excel in all dimensions of life.

Ramadan is an opportunity to engage in a process of self-discovery and deep introspection with predictable regularity, fueled by the powerful realization an entire ummah is engaged in the same process.

Our first responsibility in the fulfillment of the trust our Creator places upon us is the mind, body, and soul on loan to us. It is with and through them that we engage the Divine will.

Speaking from personal experience, the focus in worship and sense of connectivity I have found in a state of ketosis is nothing short of a gift from our Creator . That we have exchanged the traditional lifestyle for a modern one means having to use the tools of the scientific method to understand how the average Muslim can use their physiologic fitra to help them on their spiritual journey.

Our integrated vision of the human being, not a separated mind and body, means one cannot benefit from an act spiritually without benefiting physiologically and cognitively. The inverse, I pray and trust is also true.

Anything true and of correct guidance in this is from Allah , any faults are my own. If you suspect I am wrong, please let me know as I continue to learn from my mistakes. If you are certain I am wrong and take a strong objection to this, I would ask, only partly in jest, to show me your six pack.

References:

1. Fernando HA, Zibellini J, Harris RA, Seimon RV, Sainsbury A. Effect of Ramadan Fasting on Weight and Body Composition in Healthy Non-Athlete Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients. 2019 Feb 24;11(2). pii: E478. doi: 10.3390/nu11020478. Review. PubMed PMID: 30813495; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC6412279.
2. http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/most-obese-countries/
3. Melkani GC, Panda S. Time-restricted feeding for prevention and treatment of cardiometabolic disorders. J Physiol. 2017 Jun 15;595(12):3691-3700. doi: 10.1113/JP273094. Epub 2017 Apr 25. Review. PubMed PMID: 28295377; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5471414.
4. Longo VD, Panda S. Fasting, Circadian Rhythms, and Time-Restricted Feeding in Healthy Lifespan. Cell Metab. 2016 Jun 14;23(6):1048-1059. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2016.06.001. Review. PubMed PMID: 27304506; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC5388543.
5. https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/06/how-marketers-invented-the-modern-version-of-breakfast/487130/
6. Fothergill, E. , Guo, J. , Howard, L. , Kerns, J. C., Knuth, N. D., Brychta, R. , Chen, K. Y., Skarulis, M. C., Walter, M. , Walter, P. J. and Hall, K. D. (2016), Persistent metabolic adaptation 6 years after “The Biggest Loser” competition. Obesity, 24: 1612-1619.

The post Spirituality & the Keto Diet – A Prophetic Link appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

But beneath the surface, a darker reality lurks.

Average parents, teenagers and young adults struggle to find themselves in a fitness culture of self-objectification. Despite our hard work, we grow impatient at our stubborn layers of fat and wonder why our fitness role models seemingly don’t have any. Aging is a part of life. That said, you can still age gracefully. Exercise and diet are key, but as Fitness Clone explains there are certain health supplements you can take to restore your youth from the inside out.

Instead of increased productivity and energy, we find body image issues and wounded self-esteem. Many of us jump into extreme diets or fitness routines, chasing an impossible body image standard, only to eventually burn out and quit.

After training thousands of Muslims of all ages and fitness levels for years, I have seen the damaging effects these superficial fitness trends have on our psychology, self-esteem, bodies, and motivation.

The multi-billion-dollar mainstream diet and fitness industry has been criticized by psychologists for promoting a hyper-sexualized, unrealistic, superficial approach to health and fitness (1). These trends have been observed in mainstream fitness promotional images for decades. One study conducted in 1989 reviewed fitness promotional material and concluded that “women are generally portrayed as sexual objects… the great majority of advertisements still idealize women as passive, less powerful and less active than men… and rarely exempt from sexual innuendo” (2). Hyper-sexualized trends persist in fitness workout programs and gyms today. A recent study interviewed both personal trainers and gym attendees and concluded that a prevailing view of “your body is your business card” dominates the modern approach to fitness (3). The psychological impact of these hyper-sexualized trends on body image and self-esteem cannot be understated. Thus, the fitness industry outwardly claims to empower men and women while at the same time acting as a vehicle for widespread self-objectification (4).

I believe a Barakah-based fitness model is the only way to see lasting changes that improve our health and productivity holistically. Changing our approach to fitness invites Barakah into our fitness pursuits and allow us to see greater impact and improvements in our health with the same effort.

In a previous Productive Muslim article, the difference between Hustle culture vs. Barakah-focused productivity was discussed as a powerful mindset shift in terms of productivity. The Barakah effect argues that when we align our actions, mind, and soul to the way Allah wants us to live in this world, we will see increased productivity and impact in our lives. The same is true when it comes to our fitness!

When we shift our approach to fitness away from the superficial focus eschewed by mainstream fitness industry, we can experience Barakah in our health that will boost your long-term fitness results, overall health, and wellness, energy, confidence, and self-esteem in the process.

