Getting back to work after a vacation

August 7, 2018 jguk Leave a Comment

After a vacation, sometimes it can be hard to ease back into things at your workplace. Here are some tips to make the transition easier:

Get organized before you go
Plan to ease back into it.
Enjoy looking at vacation reminders (such as photos you took).
Focus on the positive.
Set new goals and look forward to reaching them.
Plan your next vacation.

For more information about the importance of taking vacations, visit your free EFAP resources by clicking this link and entering “Dalhousie” in the search bar.

The importance of taking a vacation

July 23, 2018 jguk Leave a Comment

It might seem that most people take their vacation time and understand the importance and benefits of taking time off work – but this is incorrect. Most North Americans do not use their entire vacation time during the year due to fear of falling behind and other concerns. However, there are many proven benefits to taking vacation time, such as the following:

Stress reduction in general and on the job
Better focus and increased productivity
Heart health (lower risk of coronary heart disease and lower blood pressure)
An increase in happiness
Better sleep and more energy at work
An improvement in work-life balance, as you are allocating more time to yourself and your family rather than your employer

Source: Occupational Safety Group Inc.

Relaxation tips for sleep

July 19, 2018 jguk Leave a Comment

Having trouble sleeping? Try the following strategies:

Count backwards: Slowly, while lying in bed, count backwards from 100. Take your time – if you forget or hesitate about what number you’re on, start over from 100. Don’t allow yourself to get frustrated. Doing a monotonous activity like this can have the effect of making you sleepy.
Analyze your sleep cycle: Record your sleep data, perhaps by tracking it in a journal or using an app on an electronic device. Once you identify your sleeping pattern, you can potentially identify problems and find ways to mediate them.
Guided visualization: Relax your body from head to toe, and imagine yourself in a calming location (e.g. a beach). Go through each of the senses that you would imagine in that place: the smell, the sights, the sounds.
Find ways to reduce anxiety: Subconscious anxiety or stress can impede on sleep. Check out your EFAP resources for ideas (enter “dalhousie” in the search bar) on how to reduce stress, such as mindfulness exercises, yoga or medication.
Alternate nostril breathing: Using your finger to press on each of your nostrils while slowly breathing out of the adjacent open nostril can relax your nervous system.
Improve your diet or exercise routine: Exercise can release endorphins that balance stress and releasing that energy throughout the day can make it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep at night. Eating a healthier diet, and changing up when you eat (e.g. not eating right before sleep) can also mediate uneasiness or insomnia.

Source: The Huffington Post

Simple, quick ways to relax

July 9, 2018 jguk Leave a Comment

Take a deep breath. Stress causes our breathing to become shallow and allows for less oxygen to be pumped into the body, which can reduce energy levels and mental clarity. Close your eyes and focus on the rhythm of your breathing. Breathe in for 3 counts (1-2-3) and hold the breath before slowly exhaling for 3 counts 1-2-3). Pause and count to 3 before inhaling again, and repeat. You should feel your abdomen expanding when you inhale, and emptying when you exhale.
Leave the tension behind. Sometimes, muscle tension can be difficult to consciously notice, but it is one of our bodies’ most common responses to stress. Choose a comfortable position, and gently close your eyes and slowly tense the mucsles of the face. Hold for a few seconds before slowly and gently relaxing the mucsles, letting go of the tension. Continue this with other muscle groups, and work your way down to your feet.
Meditate. Achieving peace of mind can be accomplished by the popular method of meditation. Choose a quiet spot, sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Relax your muscles from head to feet and become aware of the tension as you breathe in and let it go as out breathe out. Continue for 5-15 minutes.

More relaxation and meditation tips can be found through Dalhousie University’s EFAP resources. Click this link and search for “Dalhousie University” in the search bar for more information.

Rekindling a relationship after having a baby

June 26, 2018 jguk Leave a Comment

The arrival of a new baby, especially a first child, is an extremely significant event in a couple’s life that brings much joy, but also new responsibilities and challenges for parents. Dividing household tasks may help the transition into parenthood and ensuring that household duties are still taken care of in a way that is fair. Secondly, couples often have less time to be intimate, and lack of sleep and fatigue are contributors, so communicating with your partner about this is crucial. Finding time to connect with your partner may be more difficult with less time on your hands, but try to find pockets of time during the course of the days and evenings where this is possible – such as when the baby is sleeping.

As always, develop a plan that works for you – there is no one “right” way to rekindle the spark after the birth of a baby, and each couple needs to be in tune with their own feelings as well as their partner’s feelings in order to find a plan that works.

For more information and guidance, visit your free EFAP resources by clicking this link here and entering “Dalhousie” in the search bar.

Archives for jguk