Treat Yourself!

May 28, 2018

Maybe some of you have figured out the perfect work/life balance, but I feel like most of us work too hard and for too many hours. We rarely take time to relax during the day and, if we do, we feel guilty about it.

Being under constant stress takes its toll on the body. Studies show that chronic stress disrupts the immune system, causes hormonal imbalance and induces inflammation, which is the root of all disease.

Dan Buettner has done extensive research on what he calls the "Blue Zones" -- the 5 areas of the world where people live the longest. The residents of these 5 areas have several commonalities among them: they all eat plant-based diets, they have a community of friends and family around them, and -- my favorite -- they know how to "down shift". They have stressors in their lives just like anyone else, but they have strategies in place to reduce that stress (and they unabashedly use these strategies daily). According to Buettner, "Okinawans take a few moments each day to remember their ancestors, Adventists pray, Ikarians take a nap and Sardinians do happy hour."

The solution for us, I think, is to bring a little bit of those Blue Zone lifetstyles in to our daily lives. Here are a few ideas:

1. Lie in the sun (see last week's newsletter for details on why this is so good for you). If you are lucky enough to work from home, run up and throw on a bathing suit and get some rays for 10-15 minutes. If you work in an office, try to get outside for 10-15 minutes, roll up your sleeves and sit facing the sun.

2. Meditate. Apps like Buddhify and Headspace are great and offer meditations that are short and sweet -- and you don't need to be experienced at meditating to reap the benefits. Buddhify even has a meditation called "Work Break." Bonus points if you listen to it outside!

3. Keep a Happy Journal. Taking a few minutes each day to jot down a few things you are thankful for can set an overall "glass-half-full" tone for your day. It can also be helpful to pore through when you're feeling blue. Buy a special journal to keep daily records of what you are grateful for in your life.

4. Embrace the weekday date! Meet your spouse at a bar for a quick 5:00 cocktail before the sitter leaves (no guilt about ditching the kids that way!). Or meet for a bite at lunchtime. Time alone to reconnect -- even if it's only for a half hour or an hour -- can be rejuvenating to a relationship.

5. Eat outside. This can't be done all year long for those of us in the northeast, but it is a nice break in the day when you can -- especially when the whole family can sit down to enjoy the al fresco meal together. If you don't have an outdoor table, throw a blanket down. It's like a mini-vacation!

There are a million different things we can do to reduce the stress in our lives. Finding that sense of calm will actually help you to become MORE productive by improving your focus and clarity. So banish that guilt and take some time for yourself -- EVERY DAY.