Health and Wellness – Page 25 – The Big Words Blog Site

Mother’s Day 2020: What Mom Taught Me That Helped Me Through The Coronavirus Pandemic

A Quick Plug

Hello. Thank you for clicking on this link and I hope you enjoy this essay. Writing a book was the genesis of me blogging and becoming a video content creator. I am close to publishing part one of my book project entitled, The Engineers: A Western New York Basketball Story. Please consider visiting the page to learn more about the project and see promotional content I’ve created surrounding the project. And now on to our feature presentation.

Mother’s Day Blog Posts

Those of you who have read my content know that I’ve written blog posts for Mother’s Day since starting the Big Words Blog Site. As per usual, the links to my previous Mother’s Day pieces will be shared at the end of this piece. I thought of this piece, while driving back from New York State’s Capital Region as I was recently checking on my father. My Mom is quite cautious and wanted me to shelter in place as much as possible, but following her example, it was important for me to check on my old man during this Coronavirus/Covid-19 Crisis/Pandemic.

Before I get into the messages in this piece which I hope to keep short (by my standards), I want to tell any readers that while our country is looking to reopen shortly, and while infections by the Coronavirus are expected to fall off during the warm weather months, beware of a second wave. It’s predicted that when the cold winter months return, infections will as well. This blog post in some ways may in fact serve as a survival guide for some people who were unprepared for this first tsunami, and it may be helpful should there be future lockdowns and quarantines.

Important Health and Life Habits for the Pandemic

So in terms of Mother’s Day, as I drove back to Washington, DC recently, it occurred to me that my mother imparted some valuable nuggets in my life that helped me survive over the last two months since our country went into this lockdown. Among them are:

• The Ability to Cook: In previous Mother’s Day blog posts, I discussed the home that my mother created for us. A part of that was the meals she prepared for us, ALL of which were prepared with her hands from scratch. Her ability to cook along with my natural curiosity resulted in my ability to cook. I often jokingly tell people that at an early age, I was in the kitchen trying to figure out how she made those scrambled eggs. In addition to picking up recipes of all kinds over the years, from other people and from cookbooks like those from Emeril Lagasse, there are quite a few of Mom’s recipes that I took with me when I left the house. There are secrets that I’m still collecting today, such as most recently how to steam the green beans and onions with enough flavor and succulence at the time of consumption. I’m saying all of this to say that when the lockdown started, I already knew how to cook, so I didn’t severely feel the bite of not being able to eat out. The ability to prepare your own food is a critical skill and if there is in fact a lull in the infections, I would encourage people to learn how to prepare as much of your own food possible. Also learn to prepare healthy foods that you can eat for days at a time and even store for later. That said, I’ve learned that not everyone can eat leftovers, but we learned to do so. Finally, cooking at home also saves you money and stretches your dollars out time-wise.

• Personal Health: In addition to cooking, Mom was big on vitamins and even natural herbs and remedies. Likewise, as I was leaving Buffalo as our country was going deeper into the lockdown, she strongly encouraged me to start regularly taking Vitamin D which has therapeutic benefits for our immune systems. As I’ve been quarantining, I have in fact made Vitamin D a regular part of my daily diet and now Vitamin C as well. I shot videos on my science and technology YouTube channel about the benefits of both vitamins. Please check out those videos and my channel.

• Education, Writing and Building: I give my mother a lot of credit for the blogging platform you’re reading this post on right now. Both parents stressed education at an early age, but it was my mother who insisted that me and my brother learn how word process with proper form at an early age. We also had a computer in the house when we were young, so she saw the wave of the future coming in the early- to mid-1980s. Social distancing and quarantining isn’t natural for human beings and hasn’t always been pleasant at times, but I’ve been fortunate to be able to be keep myself busy and my mind occupied, writing and publishing content. Just as my mother was able to turn her writing abilities into a business, I have as well, which I’ll describe shortly via written content here on the Big Words Blog Site and on my Big Discussions76 YouTube channel.

