Work, Family, Home...Your Health?

For 22 years, I worked and served as a leader in a very structured full-time career. With managing high demands that often ran counter to my authenticity, I became known in my work world as the Healthnut, complete with a goofy certificate for it hanging outside my office door. Over time, colleagues would often seek counsel for making changes in hopes for a better work-life balance. Turns out, strategies for managing a high-stress work environment weren't so nutty after all. At one point, I was asked to write an article about healthy living for the agency's newsletter. I've since made a career change in order to help people make healthy changes as a full-time Health Coach, but for those of you who may be looking for ways to refine your routines for a better work-life balance, I offer the following snapshot of my approaches at the time...

One way to simplify life and reduce stress is to be clear about your priorities and align the way you spend your time to those priorities. Mine are health, marriage, kids, work, and home. These change over time and vary widely for different people. At another stage in my life, travel and friendships will be top priorities again. Always though, health remains at the top of my list. It’s what allows me to enjoy everything else in life! I align the way I spend my time to this priority. Here’s how: sleep, movement, happiness, and food.

Spotting a giant asparagus on my walk to work!

Eighteen years ago, I eliminated television from my home and ever since have benefitted greatly from that single decision. One result is that my evening activities come to a pleasurable close by about 8:30 each night, at which time I go to bed and get a solid 8 or 9 hours of sleep. We rise 6:00, light a candle, chug a glass of water with lemon, do a bit of simple yoga (stretching with deep breathing), and meditate while coffee or tea is brewing. As shared in a previous blogpost titled Morning Glory, my husband I have a long-standing coffee-talk-on-the-couch routine every morning that lasts about half an hour. By the time I’m ready to get the kid up, I am feeling relaxed, rested, centered, connected and warmed up for the day. I then enjoy a big hot breakfast that usually consists of dinner leftovers like rice and veggies with an egg or two on top – all simply heated in my favorite cast iron skillet. After trying many ways of eliminating daily car time, I am now settled into walking my daughter to school each day and then the rest of the way to work, using the city bus for part of the four-mile route. Anytime movement can be integrated into your necessary functions of the day, it’s the most pleasurable and sustainable way to stay active (example: using the stairs at work).

Another example of daily, integrated movement is the standing desk arrangement. This is really catching on in our office. It can, in most cases, be set up easily and at no cost. I stand at work throughout the day and as a result fidget, stretch and walk around much more frequently. The only time I sit down is during meetings. If, like my husband, you are lucky enough to work for an organization that concerns itself with your well-being, you may be able to purchase a standing desk for your office. The desks on the market these days are very cool and designs are numerous. I encourage you to explore the *standing desk options at reviews.com!

Our workteam exudes positivity throughout the day. We meet our challenges with open communication, flexibility, solution-oriented thinking, and fun teamwork. You may find us boisterous like a big loving family – laughing and fussing and laughing again - or studious and focused with our heads together on a tough issue at any given moment. Being happy at work is essential to my good health. 

Now about food…The kitchen and food culture in our society is becoming less intuitive, warm, nurturing, natural, and nourishing as our lives become busier. As a result, many of us feel disconnected dread related to the chore of feeding our families and ourselves; some even feel intimidated using their own kitchens. American kitchens are often highly well equipped, but rarely used and somewhat dysfunctional. Family culture around kitchens and mealtime are also becoming less positive and connective. Ultimately, as a culture we are sacrificing our empowerment over our health and daily kitchen experiences.

Food is personal and intimate. We take it into our bodies multiple times a day and it impacts our health, moods, energy, and behaviors. Because food is a personal necessity, we benefit from taking ownership over our food related choices and behaviors (shopping, growing, cooking, mealtime routines, kitchen management, cooking and eating atmosphere).

So I cook like it’s a party in the kitchen. I buy fresh, real food that looks pretty and smells good – fruit, veggies, bulk rice, bulk beans, local eggs, local meats, fish, and a few treats like plain Greek yogurt, local honey, sauerkraut, dark chocolate, and wine! Since health is a priority, I’ll sacrifice expenses in other areas so I can afford to spend more money on quality food. When I cook, there are no measurements, no plans, no obligation except to feed my body and spirit. If high quality, whole foods are in the kitchen, all I have to do is toss them together and apply heat in most cases and it will taste good! I make enough of whatever concoction I create to feed everyone, but beyond that I don’t cater to pickiness. My family knows that they can eat it or leave it, but meals are rituals and all are expected to show up, sit, take a deep breathe, slow down, and then engage in the experience with manners.

Finally, I usually end the day with a glass of wine (or kombucha) with my husband on the front porch. We call it happy hour because it really is a happy time to debrief the day, watch the neighborhood kids, and wave at the neighbors walking before dinner. 

My health is influenced not only by my daily routines, but also by my levels of satisfaction with how other areas of my life are going. If you don’t feel as “healthy” as you wish, examine voids or negativity in your work, relationships, finances, and home because the secret barriers to good health may go beyond food and exercise choices.

With intent to help you make healthy changes...the most important thing you can do for yourself is to enjoy the pleasures of your life. A bit of ease and healthy, simple pleasure can go a very long way in supporting the body's ability to both heal and sustain itself beautifully.

Enjoy!

*Finding the right standing desk for your needs

In the last few years, work-life integration has become more of a concern in office life. Ergonomic furniture and devices have replaced typical desks and computers in an effort to help office workers stay happier, healthier, and ultimately, more productive. We’ve all heard buzz about standing desks — some sources like CNN even say that they can facilitate a measurable bump in productivity.

With so many options out there on the market, it can be tough to know how to find a standing desk that’s right for you, or even if it’s a good solution for your unique needs. That’s why the team at Reviews.com hand-tested leading options on the market to determine what is the most important when finding a great standing desk.

Function: Standing desks often boast stand-to-sit capabilities and other features, but do they really do what you need? Make sure the desk space itself is big enough to be a workspace for everything you’ll be doing, not just computer work.

Warranty: Given how expensive standing desks typically are,, they will ideally come with a warranty. Warranties are obviously great for covering damage, but also signify that the manufacturer stands behind their quality of their work.

User Experience: The team went on to personally test everything from design and smoothness of raising and lowering desk height to actually putting them to use for work. Again, these aspects are pretty much up to one’s personal preferences at the end of the day.

Ease of Assembly: Desks can appear to be very straightforward in construction, but they may actually be quite complex to put together. Testers found a huge range in how hard they were to put together, so we recommend you look for one that’s not so complicated.

While these factors will help you get a good idea of where to start looking, one of the most important aspects of incorporating a standing desk into your routine is proper use:

First, keep in mind that standing around all day isn’t necessarily better for you than sitting. Like the rest of the world, office life can get caught up in fads, and standing desks are no exception. While some experts make claims that “sitting is the new smoking” and the like, there is a delicate balance to supporting your health during the workday. Aim for a combination of both sitting and standing, and look for a standing desk which facilitates that transition.

There’s also a right and a wrong way to be using a standing desk — and that positioning is key. Your monitor should sit at/just below eye level, and remember to position yourself so your eyes are 20 to 28 inches from your screen. Upper arms should be close to your body with straight wrists, with hands at or below wrist level. Ultimately, the table height should be roughly at elbow height to create a 90-degree angle at your elbow. 

Ultimately, your decision will be up to personal preference, but these factors will be important to keep in mind as you determine what’s best for you. To take a look at the full guide and see which standing desks performed the best, you can take a look here: https://www.reviews.com/standing-desk/