Self-Care Isn’t Just About Bubble Baths
In 2020, I resolve to take care… of myself. Join me in taking care of YOURself. Why is this important? At the risk of sounding cliched, remember the safety procedures they give you on the airplane. Whose oxygen mask do you put on first? Yours or your child’s?
Have a Safe and Easy 2020
We talk a lot about health and safety and things like that in our posts. But what we don’t talk a lot about is that doing things safely can also make things easier. Whether you’re taking care of yourself at work or at home - hopefully both! - you’ll find that safe can be easy. At Home OK, maaaaybe sitting on the sofa and watching TV all night is “easier” than going for a walk. Not in the long term though, when it’s hard to move because your joints and circulatory system are in bad shape. More movement means you lose weight, as long as you don’t eat more food to compensate! Moving around at a healthy weight means less stress on the joints. Easier to get up from a seated position, whether you’re on the floor or on a chair. Life’s easier when you don’t have to take [...]
Let the Light Shine In
Today it’s Christmas Eve, for those who celebrate Christmas. Earlier this week, others celebrated the winter solstice. Jewish tradition places Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, around this time of year as well. This time of year (at least in the Northern Hemisphere!) has long been a time to recognize the longest night of the year. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year with the shortest night. After Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night, the days grow shorter and shorter as the nights grow longer and longer. In terms of the Earth’s journey around the sun, the winter solstice is the shortest day of the year with the longest night. (I’m not even going to get into the whole Daylight Savings issue that we have here in the US!) We celebrate and push back against the darkness with light: candles, candelabras, Christmas tree garlands, fairy lights, menorah, the Yule log. How [...]
The Gift of Physical Health
December is the month for gifts. Not all presents are necessarily physical. Sometimes presents come in the form of presence. Being there for your family, friends, and colleagues. No one can help being in an accident, or having a sudden health issue that comes out of nowhere. However, taking care of your own health reduces the chance of illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. When you take care of your health, you’re in a better position to take care of your spouse and children too! Take care of your butt Who knew the butt was so important? (If you’ve been reading our posts, you know it is!) Though in all honesty it’s not so much your butt itself. Rather, getting off it is the key to the gift of health. In other words, move it! Is your office environment mostly sitting down? Find a way to move around. [...]
Stress-Free Family Holidays: 5 Tips For You
Did you know that December is Stress-Free Family Holidays month? Now, I don’t know about your family, but holidays aren’t exactly stress-free in mine! However, there are ways to reduce the stress around this time of year. 1. Get a move on! If you’ve been reading our articles, you know that we are BIG fans of adding movement to your day. In whatever ways you can. At work, you can stand at your desk, sit on a wobble stool or ball chair to get some movement in even while you’re seated. Good ergonomics are important at home too. Sitting in front of the computer for hours on end isn’t healthy for anyone. Especially young children who need a lot of activity. If you have kids, you’re setting the example for them. Always on your phone? Do you come home and sit for hours in front of the computer? What [...]
Party On. But Safely! 4 Tips For You.
It’s the holiday season and lots of us host parties during this time of year. Fortunately there are ways to keep you, your party helpers, and guests safe! 1. Safety-proof your house beforehand Pretty much everyone loves a party! And some people are probably going to party a little too hard, in all honesty. Don’t leave things out that could easily be knocked over. If you have cords where people might be walking, tape them down. Make them visible to avoid trips and falls. Enjoy candlelight? You can buy flameless candles. But if you decide you must have candles with actual flames, set them in spots where they can’t be easily knocked over. Where they’re not close to any flammable material like window curtains. If you have valuables, just remove them from public spaces! It’s easier to set them out of sight than to worry about them breaking or [...]