• The Importance of Faith and Spirituality: Faith and spirituality can be a polarizing topic these days, but no matter how much you have or what you believe, it’s important to have it. Mom was always big on faith. When I go home to Buffalo, I try my best to get myself out of bed on Sunday mornings to attend her church’s services. Just before the lockdown set in, I was at home in Buffalo for two and a half weeks and I attended the last church service at the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Buffalo where the members, like most churches, were able to gather for the last time in a while. Before releasing the congregation, the Pastor read Psalm 91 to us, which was very, very powerful for what was taking place at the time. That scripture is now forever etched into my memory.

Closing Thoughts

So, as I have lots and lots to do, I’m going to stop this here. In the Black community we sometimes dwell on what we didn’t have when we were growing up . We can inevitably get caught looking at what our peers had within our community and in other ethnic groups/cultures. It’s natural in a way, but it’s also important to acknowledge what you were given from your parent or guardian. What did your mother teach that helped you through this challenging time? What might you use if this crisis or another one comes back around?

Oh by the way, fortunately I was able to craft this Mother’s Day blog post pretty quickly and concisely. Right on schedule, Father’s Day is coming up next month and I’ve thought of another really good money-related story involving my father and me which involves a very, very important lesson, so look for it. And in closing, Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers out there.

The Big Words LLC Newsletter

For the next phase of my writing journey, I’m starting a monthly newsletter for my writing and video content creation company, the Big Words LLC. In it, I plan to share inspirational words, pieces from this blog and my first blog, and select videos from my four YouTube channels. Finally, I will share updates for my book project The Engineers: A Western New York Basketball Story. Your personal information and privacy will be protected. Click this link and register using the sign-up button at the bottom of the announcement. If there is some issue signing up using the link provided, you can also email me at bwllcnl@gmail.com . Best Regards.

5 Items That Every Serious Angler Should Add To Their Fishing Arsenal

Two key focuses of my blog are Athletics and Sports and Health/Wellness. A very popular sport that people participate in for both competition and for relaxation is fishing. If you’re going to go fishing, it’s critical to have the proper equipment. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Items That Every Serious Angler Should Add To Their Fishing Arsenal.

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Fishing can be enjoyed by anybody of any experience level. When you are serious about your angling endeavors, though, you should go the extra mile to get better results and boost your enjoyment. A few simple purchases can make all the difference.

When done well, fishing is great for your health. Here’s how to ensure that your next adventure is the one you love most.

1| Quality Reels

All items within your fishing setup are important. Still, nothing matches the significance of your reel. A premium reel, such as a KastKing Royale Legend, prevents casting problems as well as tangles and snapped lines during battles. Conversely, a bad reel will leave you spending a large percentage of your time will be spent fixing faults and setting up new tackle. If there’s only one item where paying a little extra will serve you well for years to come, this is it.

2| A Suitable Watch

One of the great things about fishing is that you can switch off from the world of social media and emails. While the hours can pass you by in the blink of an eye, you don’t want to lose track of the time. This is especially true when entering timed competitions or you want to try out several bays during a session. A diving watch is the best option as they can withstand extreme weather, water, and low light conditions. Compared to checking a smartphone, it’s a far easier way to monitor the length of a battle.

3| Footwear

Whether you’re freshwater fishing or sea fishing, your feet will get wet. At least, they will if you are serious about getting the best haul. The right choice of waterproof waders will provide a solid platform. However, some moisture is likely to find its way into your footwear, even when combined with a fishing wetsuit. Therefore, thicker socks are ideal. Otherwise, the damp can cause a lot of discomfort and cause chills. Even with the right facilities, a towel and spare socks are priceless.

4| Fish Finder

Not all fishing trips can be as productive as others. Nonetheless, you do not want to limit your hopes of success before you’ve even started. A GPS fish finder gives you the chance to scout out the most densely populated areas of the lake, stream, or body of water. Aside from actually providing an edge, it gives you a motivational boost. After all, nothing cripples your enthusiasm like a slow start and doubts as to whether any fish are around. This simple device removes those concerns entirely.

