Is It a Race? Am I Winning?
By Teri Tibor, Employer Services Account Specialist
I came to a startling revelation this year. I realized that I was sprinting as fast as I could through everything on my to-do list. I don’t mean actually running or speeding, just anxiously rushing through every task I have on a daily basis in an attempt to feel caught up or on top of things. The end result was less like a runner’s high and more like high anxiety.
I noticed that I had little to no memory of what I had done that day and didn’t really get anymore done than I would have if I had approached it at more relaxed pace. I also realized that the people and things that I cared the most about suffered for this.
The consequences of this self-imposed unyielding pace were detrimental. It took a toll on my health and my relationships. I had been living in fight or flight mode for a long time and it was no longer sustainable. 2022 had been a tough year; I lost my oldest friend two months after I started my new job. Then, in the midst of a busy fourth quarter and the holidays, our family had the chance to buy a house and we made the move on Christmas Eve. It was a great opportunity, but not without ample stress.
My typical schedule left no room for rest or relaxation. I have never taken an actual vacation in my entire life. My family and I do go camping in the summer and I liked to think of those trips as mini vacations. Yet, they are just for the weekend and can sometimes feel more stressful than relaxing.
I also realized that I almost never did things for myself. Apparently, they call this self-care. I always had too many other things I deemed more important. You know, the important things in your life like your kids, your family, your pets, your job, your home and all the necessary chores and general upkeep of all the afore mentioned. But just managing these things alone was not leading me down a path I enjoyed. I wanted to do more than just survive as I ran through life.
So, I decided to change directions. It hasn’t been as easy as I hoped to change my outlook and day to day behavior to reach this more enjoyable path, but a new path requires new and healthier habits. I know it will take time like anything worth doing, so for now, I am practicing this strange new concept of self-care. I think of it like buying new sneakers, a fancy water bottle, good athletic shorts, and putting together a rocking playlist. Because if I’m going to be running through life, I might as well enjoy the run.
Here are a few things I found helpful for me:
https://communitychiroak.com/ – I have been seeing Dr. Peter Ryan for 17 years. He is awesome and has saved me from needing spinal surgery.
https://www.chryswell.com/ – Tammy Smith is amazing and has helped me with mind and body healing.
https://solsticebodyworkak.com/ – Jamie Newsom Eaton is wonderful and does lymphatic drainage massage and barefoot massage.
- Published in Blog
Combating Imposter Syndrome
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Imposter syndrome is a feeling of self-doubt that affects how workers view their abilities and qualifications when they don’t think they belong or deserve their job. It can affect an employee’s work by impairing job performance, contributing to burnout and reducing overall job satisfaction.
In fact, according to the International Journal of Behavioral Science, around 70% of the population has experienced imposter syndrome at least once.
With an increase in remote work environments, imposter syndrome has worsened due to a lack of in-person interaction. Face-to-face interactions can provide feedback through body language, which employees lack when working from home. When working from home, workers can also become distracted by things such as pets and children. Furthermore, these distractions can increase stress and anxiety, contributing to self-critical feelings about job performance.
All of those factors can negatively impact your well-being as an employee. Consider these strategies to help combat imposter syndrome, including when working from home:
- Let negative thoughts come and go. Negative feelings towards yourself are common. To combat the anxiety associated with them, it can be helpful to recognize them and avoid giving them further thought. Avoid being too hard on yourself.
- Get together with co-workers. If there are in-person events at your workplace, consider attending them to interact face-to-face with co-workers. You could also consider scheduling a working lunch or post-work happy hour with a co-worker.
- Talk about your experience. Sharing about your experience with imposter syndrome can help both you and those you work with feel less alone. Share your advice with co-workers to help spread knowledge and awareness.
- Practice positive self-talk. Practicing affirmations and writing down the facts can weed out the false accusations in your head. Write down the positive ways you contribute to your workplace so you can recognize your accomplishments.
- Have self-compassion. Perfection is not possible. When you’re experiencing negative thoughts, it’s essential to be kind to yourself. It’s also important to recognize that you were hired for your role for a reason.
You don’t have to combat imposter syndrome alone. Working remotely can foster feelings of isolation, but imposter syndrome affects millions of workers each year; therefore, it’s important to know you’re not the only one affected. Knowing how to combat it can help you and those you work with.
Prioritizing Your Well-being
In recent years, there has been a shift to organizations allowing employees to work remotely. This remote work option has given employees more time to focus on their well-being. While remote work can help improve overall job satisfaction, it can also have some adverse effects. Some aspects of remote work can negatively impact your mental health and, as a result, affect your physical well-being and job performance.
