It’s almost that season—time for school buses and alarm clocks. And if you’re like most families, you’ve probably been letting your sleep schedule slide in favor of late evenings spent enjoying the extra hours of daylight with a bike ride or the glow of a backyard fire pit in the warm night air. We don’t…
Have you found yourself taking on a Do-It-Yourself project lately? Whether you’re painting a wall, replacing a kitchen counter top, or repairing the deck outside, you’re not alone. Millions of people working at home these days have started DIY projects. Empty lumber shelves and back-orders for appliances in local and big box stores nationwide…
When the quick care doctor who was stitching up my elbow asked how I fell in the parking lot, he broke into a smile when I said “skateboarding.” I’m over 60-years and reasonably “fit.” But, “smart” came into question that day. Being active and over 60 had lulled me into some overly casual choices,…
As gyms and fitness centers reopen nationwide after quarantine, it’s important for those of us who miss our workouts to understand the risks before rejoining. I returned to my local gym recently and found some welcome new safeguards, but also some surprising lapses that medical experts say should be in place. The big…
By Cheryl Jones, Director of Mindfulness at Aetna As if the intensity of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic with its health and economic implications wasn’t enough, we now find ourselves in the midst of rising racial and political tensions. It feels as though our sanity and our humanity are at risk. I believe mindfulness (awareness that…
The heat is on – and that can make exercise challenging. But there’s no reason to put your exercise habit on hold just because of the heat. It is important, however, to take some precautions to keep it pleasurable – and safe. Check out our suggestions to feel the burn, but not get burned. …
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Work-related stress is the leading workplace health problem. Additionally, the World Health Organization (WHO) recently included “burnout” in its new edition of the International Classification of Diseases, describing it as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” And the…
The pandemic hasn’t stopped summer from arriving! As vacation season kicks off, it is a good time for HR teams to encourage the value of taking a break. As we all know, vacations are important for emotional and physical health of employees. In fact, studies show that they build a far more engaged, happy, and…
Raising chickens has almost an infinite number of benefits. These benefits range from simple companionship to self-sufficient food production. Raising and keeping chickens even has several health benefits that can positively impact those with mental or physical disabilities. In fact, several universities such as the University of Minnesota are utilizing therapy chickens during exam…
In observance of Mental Health Month, I’ve been writing on the lessons I’ve learned about mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic. (You can read about Lessons 1 to 3 here and Lessons 4 to 7 here.) The seventh and final lesson to living in the “new normal” following the easing of lockdown restrictions is in…