5| Underwater Camera

Fishing is a great way to get away from the stresses of modern life. Still, you may wish to capture the moments either for personal or commercial reasons. An underwater camera that allows you to shoot film, as well as still images, enables you to gain a whole new perspective. Whether it’s to impress friends or share your adventures online isn’t overly important. It’s probably not a gadget that’s needed for casual anglers. But anyone that wants to record their experiences or study their skills should take note.

3 Reasons Why It Pays to Reduce Stress in Your Life

A key focus of my blog is Health/Wellness. Most people don’t proactively consider the effects of stress in their lives. Instead they live reactively and sometimes suffer from the effects of stress and the resulting negative health effects. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Reasons Why It Pays to Reduce Stress in Your Life.

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There’s no denying that life over the last hundred years has become infinitely better for the majority of people around the world, in all sorts of ways that are quite easy to track and measure – ranging from things like access to healthcare, to material well-being, and general safety.

Nonetheless, research continually finds that people are becoming increasingly more stressed as time goes on, and there seem to be a variety of colliding factors at the moment which serve to make modern life stressful and uptight in a way that can be difficult to properly get a handle on.

For all that, it can be extremely beneficial to look for ways to reduce stress in your life to the best of your ability – whether that means hiring intermediaries such as Process Servers to handle otherwise tricky and uncomfortable aspects of your work routine, or whether it simply means giving yourself more permission to take things easy at home from time to time without placing undue expectations on yourself.

Here are some reasons why it pays to reduce stress in your life.

Because you will be more empowered to make decisions and take action from a position of strength

When all is said and done, a state of chronic stress is essentially the same thing as feeling perpetually under threat and overwhelmed – which, in other words, means that you will tend to be dealing with life and its various challenges from a position of weakness.

There are various negative consequences to this, including the fact that operating from a position of perceived weakness will make you more paranoid and anxious, less likely to be proactive, and more cynical in general.

Whether you simply want to have a higher quality of life as a general thing, or whether you specifically want to perform better in a professional capacity, you will be better served by the ability to make decisions and take action from a position of strength.

Cultivating the ability to relax – and cultivating a relaxed demeanour in general – may therefore actually make you more effective and “in control” than you would otherwise be.

Because you will project a more positive and confident aura

In life and in business, there are real benefits to being able to interact with people in a generally positive and confident way – without, at the same time, falling into the trap of being arrogant or appearing overly domineering.

The more you’re able to relax in everyday life, the higher the likelihood is that you will naturally embody and exude a more positive and confident aura. This, in turn, will tend to make a better impression on the people you interact with, which will then tend to lead to a downstream cascade of other positive effects.

Because life will simply feel better across the board

Beyond the fact that it can impair your ability to work effectively, communicate effectively, and so on, being chronically stressed simply feels bad and will naturally detract from your overall quality of life and sense of well-being.

Although we all have an assortment of particular ambitions for our lives, it’s universal that people generally want to be happy, and want to be able to derive satisfaction and joy from their everyday experience of life.

Being relaxed and calm is a major component in being contented, and in being able to develop and maintain a sense of happiness, in general.

Getting Over Covid-19: Preparing Your Workplace For The End Of The Lockdown

A key focus of my blog is Health/Wellness. With many businesses and workplaces looking to reopen, thought must be given to preparing those workplaces to protect against and minimize infection by Covid-19. The following contributed post is entitled, Getting Over Covid-19: Preparing Your Workplace For The End Of The Lockdown.

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Most people are well aware of the outbreak which has shaken the world over the last few months. Governments across the globe have worked tirelessly to stem the tide of the Covid-19 virus, and the efforts have largely been met with success. As the lockdown eases, offices and other workplaces are going to be able to open again, but this will be under strict conditions which will ensure that there isn’t an additional outbreak. Preparing yourself for this is a good idea, as having everything you need for the big day will enable you to open as fast as possible. But what exactly are you going to need?

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

This first area is one of the trickier things to cover in this post. There have been world shortages of things like personal protective equipment, like face masks and gloves, but you will need these if your employees are going to be working close to one another. Thankfully, many factories across the world are focusing on producing these resources, and this means that you still have time to get your hands on them.

