Complacency can be dangerous. Once we get used to things being a certain way, we start to take them for granted. That can create blind spots when it comes to threats and risks. Or sometimes, we just don’t think something is that big of a deal or that nothing bad will happen. When we turn out to be wrong, the consequences can be painful. At the worst, they result in death. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things people should take more seriously than they do. Following are 12 of them.
Table of Contents
The Relationship Between Work and Mental Health
Millions of Americans suffer anxiety and stress at work and related to work. This affects mental health, often leading to depression or other undesirable outcomes. For some, the solution is counseling or finding a different job. Another is to establish and stick to a healthy work-life balance.
Driving While Drowsy
Driving while sleepy doesn’t get close to the amount of attention driving while intoxicated does. It should, though. The level of impairment when driving while really tired is the same as it is when driving drunk. Even worse, there are far more drowsy drivers than drunk drivers on the roads. In fact, drowsy driving is responsible for more accidents and fatalities than drunk driving is.
Nutrition and Exercise
It’s long been known that Americans as a whole do not eat well and do not get adequate exercise. Both of these can lead to terrible consequences. They include diabetes, obesity, heart disease, generally poor health, shorter lifespans, and more.
Drinking Plenty of Water
The body needs water the way an engine needs oil. In fact, you can survive much longer without food than you can without water. On a daily basis, though, people do not stay sufficiently hydrated. You should drink plenty of water, either by itself or via other healthy drinks. Alcohol dehydrates you, and caffeine is not that good for us even though some of us “need” it daily.
How Long It Takes a Semi to Stop
People complain about truck traffic a lot. They’re also understandably afraid of getting into crashes with such large, heavy vehicles. In reality, it’s car drivers who are responsible for most accidents involving big trucks. One of the big causes is not understanding how long it takes a semi to come to a stop. Cutting in front of a truck and then stopping or slowing down is almost like asking to be struck.
Drug Usage
Too many people don’t understand how strong and dangerous illegal drugs are. That includes some prescription drugs as well. Maybe this is because of glorifying drugs in popular culture. A lot of people don’t know how addicting these drugs can be. People with an addiction ruin their own lives and often those of close friends and family members. Many people trying a drug for the first time overdose because they don’t know how little can be deadly.
Teenagers
Adults often dismiss the problems teens experience as trivial. This is a mistake. For one thing, those problems are very real to those experiencing them. Plus, teen depression and suicide rates are now higher than they’ve ever been before.
Making a Budget
Financial literacy includes making and sticking to budgets. Without them, it’s easy to overspend and wind up in debt. Heavy debt burdens are difficult to escape, and they impede savings, financial stability, and more.
Moving in With a Partner
There are countless tales of good relationships that fell apart after two people moved in together. Living together is a huge commitment that requires a lot of sacrifice and compromise. Before taking that step, you should know the other person really well and know you’re truly compatible inside the home. Doing some traveling together first is a good way to test this. The same applies to marriage.
Ladders
Any contractor will tell you ladder safety is a huge issue. Yet, many people don’t see the risks of ladders. Slips, improper footwear, unstable placements, and more lead to terrible accidents every year all over the country.
Preparing for Retirement
A frightening number of people don’t save for retirement. And, sadly, social security is not enough for most people to retire comfortably. In addition, the system faces challenges of its own. It’s best to start saving early by putting a percentage of earnings into savings. Roth IRAs and 401k programs are great for this.
Sun Protection
Sunburns can be painful, but they go away. However, excessive sun exposure can lead to more serious problems, such as premature skin aging and cancer. Even people who tan can face these issues. When spending time in the sun, use sunscreen and other methods to protect your skin.
Source: Reddit
Featured Photo from Shutterstock
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