HealthyLife Articles

Tag: planning

4 Ways To Combat Holiday Stress

WELL-BEING

Nearly 80 percent of people are stressed during the holidays, according to the American Psychological Association. To help keep stress from getting the best of you, try these tips:

Be selective about activities

It’s the time of year for office parties and traditions spent with family and friends. Instead of trying to do it all, choose just a few activities that you know you can handle – and say “no” to the rest. If you’re worried about offending someone, offer to see them another time, such as a lunch date in January.

Remember to take time for yourself

Whether it’s a walk outside, sitting quietly with a favorite book, or a warm bath, you need time to recharge. If you don’t care for your own mental well-being, you may feel more stressed and overwhelmed.

Get plenty of rest

Although you might be tempted to stay up late wrapping gifts or cleaning your house, don’t. Instead, aim to get at least seven to eight hours of sleep. Getting enough sleep helps you to focus and deal with stressful situations.

Have a plan

If you are hosting the family holiday dinner, make a schedule. Plan house cleaning tasks over several days or a week. Make a grocery list and plan to shop a couple of days in advance. Wrap gifts as you buy them, so you’re not trying to wrap everything in one night.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
6 Tips To Become More Productive At Work

WORK LIFE

Productivity means you make the most of your time. You may get more done with less time or with fewer people. But it’s not just about being fast, it’s about maintaining quality too. Learning to be productive means you can showcase your talents and abilities by doing a great job with the resources and skills you have.

Boosting productivity is often easier said than done. When you’re tired, distracted or simply don’t know how to organize your day, it can be hard to stay productive. Try these tips to make the most of your workday – and get more satisfaction out of your career while doing it!

1.Break down big tasks.Large projects can be overwhelming, so we often put them off because we don’t know where to start. Instead of letting a large project sit on your to-do list, write down the first step you need to do to get it done. Make it something you know you can do, and set a deadline for yourself. Once that’s done, move on to the next step, and so on.

2.Have real conversations instead of emailing.Email chains can become time-wasters and often lead to misunderstandings or missing information. When possible, talk to someone in person or on the phone instead of starting an email trail.

3.Check email at set times.We can’t avoid email completely, but constant inbox chimes can quickly diminish your productivity. Instead of reading every email as it comes in, turn off your email program and only check it two to three times a day.

4.Take quick breaks when you can.Back-to-back meetings or intense work sessions can drain you. But you don’t need to wait until your lunch hour to energize yourself. If you can, take a few moments to get up and walk around. Stretch at your desk or try deep-breathing exercises.

5.Tackle those little things to clean up your to-do list.If you have a bunch of small, quick tasks nagging at you, set some time aside to get them done. Then you can focus on the bigger, more important things without other distractions.

6.Set your own deadlines.If a task or project doesn’t have a due date, it’s easier to put off. Even if a specific deadline hasn’t been set, you can give yourself one. This helps you avoid hanging onto those things that sit undone for days or weeks.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Due Date

SELF-CARE CORNER

Although we think of pregnancy as lasting 9 months, in reality most pregnancies last nearly 10 months. Research shows that babies are born healthier if they have at least 39 weeks to grow in the womb.

The NIH in Health offers these wise choices for a healthy pregnancy:

* See your doctor for regular care while you are pregnant.

* Talk to your doctor about the medicines you take. Some may not be safe during pregnancy.

* Follow a healthy diet.

* Take folic acid-at least 400 micrograms each day. This B vitamin can help prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spine. Make sure you take folic acid for at least one month before you get pregnant, too.

* Stay active. Ask your doctor which physical activity is safe for you.

* Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking (and being around anyone smoking).

* Control any existing conditions such as diabetes.

* If you have no medical reasons to deliver early, wait until at least 39 weeks for delivery. A woman’s body will go into labor when the baby is ready to enter the world.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
For The Health Of Your Wealth

FINANCIAL HEALTH

Do you want to take control of your financial life? It’s up to you to understand your own money, says investment advisor Paul Taylor, a member of the National Ethics Bureau. Taylor offers the following suggestions:

For your cash flow, keep in mind the four A’s: Accounting, Analysis, Allocation, and Adjustment. The four A’s describe a systematic and disciplined approach to your daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly spending habits.

* Accounting involves gathering all your relevant financial information-income, recurring bills, and other expenditures-creating a central list of each item, and pulling it together in a place where it’s easy to find.

* Analysis is reviewing the information to determine whether you have a shortfall or surplus, and finding places to reduce expenses. Saving $100 a month on dining out, for instance, would allow you to apply $100 to your mortgage loan principal, saving you a substantial amount in interest payments.

* Allocation involves determining your financial commitments and priorities, needs versus wants, and distributing your income accordingly.

* Adjustment involves periodic reviews of your financial information and shifting assets to meet changing needs.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026