Deep-Cleaning

Covid-19 can be transmitted on surfaces, with door handles and computer keyboards being prime examples of ideal vectors for this virus. People have little choice but to share these tools when they work together, and this makes it worth using a Covid-19 decontamination service on a regular basis to make sure that your workplace is safe and clean. Of course, this will cost some money, but it will be worth it to keep your team healthy.

New Rules & Procedures

Social distancing rules are likely to have lasting impact on society, and many people are going to struggle to break away from these ideas, even when lockdowns are lifted completely. Maintaining this within your own office can be a great idea, but you also have to think about things like regular hand sanitization. Many companies are starting to provide this to their teams when they are working. Your new rules should also include wearing the PPE which you provide to your team members. Most people will be perfectly happy to do this, even if they work in a hot environment.

Essential Staff Only

The spread of a virus is always much slower when people aren’t spending their work days together. This makes remote working a great solution to workplace outbreaks, and this is something which offices should all be working to offer their non-essential team members. You may need to provide resources like computers to some of your team members, but this doesn’t have to cost a fortune if you ask those who already have their own resources to use them for their work.

With all of this in mind, you should be feeling ready to get started on preparing your team to get back to work after the lockdown is lifted. This whole issue has put a lot of strain on businesses, and getting back to work quickly is going to be essential for many to survive.

Traveling Physicians Are Proving A Massive Hit Right Now

A key focus of my blog is Career Discussions and Health/Wellness. The Coronavirus/Covid-19 Pandemic/Crisis has created numerous opportunities in addition to the chaos and damage it has caused. In some ways it has changed the way medicine is administered. The following contributed post is entitled, Traveling Physicians Are Proving A Massive Hit Right Now.

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The world of healthcare is being turned on its head by a public health crisis nobody expected. But it is having a surprising effect. It is leading to the reemergence of the traveling physician.

Physicians who traveled to their patients were popular in the past for all sorts of reasons. A lot of people simply didn’t want to travel to the clinic. It was either too painful or too far to go.
Others felt sick outside of office hours. For them, the mobile doctor was the only option.

Now that we’re amid a modern plague, though, there’s been a resurgence of interest in the concept. Heck, could it actually be a good idea?

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New York City is one of the most affected places right now. Currently, the enigmatic East Coast metropolis is attracting thousands of traveling nurses and doctors, all responding to war zone conditions.

There’s a tremendous need for people who can somehow help the city contain the expected 240,000 deaths officials believe will occur if they don’t do something drastic. Physicians are being imported by the bus-load to help tackle the problem.

What’s so unfortunate about the current pandemic is how it is hurting patients from all over the medical spectrum. COVID-19 is displacing regular operations, meaning that heart and cancer patients can’t get the treatment that they need.

Offering Crucial Help In Times Of Need

Currently, travel doctors are offering patients across the country critical help in their time of need. They are bridging the gap between supply and demand as never before. And local hospitals are rushing to adapt their payrolls to accommodate the new supply.

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Already, more than 1,000 doctors have made their way to the most-affected parts of the country. More are on their way. They’re required for everything, from testing to helping place people on ventilators.

Their primary role, however, will be in continuing to supply medical care to the old and vulnerable. There are a lot of people who require hospital treatment but daren’t travel because of the risks. Visiting physicians will, therefore, find themselves trying to paper over the cracks in the creaking health system and providing essential services to those who need it.

New York won’t be the only city that demands traveling physicians. Other significant centers will also call out for assistance as the virus spreads and more people become infected. Even rural areas could find themselves profoundly affected, especially if lockdown measures aren’t as successful as they are in the cities.

We’re also seeing a lot of people coming out of retirement to help bolster the numbers on the frontline. Boomers who thought that their careers were over are finding that they’re needed more than ever. And there are thousands of them. Authorities believe that more than 45,000 people will return to the fray throughout the year.

