As they say ‘’Health is Wealth’’, you may not understand this until you are forced to spend nearly all you earn to stay alive due to ill health.
The unfortunate aspect is that most times, environment contributes to whether you would live longer or whether you would have your lifespan shortened. If you were meant to live in this world for 70 years but you live in a place like Lagos, your lifespan could be reduced to 50 years due to Stress. #Eko o niba je oo... BUT STRESS AFFECTS EVERY AREA OF YOUR LIFE.

Some common ways Lives are shortened include:
1. WHEN YOU WORK IN LEKKI/AJAH/VI BUT LIVE IN IKORODU OR EGBEDA OR BARIGA
The worst aspect is that someone tells you he comes to work every day from Ikorodu to V.I because he lives in a three-bedroom flat at Ikorodu where he pays 150k per annum as against 450k he would pay in say Oworoshoki. He works Monday - Saturday; leaves his house at 4:30am and returns 11:30 pm daily. He is not fully aware he is cutting his lifespan gradually until he has health problems. Lagos traffic is STRESS dignified and where you live and work could contribute to how much alive you would be after 10 years of active ‘’service’’. Even if the effect is not immediate, you pay for it in the long run.
2.WHEN YOUR WORK LIFE IS NOT BALANCED
You must consciously or deliberately allow your work life be balanced so that you do not go to an early grave. The topic Work-life balance is quite massive and important to even employers as it help workers become better productive. Let’s just highlight a few here. To balance your work life,
1. Consciously take time to rest and unwind: whatever thing you do as leisure that gives you pleasure or makes you happy and is not a sin, please do it moderately. Some people like to read; some to sleep; some to dance; some to write; some to hang out with friends; some to go to the cinema... Spending quality time with family may also be a way to unwind and rest. Manage your time well by giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and family/yourself, what belongs to family/you.
2. Eat Right: I am not a dietitian but from plenty readings, eating more of fibre, more of fruits and vegetables, moderate protein in-take, drinking plenty of water and avoiding eating pounded yam and ‘’efo riro’’ or ‘’ogbona’’ soup by 10 pm to go to bed by 11 pm (so as to wake up early to go to work the next day) would add value to your health
3. Exercise: Many people are not able to exercise themselves daily because they need to beat traffic to be at the office before 7:30 am every day, going to the Gym or working out on Saturday morning would add a lot of value to you if you are one of those, especially if you do a sedentary job
4. Be a Spiritual Being: I do not mean that you should become a spirit, rather learn to give God his place. Go to Church on Sundays or Mosque on Fridays. With joyful hearts, pertake in the praise and worship in Church and BE HAPPY to be in God’s presence. It is simply honourable to do any other thing you wish to do on Sunday after church(for those who are Christians), but keep the day holy. If you do not go to Mosque nor church, you may be on the wrong road, retrace your steps.

For those who live in Lagos, as much as you could, smartly live and work against traffic. E.g.
Live on the Island and work on the Island or Ikeja. Either way, your live would may be shortened by excess traffic stress. Live at Ikorodu, work in Ajah, earn 400k monthly and die after 10 years or struggle with health issues forever, spend all you make to stay alive, it is your choice really.
Pending when the Minister of Transportation and the State government in whatever state you live in decide to take grace from the advanced nations and be interested in solving the problems with traffic and transportation generally, love your life as much as you love your work...ask for help when you need one...and please help yourself and stay alive.
Feel free to contribute please...