The Forgotten Variable in the Work-Life Balance Equation: You

Are you suffering from work-life balance issues? Has your job overtaken your life? Do you find yourself working evenings, perhaps even weekends, to keep your head above the water at work? Are you struggling to find quality time with your family and friends?

If so, the challenge may not be the job or balance as much as knowing what quality really means to you: what matters, why it matters, and what your role is in producing what you truly seek.

As someone who consults regularly to organizations large and small, I can readily see the challenges you may be facing as you try to keep the job going while still maintaining a healthy personal or family life. However, the work-life balance question is one that has at least two faces to it, one obvious, the other not so obvious. Continue reading here.

Holidays are Over!

Well nearly over.  You should have already thought about your health plans for the new year.  I am NOT talking about 'I am going to get in shape' type of plan.  You need something more concrete!  SMART goals.  Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed.

A SMART goal is:
Who/What/When:  I am going to lose at least 5 pounds in three months and keep that weight off for the remainder of my life.

Why:  I want to maintain and/or improve my health through self management and not have to rely on prescriptions and doctors to fix preventable issues before they become problems.  I want to live independently.  I want to have confidence, feel younger, move more freely, reduce pain, prevent injury, and reduce illness.


How:  I am going to incorporate more physical activity into my life everyday by either parking further, taking the stairs, doing 20 squats a day, dedicating time to strengthening my body or seeing a personal trainer.


Stop waiting around until you are sick and in pain.  Manage your life responsibly.  Move more, eat healthier, sleep enough, and start feeling better.

Feldenkrais Class by Baby Liv: Foundations of The Feldenkrais Method - H...

Active Health Activity from the PT department

Our bodies are designed to move.  Similar to every other animal on this planet if we didn't move, we would not survive (or at least have anything close to a high quality of life.)  The way I see it, we are here, we might as well make the most of our time here.

The first sentence of 'Rehabilitation of the Spine-A Practitioner's Manual" reads:

"Activity has been shown to be effective for preventing or treating many of the most common chronic ailments in our society today." 

Being able to perform daily activities with no pain is a small goal I have for my patients.  Sitting and standing, touching toes, getting off the floor, carrying your groceries and moving from point A to point B are some of the bare necessities of independent living.

What does it take to perform those tasks pain free with relative ease?  More.  It takes more!

Suggested forms of exercise you read about in magazines and newspapers such as going for a walk or joining a water aerobics class is only getting the extremely sedentary to do something.  However these forms of exercise are not going to make daily tasks easier.  Playing in the water is not going to give you the strength you need to get off of the ground.

Self assessment:
1) Can you touch your toes?
2) Can you get down to and off of the floor?
3) Can you sit and stand without the use of your hands?
4) Can you step on to an elevated surface?

If you answered "no" to any of these questions what can you do to answer "yes"?
Practice!


At Health First Wellness Center most physical training sessions are covered by your insurance.