How To Become A Great Travelling Physician

There’s currently a massive need for traveling physicians. And as the virus spreads from one city to the next, that need is only going to intensify. Visiting physicians may find themselves running from one location to another to provide much-needed assistance. Each settlement in the country is going to experience a peak. And so they will need medical personnel from other areas to help them cope.

But how do you become a quality traveling physician? What does it take?

Top of your list of priorities should be bedside manner. As a traveling physician, you’re going to encounter so pretty desperate people, many of whom, you won’t be able to help. The best that you can do is offer them some loving support in their hour of need in the hope that they make it through.

Bedside manners are more challenging to achieve than you might think. You can’t let the exhaustion of the job render you emotionally insensitive. Burnout is not an option. Every time you interact with a patient, you need to recognize that you’re dealing with a complex person with a tremendous life history. You could be serving a great writer, musician, author, or business leader. That person could be the leader in their field or a cherished member of the family. And a vast amount might ride on their continued survival.

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Next on your list of priorities should be to recognize that traveling physicians don’t need to work alone. Sure, you might be bouncing between one city and another, but that doesn’t mean you should exist without help.

Every physician, for instance, needs the support of precision lab testing. You can’t go into the field and just guess at the diagnosis. If you want to provide quality treatment, you need accurate measurements. Working with a lab, therefore, can give you the assessment that you need to determine what is wrong with the patient.

If you want to become a world-class traveling physician, you also need a pretty tough constitution. Traipsing around the country administering treatment to patients isn’t always easy. You’re often a long way from home and family. You have to put up with airports. And most of the time you’re sitting down, either on a train, in your car, or on a flight.

Traveling physicians need a strong constitution, as well as strategies that keep them going on the road. As a rule of thumb, you should always check into self-catering accommodation when you can. You don’t want to find yourself living off fast food while you’re trying to administer critical care. And you need to focus on sleep hygiene. Things can all help, like switching off your phone after 9 pm, packing earbuds, and using an eye mask.

So, in summary, embarking on a career as a traveling physician seems like a good idea right now. There’s ample demand for their services in the immediate future. And structural changes in healthcare provision will no doubt mean that we see an enormous difference in patient preference. Why go to the clinic when the physician can come to you?

How To Recover From Trauma

A key focus of my blog is Health/Wellness. Many of us endure and encounter some form of trauma in our lifetimes. Some can be recovered from easily while others need some sort of treatment or counseling. Many people don’t know how to recover from potential trauma. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Recover From Trauma.

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Trauma disrupts your body’s natural equilibrium. It can make you feel frozen and in a state of both anxiety and fear. The first thing that you need to do on the road to recovery is to help repair your nervous system. If you have been subject to any type of abuse, it is good to look at sexual assault lawyers to help. You should never suffer in silence and during these trying times, it can feel overwhelming and claustrophobic being with people every single day without relief.

Photo: Pixabay

How to help your recovery and look towards the future you can look at the following tips to assist:

Try to exercise for 30 minutes or more on most days. This will also create the burning off of adrenaline and releasing endorphins, exercise and movement can actually assist your nervous system by burning off that energy that creates a physical response in the body. Avoid taking any medications that you don’t need.
Breathe – it’s vital to work on your breath. Slow breaths are good and it will allow you to focus solely on that alone and it can help calm your body down, which links nicely into meditation which can be good for types of trauma and stress on the body.
Admit that you’re anxious – admitting to anything can be difficult as we want to put on a strong exterior and feel as if we are in control but sometimes our mind is out of control and that is OK. There is nothing wrong with this, but admitting to it is the first step.
Rebuild friendships – when you have been through trauma, you may find that it is tricky to start rebuilding friendships or poor relationships, but this is vital because you need people around you to help you through things. Closing off isn’t the best thing to do at all.
Release the anxiety or anger – types of exercise and martial arts can be good or doing something you love, such as music or being around people that help you. You don’t want to be overstimulated after trauma, you need to allow your body that time to heal.
Visualize the future – look and think about the future and realize what it is that you want. Do you want a calm future with a new relationship, or perhaps children or a career change?
Listen to music – certain types of music can be very calming for the soul such as classical music which can boost moods. Don’t listen to any triggering music, your healing process must take you away from the trauma and not bring you back to it.
Change your focus – look at focusing on something new whether that’s your children or your work or learning a new language or skill, the options are endless.