In the following infographic, I compare 8 ways in which someone following a Barakah-based fitness practice differs from someone following trends established by the hyper-sexualized, superficial fitness industry.

Download full infographic here

Focus on Functionality vs. Appearance

Someone with a Barakah mindset approaches fitness by looking at their personal weaknesses and medical conditions and strives to improve overall health and functionality to increase physical and spiritual performance. They understand the role of fitness is to improve worship and social impact, instead of just for the sake of appearance alone. Versus someone with a superficial approach to fitness looks at areas of their body they “don’t like” and tries any tactic possible to change their appearance, even if it is holistically unhealthy (eg. crash diets, cleanses, etc.). Many fitness enthusiasts start off with a superficial focus and eventually burn out after years of a healthy lifestyle because superficial appearance focus becomes difficult to pursue long-term. The body naturally changes with age, injuries and lifestyle shifts. If the purpose of fitness was only for the sake of superficial appearance, eventually a person will become demotivated and drop off. A functional approach to fitness is long-lasting and stands the test of time.

Commitment to the Process vs. the End Result

Someone with a Barakah mindset commits to the process of self-improvement in physical health, not just the end result. They understand they can be rewarded by Allah for their efforts to improve their body. This process is as valuable as the end result, which becomes deeply motivating to continue pursuing an active lifestyle. Versus someone with a superficial approach to fitness strives for changed appearance and can get easily frustrated with their body when faced with slow progress. Once again, this can quickly lead to burnout and getting discouraged.

Patience and Sustainability

Someone with a Barakah mindset approaches their desired health changes with patience while understanding each small change will lead to self-improvement. This is likely to lead to lasting, sustainable health habits. Versus someone with a superficial approach to fitness approaches desired body changes with impatience and wants to quickly attain their coveted body image as quickly as possible. This is likely to lead to short-term, unsustainable fitness or diet phases.

Balanced vs. Imbalanced Approach to Total Body Wellness

Someone with a Barakah mindset aims to improve their physical, mental, spiritual, social health holistically and will not undertake extreme measures in one domain by sacrificing another. Exercise practices are balanced and include routines designed to push yourself and develop your body, as well as restoration to allow the body time to recover. Versus someone with a superficial approach to fitness may engage in short-term radical approaches to improve appearance that can jeopardize total-body health. For example, a fitness model who severely starves and dehydrates before a modeling competition is sacrificing long-term health for short-term appearance goals. Exercise practices may be imbalanced and overly tax the body because restorative work may be seen as a waste of time.

Measurements of Success

Someone with a Barakah mindset aims to be within normal healthy ranges on standardized measurements of health and weight. They want to get inside the normal BMI range, <50% Waist-to-Height Ratio, healthy cholesterol levels and resting heart rate (to calculate your BMI, click HERE. These standardized measures can be used to determine the healthy weight and other markers of good health for each unique body. Although no one measure of health is perfect (and certain measurements, such as BMI, have been criticized by health professions), taken together, these measurements can be used to approximate whether an individual is overall healthy in terms of weight and optimal performance for their body. However, these measures may not perfectly align with societal beauty standards. For example, the healthy BMI weight range for a woman who is 5ft4 inches is between 110 pounds to 140 pounds. Any weight within this range is considered healthy. However, societal beauty image standards impose an image that “thin is better”, so a healthy young woman who weighs 140 pounds may feel self-conscious, despite being within the normal healthy range. Someone with a Barakah mindset uses objective measurements to better understand their health, instead of societal beauty image standards. Versus someone with a superficial approach to fitness aims to meet societal depictions of beauty, even if they are unhealthy (eg. desiring extreme thinness or coveted size “zero” regardless of healthy weight ranges, which can lead to the development of eating disorders, etc.)

Gratitude

Someone with a Barakah mindset is grateful for their body and the way Allah has shaped each of us individually, even if they do not match societal standards of beauty. They understand pressures to conform to societal standards exist and can create mental and emotional pressure. Despite these pressures, they constantly remind themselves to be grateful for their body until it becomes a practiced habit. Versus someone with a superficial approach to fitness feels their body dictates their self-worth. They may experience self-loathing if parts of their body do not match societal beauty standards. This is an easy mindset to fall victim to in an overwhelming culture of fat-shaming. However, we can all work on shifting towards gratitude through positive self-affirmations, dhikr, and practicing other aspects of the Barakah-based fitness mindset.

