Canadians Need To Relax, But Watch Out For Leisure Sickness

IT MAY NOT BE KAROSHI, BUT MANY HAVE EXPERIENCED LEISURE ILLNESS

August 15th is Relaxation Day and Canadians are encouraged to remember to slow down, breathe and make healthy lifestyle choices.

 Little Britain, ON – We finally have a day off.  One that we have been looking forward to.  Only to be struck down with some kind of bug which makes us feel rotten. For some, taking a vacation doesn't lead to sleeping in, relaxation or family fun.  It may mean headaches, migraines, fatigue, muscular pains, nausea and viral infections that caused flu-like symptoms and colds. These symptoms can be a sign of leisure illness and they are often linked to stress caused by work overload and pushing ourselves too hard before taking time off.

This illness was often considered to be psychosomatic, because most people in the midst of it were not suffering from any viral or bacterial infection and it tended to be experienced by people who were overworked, expressed a lot of stress around working, or who rarely took time off from work. However, it may be that these people pushed themselves to the point where they compromised their body systems and when they finally took time off, their bodies 'gave in' and responded with aches, pains and illness reactions.

"Our bodies respond to the stressors that we face.  Sometime these reactions are not immediate as in the case of being in a car accident and our heart racing.  Sometimes these reactions build over time and eventually they can wear us down.  Sometimes it is not until we stop the 'rollercoaster ride' that our body responds and we experience these flu or cold like symptoms," says Beverly Beuermann-King, a Canadian work-life balance expert.

A recent Expedia.ca survey found that 40% of Canadians are not taking all of their vacation time and the number one reason cited was that they were too busy to get away.  Taking time off from our usual routine is important in ensuring good overall health.

“Vacation time helps reduce stress and holds a range of benefits for both our physical and mental well-being,” Beuermann-King says.  “A break from the grind can help lower your blood pressure, reduce anxiety and let you get the proper rest that’s so important to our overall health.  Plus, according to the Expedia.ca survey, holidays make us happy – which obviously benefits our mental well-being. However, if you are not taking good care of yourself on a day-to-day basis by eating health, getting enough sleep and exercise or you are involved in many negative coping activities, you may find that your body will 'act out'  the first chance it gets and that may be during your vacation."

August 15th is Relaxation Day.  It is a day to promote healthy lifestyles that include learning how to relax.  "We have become a society of workaholics and people who placed little value on taking care of ourselves.  We are seeing a change to this model as more and more people are looking to find balance and improve their health.  Being able to relax, whether at home on the weekend, a day off here or there or while on vacation is a true skill.  We need to learn to be comfortable in the moment and not planning out our to-do list. For some, relaxation is uncomfortable and promotes anxiety.  They are so use to being on the rollercoaster of life that even a few moments of down-time causes stress."

Celebrate Relaxation Day.  If you can, take the day off and focus only on those activities that nourish your mind and body. If you can't take the day off, make it a priority to build in some relaxation time after work or on the weekend.  It may be reading a good book, going for a massage, or sitting on a patio enjoying the summer.  All work and no play, may just make Jack or Jill one very sick person. 

Beverly’s Hot Tips for Celebrating National Relaxation Day:

• Vacations are important to our health and well-being, so don't wait for the 'right' time.  Make plans to use all of your vacation allotment, whether it be a day off, an extended weekend or a longer vacation period.
• Do not over-program your days off.  Look for activities that are relaxing and rejuvenating.
• Promote relaxation.  Try deep breathing, visualization, yoga or a massage.  Massage can increase circulation by manually applying pressure and movement, it stimulates nerve receptors causing the blood vessels to dilate, it increase oxygen capacity, loosens muscles, and increases body’s secretions. All of this is great for promoting the body’s relaxation response.
• Get involved in a hobby.  Try gardening, fishing, boating, or reading a book.  Reading something uplifting activates the same positive emotion center as experiencing a happy moment first hand. University of St. Louis
• Play. Play is important for all aspects of our lives, including creativity and relationships. When we play, we trigger a mix of endorphins that lift our spirits and the relationships that we form during play remind us that we are not alone in this world. Playing with a pet can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax us.

If you have some strategies to share – comment on the original posting by Beverly Beuermann-King at http://worksmartlivesmart.com/national-relaxation-day-august-15/ 

Beverly Beuermann-King is a recognized resiliency and wellness strategist who synthesizes the latest health and wellness research into practical and achievable best practices. For 20 years, Beverly has worked with people and organizations, using her S-O-S Principle™, who want to control their reactions to stress, build resiliency against life's challenges and live healthy, successful lives. Beverly is the author of the newly released Stress Out! 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In.  For More Info visit http://worksmartlivesmart.com/

P.S... Don't forget to Join Beverly Beuermann-King as she discusses how to Harness Your Energy & Build Your Resiliency at our November 4th WBNPtbo Meeting being held at The Holiday Inn on George Street in Peterborough (see more details in our 2015/2016 Program)

5 Ways To Get The Most Out Of Your Downtime

Submitted By:
Jill Bradley, Marketing Coordinator at Viamede Resort

We all know we need more downtime in our lives. But between running your own business, a hectic work schedule, devoting your talents to a worthy charity and keeping up at home, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time! When your hours are this limited and life is intense, it’s crucial to build in some time to refresh.