Healing from trauma is possible, most of us have dealt with some type of trauma in our lives at one time or another. It can vary from person to person and it is certainly not an easy thing to deal with but with focus and dedication, it can be achieved.

5 Reasons Fishing Is The Best Hobby For Your Health

Two key focuses of my blog are Athletics/Sports and Health/Wellness. Humans have been fishing all throughout history. While its an industry and a sport, it’s also a therapeutic activity. If you’re looking for an activity that’s good for your well-being, fishing is something you ought to consider. The following contributed post is entitled, 5 Reasons Fishing Is The Best Hobby For Your Health.

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There’s nothing like a new hobby to challenge your body and mind. Perhaps you haven’t ticked many items of your new year’s resolution list yet, but thankfully there’s still time. Maybe you’ve considered a few hobby options, and haven’t made a decision? Well, fishing is a great hobby to improve your health. There are many benefits to grabbing your fishing gear and heading to the waters!

1 . Great exercise

Fishing is an excellent form of exercise; you’ll give both your lungs a heart a nice bit of stimulation, plus work those muscles when you’re casting and reeling! Of course there are many different types of fishing, and some are more active than others. Fly fishing is usually done from a drift boat, however some adventurous fly fishers like to wade into the water. When you’re knee-deep in the water, standing strong and throwing the rod, you’ll be working your core!

2. Learn new skills

When it comes to fishing, there’s so much to learn, from the types of equipment and sustainable fishing practices to the best forms of bait. If you choose to try deep sea charter fishing, you’ll get to learn about the different fish you’ll catch (depending on the time of year). With this info, you can schedule your trip whether you’re looking for Yellowfin or Snapper! A fishing charter trip can be a real once in a lifetime experience, whether you’re a novice or a professional.

3. The great outdoors

Many studies indicate that the great outdoors boosts our health, whether it’s swimming in the ocean, hiking in the forest, or a fun-filled fishing trip! In our modern society, many of us have lost our connection with the natural world. We go from our offices to our TVs and forget about the joy of the outdoors. When you take up fishing, you’ll get out in the fresh air and help your body to raise it’s endorphin levels. Being out in the sun helps you to get enough vitamin D which is essential for a healthy immune system. For a fast way to boost your wellness levels, fishing is the key!

It certainly helps to live near a location where you can fish such as a lake or a river. Since many of the best fishing spots are out in the wild, some people combine their fishing trips with hunting as well. It’s a similar hobby that uses some of the same skills, such as understanding your surroundings and setting up the ideal conditions to successfully catch an animal.

4. A social hobby

One of the best things about fishing is that it’s a really social hobby. A fishing trip with family or friends is excellent fun, or you might like to go to a local fishing club. At a fishing club, you’ll get yourself some fishing buddies plus gain some great fishing tips. A fishing trip with friends is a great way to find new camping spots across the country and explore the countryside.

5. Improved concentration

Fishing requires a lot of concentration, and so within just a few weeks, you’ll see your concentration levels improve. As we age, it’s important to do activities which boost our cognitive health, and fishing is undoubtedly one of them!

Check out sites like Facebook or Meetup to see if you can find a local fishing club in your area. When you are starting out it really helps to have some connections and like-minded hobbyists.

6 Simple Ways To Practice Self Care At Work

Two of the focuses of my blog are Career Discussions and Health/Wellness. As many of us spend our adult lives pursuing our careers, we must also think about how to do so in the most healthy ways possible. Depending upon what your career involves, you should consider what you can do to maintain yourself self to maximize both your performance and your health. The following contributed post is entitled, 6 Simple Ways To Practice Self Care At Work.

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Over the last several years, employee burnout has been on the rise. The term refers to becoming exhausted, overwhelmed, or unwell due to work. According to a survey cited in Thrive Global, ‘60% of office workers in the United States and Canada feel burned out.’ The study’s respondents pointed to impossible deadlines, large workloads, pressure, and breaks amongst the contributing factors.

