Call Sign February 2010 - Page 10 - NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS!

As we enter the second month of a new decade, Allen Togwell looks at... NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS!
As I draft this article, 2009 is just hours away from ending and for many it’s good riddance, except maybe for some of us older folks who as more years pass, question the speed in which they go. One minute we were celebrating the arrival of a new year, next minute it’s spring, summer, winter and before you know it, Christmas again - a full year where each day seemed as one and the weeks being a blur. Looking back, I ask myself not only what have I achieved, but also where was the time to achieve it? Including, I might add, at the very beginning of the year, those New Year resolutions... How many of you at the start of 2009 resolved to lose weight, give up smoking, get fit and - dare I say it - adopt a more positive attitude towards appearance when driving your cab? And how many of you, twelve months later whilst tucking into turkey, mince pies and with a belly full of booze, can honestly say you kept your promise and were a success? Very few I bet, because it’s a known fact, as a recent research shows, that less than 5% of those who make New Years resolutions actually achieve their aim. If it’s any consolation to you guys, statistics also claim that women give into temptation earlier than men when it comes to watching their waistlines or giving up cigarettes and alcohol. The average woman will give up their new healthy lifestyle and fall back into their old routine just six days into the New Year. Men apparently - although it’s nothing to be proud of - lasted a further two weeks before giving in. Three lousy weeks before they gave in to a fag, booze, a fry-up with chips and the couch instead of going for a jog! Which means already, one month into 2010 and those resolutions are beginning to fail. It’s hard to believe that a custom which is practised throughout the world and which goes back as far as 153 BC, can have such a history of negative results. The excuse in some cases is that goals have been set too high or are unattainable, but that’s only in the minority of cases; the bulk of the failures are amongst the 10 most common goals which are to lose weight, quit smoking, drink less alcohol, get fit, eat right, reduce stress, spend more time with family, save money, enjoy life more and to learn something new. None of which are really unattainable. Particularly those goals that have a huge influence on your state of health. To gym or not to gym...? Take ‘keeping fit’ for example, apart from the obvious that it makes you look and feel better, regular exercise has been associated with more health benefits than anything known to man. Studies show that it reduces the risk of some cancers, increases longevity, helps achieve and maintain weight loss, enhances mood, lowers blood pressure and even improves arthritis - a common ailment amongst those who sit behind a wheel of a vehicle all day. Mention keeping fit and the assumption is to immediately join a gym, which really isn’t necessary. While exercising in a gym is effective for many people, others join a gym only to find they rarely have time to go, quickly tire of the	atmosphere, feel intimidated by the body beautifuls or the monotony of it. The key is to find a physical activity that you enjoy. Several people I know achieved this by coupling a fitness programme with martial arts, such as judo, karate, kung fu, aikido etc, which apart from fitness, gives the added benefit of being able to defend themselves (ideal for those in the cab trade), plus there’s a spiritual element which improves the mind’s focus, helps self control and builds confidence. And with the various levels of disciplines that can be achieved in Martial Arts, it creates a motivation to keep at it regularly, either going to a club or working out at home. I substituted going to a gym by taking a brisk 30-minute walk after dinner each evening, brisk enough to cause a sweat. I’ve also made it a policy of never using the lift. My office in on the fourth floor - eight flights of stairs totalling 86 steps. That simple discipline alone can improve lung capacity, blood pressure and bad cholesterol. I’m amazed at times when I see someone waiting for the lift to go up or down just one floor. I’m sure this has nothing to do with laziness, but just simply habit. Just like jumping into your cab or car to go a few minutes down the road, which is a calorie-burning, leg-strengthening, mind-clearing exercise opportunity lost! It’s easy to break that habit if you make it known to everybody in your household that you are going to walk any journey that will take you ten minutes or less without the cab – and that you want their help in making you stick to it. Having a stretch... Another simple discipline is stretching, which you can do anywhere. Okay, so stretching isn’t going to make you into a lean, mean calorie-burning machine – but it will help you mobilise your joints, get to know where different muscles are and find out the areas in which you are tight and tense. Make having a gentle stretch first thing in the morning or when you get home from work, part of your regular routine. And that’s the operative word... routine. Just like the regular routine you have in cleaning your cab or filling up with diesel. Make taking a brisk walk and stretching part of your regular routine. Driving a cab isn’t the best occupation either when it comes to healthy eating. With so few café’s offering fresh vegetables or a wide selection of fish, then the alternative is to eat as much salads as possible and eat at least five different vegetables and plenty of oily fish when you eat at home. And talking of home, family is the most important thing in a person's life, but some people don't seem to realise this. If you're one of these people that spends more time working than is really necessary than talking with your son or daughter or partner at the dinner table, then you should seriously consider this as a New Year	resolution. A recent study showed that the more often children have dinner with their parents; the less likely they are to smoke, drink or use illegal drugs. Other reports have linked family dinner to higher grades. It can also provide stability and security. And having a drag... Nobody needs me to explain the benefits of giving up smoking; fortunately, with the new non-smoking laws in public places, this has forced many to reduce the number of cigarettes they smoke during the day, however I’m still surprised by the amount of cab drivers I’ve seen smoking. Keeping healthy when driving a cab in London is difficult enough, why jeopardise your health and the welfare of your family by smoking? It shouldn’t be a resolution to give up smoking, common sense should be enough. Finally - and yes - I couldn’t possibly not mention one final resolution, even though it’s not amongst the top ten or for that matter anywhere in the top hundred! Which doesn’t surprise me when I see all those schlocky presenters on television. In fact, as I draft this article, I’ve just watched a TV news item showing Terry Wogan leaving his BBC R2 show for the last time and seen how immaculately he was dressed to do his job - on radio! Not for him jeans and scruffy T-shirt. He is obviously a man of habit in the way he dresses, whether on TV or radio. And on that point I honestly believe those that drive a cab without any thought to the manner in which they are dressed, do so out of habit. I just cannot believe so many cabmen can be sloppy in their dress by nature. The reason I’m sure is because there is no peer pressure, they are alone in their cab and there is nobody with whom to measure themselves by or to set an example. I’ve said it 1000 times; appearance equates attitude. If you look good, you feel good. If you feel good you act good and in acting good and looking smart, it raises your self-esteem. All very important attributes when you are servicing the public and particularly when battling daily against minicabs. Because being outnumbered by nearly three to one, it is they by which we are now measured. We may not always be able to beat minicabs on price, but we CAN on quality, service, ability and appearance - IF everybody made the effort. Remember, there are officially 60,000 minicabs in London, unofficially is anybodies guess! But if 60,000 minicabs did just one trip a day, that’s nearly 22 million trips a year that too many cabmen out there are prepared to lose without making any concerted effort to reclaim. Think about it, and if you make a New Years Resolution that will improve your health and your job, remember to tell your family and friends what it is so they can encourage you to keep at it. Be lucky and may I wish you all a happy, prosperous and healthy New Year... Allen Togwell DaC Marketing

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