According to recent research from Zippia:
- Almost half (40%) of remote workers say that struggling to unplug at the end of the workday is their biggest challenge.
- Half (50%) of remote workers feel lonely at least once per week.
Driven in part by this social isolation, remote employees have started to shift towards prioritizing their well-being. With the increase in employees working from home, there has started to be a more significant focus on using extra time that was previously for commuting on other nonwork-related tasks. Some of these activities include extra sleep, leisure activities and home projects.
As a result, focusing some attention on your well-being will improve not only your physical and mental state but also your work experience. To prioritize your well-being, consider trying some of these strategies while working remotely:
- Connect with co-workers. Connecting with others is important when working remotely to combat feelings of isolation. Make time to connect throughout the week by planning meet-ups such as post-work walks or lunches.
- Exercise for 30 minutes daily. Exercise can help boost your mood and improve your overall well-being. Some typical workouts include yoga, biking, walking and stretching.
- Schedule regular breaks. Take breaks throughout your day to help prevent daily burnout. Small breaks in your workday could include taking a short walk or making a snack.
- Create a designated work space. When working in a remote environment, it’s important to have a space designated for work. This space should be somewhere you feel productive, such as a desk. Spaces like your bedroom or couch are associated with relaxation, so they may not be the best locations to be productive during the day.
If you’re a remote or hybrid employee, consider trying some of these tips to help prioritize your physical and mental health.
Every workplace is different, so consider how prioritizing your well-being can fit into your schedule. You could also reach out to your manager or co-workers to discuss prioritizing your well-being.
- Published in Blog
6 Tips For Better Brain Health
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
A brief lapse in memory, such as misplacing your wallet or forgetting a birthday, is often associated with being overly busy or having an excessive amount of stress. In fact, memory loss is a common part of aging. What can be problematic is when the episodes of forgetfulness increase and intensify into a more severe problem, such as mild cognitive impairment or even Alzheimer’s disease.
This is why taking care of your brain health is essential. There are small daily efforts you can make to slow memory decline. Read on for six tips about taking care of your brain health.
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Exercise Daily
Physically active people are less likely to experience a decline in their mental function, according to the Mayo Clinic. The increased blood flow to the brain during exercise aids the natural brain connections that occur during aging. A simple routine of 30 minutes of physical activity daily can help boost your brain health. Try choosing an activity that will increase your heart rate, such as hiking, playing tennis or biking.
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Eat a Balanced Diet
A balanced diet not only helps physical health but cognitive functions as well. Try to incorporate foods high in monounsaturated fats, polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids. These foods can include salmon, nuts and avocados, for example. It’s also important to avoid foods high in trans and saturated fats, such as processed foods and fatty cuts of beef.
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Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Sleep plays a vital role in overall health, including brain health. To get a good night’s sleep, you should aim for seven to eight consecutive hours of rest per night. This gives the brain a chance to detoxify and relax after each day, which is critical for a healthy brain and memory.
A lack of sleep can be a detriment to your brain health. If you’re having trouble sleeping, it can be helpful to reach out to your doctor.
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Participate in Social Activities
Regular social interactions can help decrease memory loss. This can especially be important if you live alone or work remotely. A simple way to incorporate social interaction into your daily life is to connect with loved ones such as family and friends. If you have time in your evenings, this could be a good opportunity to try a new hobby or class within your community.
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Activate Your Brain
The more mentally stimulated you are, the better your brain’s overall function will be. To engage in mental stimulation, you can participate in activities such as reading, brain games, painting and puzzles. If you’re looking for where to start with brain-stimulating exercises, reach out to your doctor for recommended resources.
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Receive Regular Check-ups
Certain health factors, such as artery and vein health, are critical to brain health and function. By going to regular check-ups, you’re able to get your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol checked. Your doctor can tell you if your these and other numbers are in a healthy range. If not, they can provide care to help you get your numbers in a healthy range.
Conclusion
Brain health significantly impacts your memory and cognitive function. Practicing these six habits can positively impact your brain’s health. If you have further questions about how to better the health of your brain, reach out to your doctor for more information.
- Published in Blog
5 Alternatives To Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
When times get tough, it can be instinct to look for a coping mechanism. Coping mechanisms can help people feel like they’re escaping reality by relieving stress or being able to distract their minds. While this is a normal feeling, it becomes a problem when one turns to unhealthy coping mechanisms, which can be harmful in the long run.
This article explores ways to turn unhealthy coping mechanisms into healthier alternatives.
Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
There are typically four main reasons people turn to unhealthy or destructive behaviors: mental health, stress, isolation and neurobiology. Here are some of the most common unhealthy coping mechanisms:
- Oversleeping—Sleep is a common way that people try to escape. While sleep is good for your overall health, too much sleep can inhibit the amount of movement your body needs daily.
- Excessive drug or alcohol use—Substance misuse can be a dangerous coping mechanism as it can have serious long-term side effects such as health complications, addiction and death.
- Over- or under-eating—Over- or under-eating outside of the recommended guidance can cause health issues. Try to stay within the recommended daily intake guidance.
- Impulsive retail spending—Excessive shopping can lead to financial problems. Making small purchases over time can also lead to hoarding or family problems.
Alternatives to Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
It’s normal to have feelings of wanting to escape from reality due to stress or anxiety. Healthy coping mechanisms can help address stress and anxieties in a positive way—and also develop into long-lasting habits.
Check out these healthier alternatives for coping with stress or other unpleasant emotions:
- Create task lists. Unhealthy coping mechanisms can prevent you from reaching your short- and long-term goals. Making a task list of personal goals can help you achieve the things you want and elevate your mood by physically seeing your accomplishments when they’re checked off the list.
- Talk about stress. Find someone willing to listen to you, such as a close friend, family member or mental health professional. Putting your feelings into words can help alleviate stress and feelings.
- Address negative feelings. Negativity is a normal part of life. Trying to avoid it is called avoidance behavior, which can result in reaching for unhealthy coping mechanisms.
- Learn your triggers. Knowing what you negatively respond to can help help you keep track of and be aware of how you react.
- Pick up a new hobby. For example, outlets such as painting or picking up running can be therapeutic. Incorporate a frequent time and space to practice your new hobby.
Practice Healthy Coping Mechanisms
Having negative or overwhelming emotions is normal. It’s important to consider using healthy coping mechanisms to help deal with stress. If you have an ongoing emotional problem, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional.
- Published in Blog
Prioritizing Wellness During The 2022-23 School Year
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Many may be excited for school to start after a long summer. However, the new school year can come with new and recurring challenges. The 2022-23 school landscape looks different from previous years during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mask mandates are on the retreat, with many schools ending preventive measures such as quarantines and regular screening tests. Additionally, COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are available to school-aged children.
Although the school year seems to be back to normal, caregivers, parents and children will likely still face uncertainty, stress and other emotions. The return to school and its associated routine can impact everyone differently; therefore, it’s worth taking a proactive approach to approaching wellness during this transition.
This article explores ways to care for yourself and your children during the school year.
Checking In With Children
Although schools, playgrounds and lunchrooms may seem more normal this school year, children may experience stress and uncertainty. Children may even engage in more social situations than in previous years during the pandemic, which can create different environments.
As such, you should monitor your children for signs of anxiety or distress. Be on the lookout for changes in a child’s behavior and mood or physical symptoms, such as:
- Increased defiance or irritability
- Disturbances in sleep
- Loss of appetite
- Lack of concentration
- Less energy
- Sadness or crying
- Nausea, muscle tension or dizziness
- Refusal to go to school or engage in virtual schoolwork
If a child or others in the home shows any of these signs, they may have anxiety about their schooling situation. Children are resilient, but it’s still important to pay attention to signs of anxiety—and seek professional support if any warning signs persist.
Taking Care of Yourself
With school back in session, here are some healthy ways for working parents and caregivers to make the school year more manageable and balance their work and personal responsibilities:
- Set reasonable expectations. Establish realistic expectations about what you think you can accomplish each day or week. Don’t be hard on yourself. Cut yourself some slack and focus on completing high-impact items and responsibilities.
- Develop a schedule. Creating a routine that works around your work schedule and family needs is essential. Additionally, consider consolidating certain activities such as housework, chores or extracurricular activities to one or two specific days to help everyone stay focused.
- Set boundaries. If you feel stretched thin between being a good caregiver and an efficient employee, it may be helpful to set some boundaries. Remember that you’re in control of how you’re expending your energy and can free up mental space to allow yourself to be more present where and when it matters.
- Create healthy habits. Be sure to get plenty of sleep and eat well so you can be fully charged to take on the day. It’s also important to stay active and incorporate movement into your daily routine. It may help to schedule a workout first thing in the morning, during lunch or in the late afternoon so it will fit in around school.