Your own job might involve reasonable workloads and deadlines, yet this doesn’t mean it’s not possible to become stressed. To reduce your stress levels throughout the working week, it’s important to establish a self-care regime. Whether you commute or work from home, these simple steps will set you up to practice self-care at work.

1 . Meal-prep

Most of us can appreciate that a good self-care regime involves eating healthy and nutritious food. If you pre-plan your meals, it’s easier to establish and follow a healthy regime. Prepare or plan your lunches on the Sunday before the week has begun. Spend time researching new healthy recipes, and use apps such as ‘Noom’ or ‘YogicFoods’ for some inspiration.

2. Perfect your space

Working in a dull and unattractive looking environment does nothing for your morale and well being. Try to perfect your working space as much as you can. According to a survey in ZenBooth, ’46 % of professionals said office design impacted heavily on their productivity.’ Another study by The World Green Building Council found that ’69 % of businesses that implemented healthy building features reported improvements in employee satisfaction and engagement.’ These healthy features included good ventilation, lighting, attractive interiors, plants, and collaborative workspaces.

3. Occasional Telecommuting

An Owl Labs study found that’ full-time remote workers reported being happy in their jobs 22% more than workers who are never remote.’ Perhaps the current COVID-19 lockdown has ruined the fun of working from home! Nevertheless, when things return to ‘normal,’ keeping the odd telecommute day here and there is highly beneficial for your well being.

4. Inventive breaks

It’s vital to take regular breaks throughout the working day to avoid burnout. If you want to improve your self-care, you’ve got to get a little inventive with your breaks. Use them wisely to do activities which help you to relax. If you’re working from home, it could be a quick sunbathe in the garden! You could try a brief work out, meditation session, or reading a book? Instead, you might take time to write a reflective passage in a journal or maybe take a walk in the park. Whatever helps you to feel peaceful, make sure that you practice these activities, throughout your day.

5. Set boundaries

Set boundaries for yourself and with your co-workers about how much work you can realistically take on. Juggling too many projects at the same time is bound to affect the quality and stress you out. It’s essential to aim high, yet set yourself realistic expectations about what you can achieve.

6. Prioritise health & safety

It’s vital to pay close attention to health and safety to look after yourself during the working week. Review your health and safety training often, and report anything that you are unhappy with. Even in an office role, for instance, it’s important to use ergonomic furniture to stop yourself from sustaining an injury. If you are unfortunate enough to become injured at work, you’ll need an excellent personal injury lawyer behind you. Companies such as Hadley Law Firm provide some great services.

3 Tips for Staying on Top of the Important Things

The first principle of my blog is Creating Ecosystems of Success and a key focus is Health/Wellness. Many people have problems managing their lives. This is particularly true when shouldering responsibilities for one’s self and others. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Tips for Staying on Top of the Important Things.

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Everyone has certain important responsibilities that they have to attend to, as well as various chores and less pressing obligations that nonetheless have to be handled, in order to prevent significant problems from developing.

Whether you are trying to remember to change your auto insurance, or are planning a vacation getaway with a special someone, it’s essential to have effective strategies at hand in order to stay on top of the important things in life.

Here are a handful of tips for staying on top of the important things.

Simplify your life as much as possible

It’s very easy, all things considered, to forget important tasks and duties – and to procrastinate on important projects – if you have too much going on in your life at any given time.

If you’ve got dozens of different tasks to keep track of, combined with all sorts of distractions in your everyday life, and a host of decisions that need to be made on a regular basis, it will naturally be harder to get anything done.

According to the book “The Paradox of Choice,” by Barry Schwartz, an overabundance of choice is actually psychologically detrimental, while also increasing the degree to which people remain static or become so overwhelmed or otherwise complacent that they let important things slide.

So, in order to stay on top of the important things, begin by simplifying your life as much as possible. For starters, work on filtering out those distractions and decisions that don’t enrich or benefit you in some way, but that instead serve as time sinks.