Appreciation & Modesty

Someone with a Barakah mindset strives to show gratitude to Allah for the gift of improved health by practicing modesty in fitness. as believers show gratitude by using Allah’s gifts in ways that please Him. Versus someone with a superficial approach to fitness inadvertently falls into arrogance and immodesty. They view any muscle gains as an opportunity to show off. This commonly results in wearing tighter, exposed clothing and increased boastfulness and self-objectification in the gym and on social media. The fitness industry promotes a culture of self-objectification. However, as Muslims, we must be careful not to fall into these trends, as it is a perversion of the true objective of fitness: to better the body in servitude to Allah . Dressing modestly at the gym is not just “something Muslim women do”; it is an expression of gratitude to Allah for our bodies and should be taken seriously.

Humility vs. Arrogance

Someone with a Barakah mindset feels humbled by health improvements and understand any changes to be a gift from Allah as a reward for their striving to be better. They may dua to Allah for improved health in their journey and are thankful at their progress. This results in a positive attitude and mindset along all stateless of the fitness journey, despite potential setbacks. Versus someone with a superficial approach to fitness feels entitled and arrogant from health improvements and views any gains as being the result of their own effort and skill. Engaging in constant dua for good health (as is seen in the morning and evening adkhaar) is a strategy to shift towards a barakah based fitness mindset.

Final Thoughts

As Muslims, it’s important to remind ourselves that the importance of a healthy body has always been emphasized in the Islamic tradition.

Abdullah Ibn Umar narrated that The Prophet said: “Allah  has not been asked for anything more beloved to Him than being asked for ‘Afiyah (complete physical & spiritual wellness).” [Jami’ at-Tirmidhi]

This emphasis on our physical health is so fundamental to our Islamic rituals that we are instructed to ask Allah for health in our body multiple times every morning and evening as part of the Prophetic Morning and Evening Adhkaar Supplications.

“O Allah, make me healthy in my body. O Allah, preserve for me my hearing. O Allah, preserve for me my sight. There is none worthy of worship but You. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from disbelief and poverty and I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave. There is none worthy of worship but You.” (Recite three times in Arabic every morning and evening.) [Sunan Abi Dawud]

There are clear pearls of wisdom behind this faith-based/Barakah-based emphasis on physical health:

• When our bodies are healthy, our productive and spiritual potential increases.
• When we ask Allah for improved health, we understand that good health is a blessing from God that we are in need of. This creates a culture of gratitude and modesty as opposed to arrogance and immodesty.
• When we ask Allah for health, we are motivated to “tie our camel” by taking steps to enhance our functionality to reach improved levels of health every day.

Notice that these supplications for health ask for and imply body FUNCTIONALITY and do not necessitate a sculpted, model-like physique or particular body image. 

Functional fitness is defined as exercises that utilize the entire body with the intent of developing foundational strength to make every task in life easier.

To get started with functional training, you can download my modest Muslim Energy-Boosting workout guide – you will notice all the movements are bodyweight, balanced movements meant to strengthen your entire body for improved energy.

By focusing on functionality, gratitude, modesty and a balanced approach to total-body wellness, we can invite Barakah into our physical health by practicing faith-based fitness for maximum impact.

A Barakah approach to fitness is based on the understanding that our bodies are an “Amanah” (trust) from Allah that we are meant to use to unlock our full potential in this life. Approaching fitness with this mindset creates a culture of God-consciousness instead of self-consciousness.

Someone who understands the role of our bodies in achieving our ultimate purpose in life will have a dramatically different FUNCTIONAL approach to their health, versus someone who approaches their health for superficial reasons.

Have you been affected by the superficial focus promoted by the mainstream fitness industry, either consciously or unconsciously? Leave a comment below!

References

(1) Hasyim, M., & Arafah, B. (2017). Sexuality For Sale At Television Advertising. Turkish Online Journal Of Design Art And Communication, 7, 89-101.
(2) Duquin, M. E. (1989). Fashion and fitness: images in women’s magazine advertisements. Arena Review, 13(2), 97-109.
(3) Hutson, D. J. (2013). “Your body is your business card”: Bodily capital and health authority in the fitness industry. Social Science & Medicine, 90, 63-71.
(4) Stern, M. (2008). The Fitness Movement and the Fitness Center Industry, 1960-2000. Business & Economic History On-Line, 6.

 If you’re looking for a place to practically learn more about the Barakah values and mindsets, then check our Barakah Academy. 

The Barakah Academy is your online platform to train with professionals who want to learn practical personal and professional development skills that are faith-based and linked with the latest research and science. It’s your global community of like-hearted professionals who want to live a better version of themselves spiritually, physically and socially. 

The post Barakah-Based Fitness vs. Superficial Fitness: 8 Mindful Ways to Change Your Fitness Perspective appeared first on ProductiveMuslim.com.

It’s time for another team meeting in the workplace! You walk into the meeting room, pull out a chair, and join your co-workers in gobbling up the delicious muffins and pastries in the middle of the table to share. As the meeting drags on, you find yourself munching on the treats available out of boredom. Three hours later, your team leader finally adjourns the meeting, and you stand up out of your chair for the first time – your legs feel stiff and your back hurts from all the sitting, and your energy is completely drained after all the sugar. You felt so lazy, so you realise you didn’t even come up with a single idea during the entire meeting, either! Do team meetings always have to make you feel so awful?!