- Make good use of weekends. If school and work both happen on weekdays, be sure to use the weekends to recharge, reduce stress and have fun as a family. If you prefer alone time, make that a priority. Everyone needs a break from responsibilities, whether that’s work or school.
- Ask for help. Lean on your networks for support if you need help getting through the workdays. With many extracurriculars and school programs back, don’t wait to ask others for help if you’re overwhelmed. Be honest and communicative with your family and co-workers if the current situation isn’t working well.
It’s also important to recognize your unhealthy coping methods and find alternatives such as meditating, exercising or talking with a friend.
Conclusion
Although school is back in session and starting to resemble the pre-pandemic days, caregivers and parents may still seem stretched thin balancing caregiving and working. Children may also feel overwhelmed with school and social aspects. You can explore healthy ways to cope with lingering uncertainty and make balancing all your personal and professional responsibilities manageable.
If you’re feeling stressed or experiencing burnout related to kids returning to school, talk to your manager about your situation and to learn more about employer-offered resources.
Additionally, talk to your doctor or a licensed mental health professional if you’re concerned about your or your child’s mental health.
- Published in Blog
The Benefits Of Mindful Eating
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Taking time to be mindful of your eating process and not focusing on restricting calories could enhance your awareness of the experience, improve your relationship with food and help you lose weight. Mindful eating can be an essential practice in today’s world, where multitasking is common practice. Multitasking while eating can lead to less satisfaction with your meals, less awareness of the food, and often, overeating.
This article explores mindful eating, its benefits and how to practice this healthy approach.
What Is Mindful Eating?
Mindful eating is a type of mindfulness meditation that focuses on being fully present and aware of one’s feelings, thoughts, physical sensations and environment during meals. As such, mindful eating makes you fully aware of the eating experience and your thoughts and feelings about food.
This concept encourages focusing on preparing and consuming your food in a distraction-free environment. By thinking about the food, you may become more aware of the signals your body sends to your brain that indicate satisfaction and fullness, which can help you improve your general health and well-being.
Benefits of Mindful Eating
Mindful eating offers several physical and mental health advantages, including the following:
- Better body cue recognition—You’ll better understand your body’s hunger, craving and fullness cues. You can also establish a better overall relationship with food when aware of your cues.
- Overeating prevention—Mindful eating allows you to check in with yourself and pause snacks or meals if you aren’t actually hungry. A pause can help you slow down and break the cycle of overeating and binge eating.
- Healthier food choices—When you’re more aware of how food makes you feel, you may choose more nutritious foods that can make you feel energized.
- Stress reduction—Mindfulness-based exercises, including mindful eating, can help reduce cortisol (or stress) levels.
- Weight loss—Although research is mixed on the definitive connection between mindful eating and weight loss, you’re likely to lose weight if you properly listen to your hunger cues.
Mindfulness practices may also help improve anxiety, depression, eating disorders and stress symptoms.
Tips for Mindful Eating
Mindful eating may sound simple, but it takes practice. Consider the following mindful eating tips:
- Honor your food. The mindful practice starts before the food is on your plate. It’s important to acknowledge where the food was grown and who prepared the meal.
- Evaluate your hunger. It’s equally important to continue to assess your appetite while eating. Checking in with your physical hunger and satiety sensations can help you learn your cues.
- Start with small portions. Modest portions can help you respect your hunger and satiety cues. Single-serving portions may also look more substantial on smaller plates or bowls.
- Pay attention to your food. Engage your senses and notice what you see (e.g., food texture, color and appeal), smell, feel (e.g., texture and temperature), taste and hear (e.g., crunch).
- Eliminate distractions. Being distracted while eating can fuel a negative relationship with food or lead to overeating or emotional eating. Also, avoid eating in a bedroom, living room or vehicle.
- Slow down. Make a conscious effort to chew your food more to aid digestion and allow more time to recognize your body’s cues.
- Don’t skip meals. Going too long without eating increases the risk of extreme hunger, which may lead to a quick and easy food choice—which is not always a healthy one.
Multitasking while eating has become the new normal, but you can be in control and aware of the process and your feelings. You can try the eating approach at your next meal or start small by attempting the practice once a week—for example, establish a “Mindful Monday.”
Contact a registered dietitian if you need additional help or guidance with mindful eating or general eating habits.
- Published in Blog
Excessive Phone Use And Associated Health Risks
This article is from RISQ Consulting’s Zywave client portal, a resource available to all RISQ Consulting clients. Please contact your Benefits Consultant or Account Executive for more information or for help setting up your own login.