Use automated tools and systems to keep yourself reminded

Part of the reason why the budgeting service You Need a Budget is so popular with such a broad audience, is because it helps to streamline a usually difficult process – namely money management. Specifically, it “automates” a lot of the irritating number crunching, and can allow you to track “scheduled” transactions and so on – but it doesn’t “automate” the overall process to the extent that it allows you to be complacent.

If you are at risk of forgetting about important pending transactions, or upcoming appointments, consider using automated tools and systems to keep yourself reminded.

Simple forgetfulness and inattention are frequently the reason for a failure to get important things done.

Use a task and project management system that requires mindful engagement and review

There are various task and project management systems out there which thrive specifically because they focus to a significant degree on promoting regular engagement and review of various tasks and projects.

David Allen’s famous “Getting Things Done” task management system, for example, involves constantly reviewing the different projects that you have to handle, so that you can continually identify and act on the “next action” down the line.

Ryder Carroll’s paper-based Bullet Journal Method, on the other hand, involves writing entries out by hand, and copying them out during regular “reviews” and “migrations.” The overall effect is that you’re forced to remain proactive and to engage with your to-do list.

Generally speaking, task and project management systems that require mindful engagement and review are going to be much more effective in terms of actually ensuring that you get things done as required.

How To Make Health Insurance More Affordable

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“Getting insured is the best way to afford healthcare – but what if you can’t afford health insurance? While rates can be expensive, there are a number of cheaper insurance options out there.”

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Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Health/Wellness. A major personal cost depending on your stage in life and circumstance is healthcare. Most people don’t understand their premiums and how to manage the costs but it can be done. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Make Health Insurance More Affordable.

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Pixabay. CCO Licensed.

Getting insured is the best way to afford healthcare – but what if you can’t afford health insurance? While rates can be expensive, there are a number of cheaper insurance options out there. Here are just several ways in which you can lower the cost of health insurance.

Check if you’re eligible for Medicare or Medicaid

There are federal and state programs in place across America that could help to pay for some or all of your health insurance. These are only eligible to certain people however.

Medicare is eligible for those over 65 and those with disabilities – while you must still pay a contribution, this program could allow most of your insurance to be paid for you. There are a number of different plans out there ranging from Medicare Plan A to Medicare Plan G. These each offer a different level of coverage.

Medicaid is meanwhile eligible to those with a low income, pregnant women and people with certain disabilities – participants pay little to nothing for coverage providing they meet requirements. This is largely state funded, unlike Medicare, so can vary a little from state to state.

Talk to your employer

Many employers offer health insurance to employees as a company benefit, often making contributions to help lower the cost. If your employer does not offer this, you could try talking to them about the possibility of setting up a scheme. Even if they contribute only a tiny amount to it, it will still save you some money and it has tax benefits for your employer.

Join organizations with health insurance perks

Aside from working for a company that offers health insurance, you may also be able to gain access to cheap health insurance by becoming a member of certain organizations. This includes state farm bureaus, university alumni associations and automotive clubs such as the AAA.

Raise your deductible and use a HSA

A high deductible plan can also save you money. The deductible is the amount of money you’re willing to pay out of your own pocket before asking an insurer for help in the event that you need to pay for healthcare. It could mean that you still end up paying for most minor healthcare, but you’ll still get some assistance if you need major treatment such as surgery.

A HSA (Health Savings Account) could help you to pay your deductible. This is a savings account in which your earnings are contributed on a regular basis. The main benefit of such accounts is that you don’t have to pay tax on any earnings that are put in these savings accounts.

Start living more healthily

Health insurers tend to ask a number of questions about applicants’ lifestyle in order to get an idea of how healthy you are. If you smoke, drink heavily and do little exercise, you could find that your rates are higher – this is because there’s a greater risk you’ll need to claim insurance for healthcare. Even getting check-ups with – or listening to – experts like David Minkoff can be a part of this.

While you can lie about your lifestyle to gain access to cheaper rates, this could backfire if you’re found out. Start living more healthily so that you can honestly take advantage of cheap insurance – less health problems could also mean less health insurance claims in the future, which means cheaper future rates.