Team culture is a powerful determinant of behaviour. Many books discuss how to create more effective teams by improving workplace habits and efficiency. However, perhaps the most important factor contributing to a team’s effectiveness is the health of the team members! High-energy, healthy team members will have better ideas, feel more creative, and create a more positive team environment.

This article will share 4 tips to discover how work teams can encourage one another to eat healthier and follow healthier lifestyle strategies. If you are your team leader, you can implement these strategies directly. Or, if you are a team member, feel free to suggest these strategies to your team leader by explaining that these strategies will improve efficiency and motivation within the team!

Tip 1 – Meet on your feet!

Walking meetings are a great way to gently introduce your team to a more active lifestyle and reduce sedentary behaviour in a fun way, which can actually improve productivity!

Harvard Business Review evaluated the growing trend of “walking meetings”, in which teams take their meetings outside and discuss while they walk. Incredibly, HBR found that walking meetings had the following positive benefits for team effectiveness:

• Team members who engage in walking meetings were 5.25% more likely to report being creative at their jobs
• Survey results suggested that walking meetings improve cognitive engagement (focus) while working
• Walkers were 8.5% more likely to report high levels of work engagement in surveys

It should be noted that research from Psychology Today finds that walking meetings are best to improve creativity and divergent thinking, in which individuals are independently brainstorming. One study found walking meetings improved creativity by up to 60%. However, other studies find that for convergent thinking, in which individuals need to reach consensus, come to agreements, and pool their creative ideas together, walking reduces effectiveness.

The bottom line: Take divergent work like creative meetings and brainstorming work while walking, and keep convergent work like reaching consensus and coming to conclusions while sitting.

Tip: Walking meetings sound too intense or impractical? Add more movement into your team the easy way by encouraging standing desks. You don’t need the expensive sit-stand desks on the market; just add 1-2 tall bar tables from IKEA into your workspace to help your teammates swap to standing a few times in the day to boost their creativity! I’m actually writing this article while using a standing desk right now!

Tip 2 – Challenge Your Team

Instead of lecturing your teammates on why they should be healthy, get them involved in a fun way with a team challenge! Challenges foster improved teamwork, team communication and are a great way to have conversations about adopting simple healthier habits at work. Organise a prize that would get your team excited, and try launching or proposing either one of the following challenges within your team at work:

1. Team walking challenge

Step count challenges encourage team members to find creative ways to squeeze in more movement throughout the day. Increased stepping improves metabolic rate, daily calorie burn, and energy levels. Challenge your team members to compete against each other to log the highest number of steps over a period of 1-2 weeks. If your team members have fitness trackers, you can set-up these challenges within the Fitbit or Garmin apps. Or, you can use a free website like countit.com to link multiple Garmin and Fitbit devices, as well as free iPhone step apps!

2. Team hydration challenge

Tip 3 – Rig the potluck

Office potlucks are essential social functions in which team members share food to increase teamwork and communication. Unfortunately, many office potlucks and snack corners become junk food havens that decrease team energy and load everyone on the team up on sugar!

As a team member, you can take it upon yourself to start bringing a healthy option to every potluck. Better yet, ask a few of your team members to secretly join you in this endeavour, to ensure more healthy options are available at every meeting to provide balance.

As a team leader, you can share with your team that you want to encourage more healthy, energising foods in the team. You can take the lead and start bringing healthy items, as well as sharing a list of healthy snacks that other members might want to bring in the future. This shift towards healthier choices will influence the team environment towards healthier options.

Tip 4 – Incorporate ongoing fitness & health learning into your team’s continuing education

Many teams already have a concept of continuing education amongst team members. Team reading lists, book clubs and sponsored online conferences are common ways to encourage team members to keep learning and improving their core competencies. However, a truly effective team requires healthy team members!

As a team member or team leader, you can suggest adding the following books to your team reading list. These books have been selected as they are foundational contemporary works in the field of health that give an individual a solid foundation of how to live a healthy, balanced, holistic life and improve their energy and vitality in their lives:

Health & Fitness Reading list:

1. Eat, Move, Sleep by Tom Rath
2. No Sweat: How the Simple Science of Motivation Can Bring You a Lifetime of Fitness by Michelle Segar
3. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
4. Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Micheal Moss

Adding health discussions into your team’s concept of continuing education helps create a culture in which health, fitness and healthy eating are part of your team’s core values, which naturally creates healthier, happier, more productive team members!

Is your team “healthy” or “unhealthy”? Do you spend most of your workday sitting or standing? Let us know in the comments! 

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