Here are 5 ways to make sure you are getting the very most out of your downtime:

1. Take your vacation.

It is well understood that regular breaks throughout the work day helps us to focus and accomplish more. The same is true on a larger scale. Vacation takers are more productive, focused and dedicated to their jobs, offering benefits to both the employer and the individual. To truly see these benefits, you need to disconnect from work emails and projects. If you must check-in, set a limited time once a day or every two days – and stick to it! You’ll come home rejuvenated and excited to get back at it.

2. Go somewhere. 

A break doesn’t always have to be a week-long vacation involving airports and customs. Sometimes just a night or two away from home is enough to get some rest and bring a fresh outlook on life. Try a road trip to a cute town a few hours away, a night out to dinner and a show in the city, or a retreat to a nearby quiet bed and breakfast or resort. As a bonus, you’ll keep costs down (less financial stress!) and you won’t have much to catch up on when you get back.

3. Schedule non-work activities. 

When things get busy, it’s easy to sideline the things that aren’t loudly demanding your attention. Maybe you’ve been meaning to catch up with an old friend for months now. Or you keep missing a favourite yoga class by working overtime. If you schedule these activities into your calendar, you’re much more likely to keep the commitment. Many gyms allow you to sign up for classes in advance, docking points or charging a fee if you don’t show. It’s a simple psychological hack that encourages accountability. So go ahead – make a date to meet your friend for a Saturday morning coffee or bootcamp class.

4. Turn off your devices after 8pm. 

The amount and type of light in your environment tells your body whether it is day or night, cueing the secretion of the appropriate hormones to make you alert or sleepy. In the evening, natural light is dim and has an orange hue, telling your body to produce melatonin to help you sleep and recharge. However, the light streaming out of your phone, TV, tablet and computer is on the blue spectrum. These devices send your body daytime signals, inhibiting melatonin and raising cortisol. Exposure to blue spectrum light at night can wreak havoc on your sleep schedule, leaving you tired and stressed, day in and day out.

What’s a gal to do? Set a “devices off” time, about 1-2 hours before bed. You’ll see significant improvements in your sleep and energy through the day. If you absolutely must use your electronics at night, consider downloading the application F.lux, which changes the light spectrum to a slightly orange hue at sunset, so your body knows it’s night-time.

5. Read before bed.

A University of Sussex study in 2009 showed that reading has an unprecedented ability to help people relax. Allowing your imagination to run wild with a great novel is a great way to settle your heart rate, relax your muscles and slow down your breathing, all important to a good night’s sleep. Don’t forget that it’s best to avoid those blue spectrum lights – so pick up a real book, not your eReader.

Reading can also help your body prepare for sleep as part of a before-bed ritual. Not just for children, such a routine signals to your mind and body that it is time to wind down and sleep. With a clear association between the newest page turner and slumber, you’ll be drifting off in no time.

Jill Bradley

Marketing Coordinator

Viamede Resort  

595 Mount Julian-Viamede Rd.  

Woodview, ON K0L 3E0 

705.654.3344 | www.viamede.com 

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Networking: How Women Do It Differently

Karen August, (Manager of Membership Services at the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce) shares some Networking insight for women...

You’ve probably heard it before, the ‘fact’ that men and women network differently.  But is it true? And what impact does it have on us and our business or career?

“Men’s networks are widely dispersed, while women tend to form their professional networks in the same way that they form personal networks”, says Holly J. Falk-Krzesinski, vice president of global academic and research relations for academic publisher Elsevier BV.

It’s different for girls

“Women’s tighter networks are built for personal support, but they often lack the wide reach of men’s networks. Women’s networks also are typically based on trust and first-degree knowledge, with contacts including old friends or former colleagues. Often, many people within a woman’s network know one another” she says.

So, while our typical networking style can produce great results while building camaraderie, mutual support circles, and good business referrals, it has its limits.

It might be possible to leverage your existing circle of professional and personal contacts to meet your needs.  But when you broaden your network you invite new possibilities in.

So, how are the men doing it?

The specific techniques that typically characterize the male approach to creating and building a network are subtle, but powerful.  As women, we can adopt their modus operandi and add it to our own, without sacrificing the obvious benefits our ‘inner circle’ of trusted supports undoubtedly provides.