Ever stop scrolling on social media and realize you’ve been on the app for way too long? That’s the reality for many people as every video view, swipe and double-tap add up. According to data.ai, the average American spent 4.8 hours each day on mobile devices in 2021—that’s one-third of daily waking hours.
This article explores responsible and excessive phone usage, the impact of too much screen time and tips for improving your relationship with your smartphone.
How Much Is Too Much?
The pandemic has accelerated existing mobile habits, but it’s essential to understand the difference between necessary and excessive usage.
Smartphones have become a necessity for communication, entertainment and convenience for many people. The latest smartphones are essentially pocket-sized computers, making them an efficient way to get work done on the go. However, it can be a slippery slope if you use your smartphone for most daily tasks or fun.
Consider the following warning signs that smartphone use is becoming unhealthy:
- Anger or irritation if phone use is interrupted
- Dangerous behavior (i.e., using a smartphone while driving)
- Impaired sleep
- Isolation from loved ones
- Poor work performance
As a general rule, experts say adults should limit daily screen time to less than two hours per day outside of work.
The Impact of Excessive Screen Time
Smartphones have made our lives so much easier, but they can also impact our physical and mental well-being. Excessive smartphone use has been reported to change brain activity, reaction times and sleep patterns. As a result, you may be less concentrated and productive during the workday and often forget tasks and goals. Research has also shown that excessive phone use can increase stress, anxiety and feelings of loneliness.
The pandemic has only made matters worse as work, social connectivity and entertainment are tied to hand-held devices. Lines are blurred between necessary and excessive use when work and social connectivity depend on hand-held devices. Fortunately, there are ways to take control and ensure phone use is balanced.
Tips for Cutting Back
The first step to cutting back on your smartphone use is determining how much time you’re spending on your phone. Many smartphones have digital well-being features that break down how much time you’re using your phone for calls, texts, emails, social media and more. You may be surprised to find out how often you’re scrolling or reading on your smartphone.
To build a healthier relationship with your phone, consider the following tips:
- Set clear boundaries. If you are always waiting for work or personal messages, you may feel chained to the device. It’s helpful to set boundaries that outline when you’ll be available.
- Turn off notifications. Disable notifications for social media apps or mute group chats to avoid being tempted by constant notifications. In general, text messages and calendar reminders are helpful, but other frequent notifications may interrupt your productivity.
- Change your screen to grayscale. Removing colors can make your phone less visually appealing. This feature should be available in your phone’s display settings.
- Rearrange your apps. Another way to make your phone less alluring is to limit what’s on your home screen and hide tempting apps in a folder.
- Check at specific times. Create achievable boundaries by checking your phone for notifications at a designated time, such as your lunch break or every two hours. Leaving your phone in a separate room to charge is another idea.
- Avoid use before bedtime. Try to cut down on phone use in bed or right before sleeping. The bright screen can signal to your body that it’s time to be awake, so you may have trouble falling asleep or experience lower sleep quality. Save the news feed scrolling and video watching for during the day.
- Use an old-fashioned alarm clock. When you use your phone as your alarm clock, you likely will spend time scrolling on your phone when setting, snoozing or turning off the alarm.
With minor adjustments, you could be a more mindful smartphone user. If you think your phone use may be unhealthy, create an action plan that works for your life and schedule. To achieve a healthy balance, focus on apps and content that enrich your life or are necessary for work.
- Published in Blog
New Year, New Me! No Follow Through? Back to Old You…
By Taylor Brouillet-Stock, Account Specialist
Did you make any New Year’s Resolutions for 2022? Now that it’s February, I think it’s time to take a step back and evaluate how those resolutions are coming along. New Year’s Resolutions can be hard to keep, especially if you plan to make drastic changes in your life and do a complete 180 from December 31st to January 1st.
I have noticed (and I am guilty of this as well) that people tend to put a lot of pressure on themselves to fulfill certain resolutions by a certain time in the year. In my experience, and from what I have witnessed from others, when those resolutions aren’t met by that arbitrary due date it can make you feel like a failure or that your entire year is ruined. I think that having goals for your life and wanting to build better habits is a great thing! But I also think that we shouldn’t put too much pressure on ourselves or put ourselves down if things don’t go exactly the way we expect them to.
In this article, James Clear lists 30 one-sentence stories from people who have built better habits in their lives. I think this is a great example of how making just a slight change in your behavior can result in big changes down the road that help you build a better, healthier lifestyle. If you are anything like me and struggle to keep New Year’s Resolutions, give this article a read as it may inspire you to make those small and manageable changes to bring you a happier way of life!
- Published in Blog
