Make a change if you have no time. When you’re squeezed for time and life isn’t what you want it to be, something has to give. • Be realistic about how long things take so you don’t schedule too many things for yourself. • When things get too hectic, ease up on some of the nonessential activities that you and your family are involved in. • Make mornings less hectic by packing lunches and getting your work things organized the night before. 81 Light up your life. Seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression related to decreased daylight hours in the fall and winter months. Its symptoms can be mild or severe, and it afflicts about 5 percent of Americans. SAD can cause sleep problems, depression, overeating, or anxiety. Whether you are affected by SAD or not, you will benefit from these simple tips: • Keep curtains and shades open during the fall and winter months to let in more light. • Spend time outdoors on sunny days. • If you are suffering from SAD, talk with your doctor. There are therapies and medications that can help. 82 Know your comfort zone. When you know what your comfort zone is—under what conditions you feel most comfortable and satisfied—you feel better. You feel greater peace of mind at work and at home. • Get in touch with what you are thinking and feeling. • Set goals and priorities so that you live according to the work-life balance ideals you are striving for. • Be willing to step outside your comfort zone every so often. “To keep growing,” says author Bruce Tulgan, “you’ve got to push yourself out of your comfort zone. That allows you to take healthy risks and work toward new goals.” 83 Find a mentor or mentor someone else. Mentors are good to have throughout your life. A mentor can inspire, steer you in the right direction, and help you through personal and work challenges. Your mentor might be a neighbor, friend, relative, teacher, co-worker, or someone from your community. Help your child find a mentor, too. Being a mentor also brings rich rewards. To learn more about how to become a mentor, go to www.mentoring.org. According to the National Mentoring Partnership, children and teenagers who have had a mentor do better in school, are less likely to be involved with drugs and alcohol, and are more likely to go to college. 84 Feel good without spending money. Our best memories often involve things that don’t cost money. Sitting before a warm fire with cousins on a chilly night. Bobbing in the waves with someone you love. Reading a great book and talking about it with a friend. Admiring the Milky Way with your partner. Looking at photographs with people you love. Snuggling on the couch with your child on a rainy day. Having potluck dinners with neighbors and friends. Watching a feel-good movie by yourself. There are hundreds of ways to feel good without spending money. Make these a part of your life. 85 Take a tea break. Teatime is good for you. People all over the world have known that for centuries. Sipping tea alone or with a friend is a great way to relax and unwind and take a pause in your busy day. Studies show that drinking certain kinds of herbal and decaffeinated tea may even help prevent heart disease and cancer, soothe a sore throat, and relieve stress. 86 Do yoga. Yoga is the Sanskrit word for “union,” and it means a bringing together of the physical, emotional, and spiritual parts of ourselves. Yoga is beneficial at any age. It makes your body feel good; improves balance, flexibility of the joints and muscles; and relaxes stiff, tight muscles. Yoga also relieves stress, makes you more “mindful” and aware, helps improve concentration, and helps you feel more peaceful and calm. Get into the habit of practicing yoga. Just 15 minutes a day can bring tremendous results. Be sure to look for an experienced, qualified teacher. An estimated 18 million American adults now take some type of yoga class. –AARP Magazine 87 Get a massage. A massage isn’t just an indulgence. It’s a way to clear your mind, soothe sore muscles, and feel more relaxed. Massage therapy is sometimes used to treat medical conditions such as chronic pain and headaches. More and more health care providers are recognizing the benefits of these therapies. Check with your physician to see if massage therapy and other alternative medical treatments are recommended for you and are covered on your plan. • Get a professional massage after an especially stressful period at work or whenever you’re feeling tense. • Ask your partner, spouse, or a friend to rub your shoul- ders for a few minutes when your muscles are tense. • Give your child a massage. According to one Swedish study, young children who massage one another do not fight. 88 Give your weary eyes a rest. Take care to avoid eyestrain, especially when you are working at a computer or doing close-up work. • Take eye breaks. Look away from your computer screen periodically and focus on distant objects like a scene outdoors. After 20 minutes of computer use, look at distant objects for 20 seconds. • Sit at a comfortable distance from your computer monitor. Generally, the preferred viewing distance is between 20 and 40 inches from the eye to the front surface of the computer screen. • Reduce glare. Place your monitor away from bright lights and windows or use an anti-glare screen. Tip: Have a routine eye exam by an optometrist or ophthalmologist every one to two years. This is especially important if you have any special health care needs, such as diabetes. 89 Take care of your teeth. Encourage everyone in your family to protect their teeth to avoid problems later on. • Brush thoroughly twice daily with a soft toothbrush that lets you reach all surfaces of your teeth. Floss daily to reduce dental plaque and to prevent gum disease. Teach your child to floss regularly, too. • Brush your child’s teeth twice a day until your child has the skills to handle the toothbrush alone. • Get a new toothbrush every three months. • Visit your dentist every 6 to 12 months. • Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle or a “sippie” cup at night or at naptime. • Reduce injuries by having your child wear a mouth guard or face mask when playing sports. 90 [...]...91 Quit smoking today Quitting smoking adds years to your life, no matter when you stop Research shows that after 10 to 15 years, a previous smoker’s risk of premature death approaches that of a person who has never smoked Here are four tips on quitting from the American Lung Association: • Join a stop-smoking program like Freedom From Smoking® from the American... Association You’ll find helpful tips and information at the ALA Web site at www.lungusa.org • Pick a good time to quit Don’t try to quit when you’re under a lot of stress • Set a quit date Stretch out the time between cigarettes as your quit date approaches • Don’t give up The odds of quitting for good increase with every effort you make . comfort zone. That allows you to take healthy risks and work toward new goals.” 83 Find a mentor or mentor someone else. Mentors are good to have throughout your life. A mentor can inspire, steer you. about how to become a mentor, go to www.mentoring.org. According to the National Mentoring Partnership, children and teenagers who have had a mentor do better in school, are less likely to be involved. is—under what conditions you feel most comfortable and satisfied—you feel better. You feel greater peace of mind at work and at home. • Get in touch with what you are thinking and feeling. • Set goals