Men often regard networking as an opportunity to meet new people.  As such, they allocate the resources to make that happen.  They budget for membership dues, conference attendance; for the ‘hospitality’ costs associated with lunches and for the time that it will take.

The best of both worlds

The unique qualities that your close-knit network provides should not be discounted or abandoned. When you are ready to expand your reach and influence, consider these points:

• You only get one chance to make a first impression so be prepared. Learn some new techniques and then practice, practice, practice.  You might need to employ a coach (or at least a trusted friend).

• Learn the art of body language and how to make people come to you in the room. Prepare some great questions that you can ask so that you are never stuck for words.  Study effective techniques to start (and end!) a conversation.  

• Learn the art of active listening, how and when to do the business card thing, and for heaven’s sake – don’t arrive at an event hungry!  Nobody ever made a good impression with asparagus in their teeth.

• Develop a powerful elevator speech and use it.  Chisel away at a long winded response until it is clean and crisp.  Remember, when Michelangelo was asked how he created his sculpture of David he supposedly said, “It was easy. All I did was chip away everything that didn’t look like David.”  It clearly ISN’T easy, but the effort is well worth the reward.

• Attend new places and events with a purpose in mind. Make it a goal to connect with one new person, and to follow up with them the next day to make the relationship ‘stick’.

• Leverage technology. Not using LinkedIn or Twitter, even Facebook? You need to be.  End of discussion. 

• Make yourself the centre of your own network by introducing people who don’t know one another. Become a linchpin.

• Adopt a new attitude. Surround yourself with people that you think you can learn from, rather than people who you think can help you.  And in turn, be generous with your knowledge and connections.

The one thing to remember is to cast your net wide.  
Maybe that’s why it’s called ‘net-working’?

Karen August

Manager of Membership Services

Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce

175 George Street

Peterborough ON K9K 3G6

705-748-9771 ext 200

twitter @chamberconnects

LOST - Lynn Zimmer's thought of the day

LOST

By David Wagoner 1976

Stand still.  The trees ahead and the bushes beside you

Are not lost.  Wherever you are is called Here,

And you must treat it as a powerful stranger,

Must ask permission to  know it and be known.

The forest breathes.  Listen.  It answers,

I have made this place around you.

If you leave it, you may come back again, saying Here.

No two trees are the same to Raven.

No two branches are the same to Wren.

If what a tree or a bush does is lost on you,

You are surely lost.  Stand still.  The forest knows

Where you are.  You must let it find you.

Lynn Zimmer

Executive Director

YWCA Peterborough Haliburton

216 Simcoe Street, Peterborough, Ontario K9H 2H7

T | 705.743.3526 ext. 112   F | 705.745.4654

lzimmer@ywcapeterborough.org   ywcapeterborough.org        

Self-Care Tips for the Selfless Professional

Louise Racine of of Thirteen Moons Wellness shares some insightful Self-Care Tips for the Selfless Professional... 

As women, we are usually the caregivers – always there for others – family, partner, kids, parents, boss, staff, community. We wear our superhuman powers like a badge of honour. Somehow we expect to keep going and going, like the Ever-ready bunny, fixing, consoling, organizing, supporting, and loving everyone but ourselves. Sadly, for some, the only thing that slows us down is illness.

There is an option. What if we actually made ourselves a priority? Right now. Not when circumstances allow it. Today, before we are forced to make the changes that we need to be vibrant and happy.

Here are a few suggestions that might inspire you to take action.


Practice Positive Self-talk – Be aware of the self-limiting beliefs you hold that tell you
that you are not worthy, you are not good enough, there isn’t enough time, money, etc.,
without judgement. Consider whether these refrains are completely true, usually they are
not. Recall an incident that dispels your negative belief, and reframe the thought to one
that better serves you. Get in the habit of doing this consistently and watch how things
shift for you.

One way to focus on positive is to keep a daily gratitude journal. As we bring more of
our blessing into our awareness, we begin to feel better about ourselves and our
circumstances.

Remember Gandhi’s wise words:

“Your beliefs become your thoughts. Your thoughts become your words. Your words become your actions. Your actions become your habits. Your habits become your values. Your values become your destiny.”

Make time for yourself – You schedule activities for everyone else, why not yourself?
Block time each day for meditation/prayer, journaling, being in nature. It doesn’t have to
be long, even 15 minutes a day will make a tremendous difference. It’s important to give
yourself quiet, reflective space. Imagine how wonderful it would be to have time just for
you to recharge!

You can easily do that throughout the day by focusing on your breath. When stressed,
we tend to breathe shallowly, constricting our muscles and further bringing tension that
perpetuates this negative cycle. No need to remind anyone how important breathing is to
our survival. Equally important is how we breathe.


Take care of your physical health – A huge piece of the self care puzzle is our
physical wellbeing. Without our health, we have nothing. As such, what you eat and
drink is vital. Are the foods you choose nourishing you or depleting you? Do you take
time to nurture your body, to look and feel your best?

So many women in our society experience difficulties sleeping.  This is significant
because that’s when our body repairs and renews itself affecting our brain and heart
functions, digestion, hormones, and immunity.  As such, it is critically important that we
figure out a way to resolve that issue without self-medicating.

And finally, physical activity keeps our bodies fit and vital allowing us to grow old with
vitality and strength.


Engage with people who lift your spirits – Choose carefully who you spend time with.
Sometimes, it’s challenging if we have negative people in our daily lives. However,
whenever possible, surround yourself with positive, fun, supportive people and
organizations. As a bonus, when we shift and become more balanced and happy, often
those around us reflect that. And, sometimes we have to let some people go.


Embrace personal development – As businesswomen, we tend to appreciate the
importance of honing our professional skills.  However, any personal baggage we bring
to the workplace impacts how successful we can be.  So it’s crucial to devote energy to
becoming the best version of ourselves.

Just a few simple self-care practices can greatly bring about personal wellness so you
are able to sustain the full, abundant life you so richly deserve.

Louise Racine (louise@thirteenmoons.ca) is a Certified Nutritional Practitioner and owner of Thirteen Moons Wellness located near Norwood. For the past 14 years, she has offered programs,
services and space that encourages women to engage in self-care.

Judy Heffernan 2015 Award - student, entrepreneur or mentor

“Judy Heffernan was, and still is, many things to many women: Business Leader, Friend, Confidant, and most definitely,a Mentor. Judy took boundless interest in the entrepreneurial dreams and passions of women,young and old. Humbly, and out of her desire to see others succeed, Judy acted as a platform that empowered and motivated women to go after their dreams of becoming an entrepreneur. She was the conduit that connected women with the “who’s who” in the community and often advocated on their behalf.”  Charlina Westbye (loving daughter of Judy)

The Judy Heffernan Award will recognize a woman from our community that exemplifies the virtues that Judy embodied. A student, entrepreneur or mentor in our community who will benefit from this monetary award. The fund for the award will be managed by the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough and will be administered by COIN, Community Opportunity and Innovation Network. NOMINATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED ONLINE at www.peterboroughexaminer.com Drop off at The Peterborough Examiner, 60 Hunter Street East, or Email michael.everson@sunmedia.ca

Nomination Deadline Wednesday April 15th at 5pm 

NOMINATIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED ONLINE at www.peterboroughexaminer.com Drop off at The Peterborough Examiner, 60 Hunter Street East, or Email michael.everson@sunmedia.ca Nomination Deadline Wednesday April 15th at 5pm.

How Sponsorship Marketing Opportunities Can Benefit Your Business

When people hear the word “sponsorship” the first thing that comes to mind is an association with the word “donation.”  After all, the person doing ‘the ask’ is usually from a non-profit, charitable organization that needs your money to fund whatever unique or necessary service to the community they represent.

But by definition:

Sponsorship is a cash and/or in kind fee paid to a property in return for access to the exploitable commercial potential associated with that property, while Donations are gifts or grants given for charitable purposes usually with no return consideration.

Therefore, sponsorships should be considered a marketing opportunity – a chance to position your brand and engage your customers in unexpected and unique ways.

As with many other marketing opportunities though, remember that as a partner in the relationship, it’s important to know what you are getting for your marketing dollars.  Respectable and professional organizations should always be able to provide you with a valuation at the conclusion of the partnership, outlining what kind of benefits were delivered and what the total value of the partnership is worth to your company.

Remember too that as with most other opportunities, your business will reap what you put into the partnership.  If you’re positioned with multiple other sponsors, what can you do to make your name and product stick out?  

Ask yourself these questions:

• Is there an opportunity for me to interact directly with potential customers through product giveaways or displays? 

• Does this partnership attract the same target markets that I’m trying to get my name out to?

• Is there any opportunity for our employees to be engaged with the sponsorship?

• Is there a way to tie in any customer/client appreciation with the sponsorship to recognize those that already support my business? 

Examples of this at Showplace Performance Centre could be tickets to shows or renting a space within the sponsored property to host a pre-show VIP event…imagination is key and organizations are usually open to new and interesting ideas.

In many cases, benefits are flexible and the organizations asking for the support should be able to accommodate requests from your business within reason.  After all, in the partnership, both sides have needs that must be met in order to make it a success.

So in conclusion, remember to ask questions, look at how the potential partnership aligns with your brand and keep an open mind, you may just find the marketing opportunity you’ve been searching for.

 

Emily Martin                          

Showplace Performance Centre

Administration/House Manager

705-775-1606

showplaceperformance@gmail.com