HealthyLife Articles

Tag: resolution

  • Dealing With Family Arguments

    FAMILY LIFE

    Mother comforting her young son who's upset.

    It’s normal to have arguments with your children and spouse. Children learn to voice their opinions through their family first. And all close relationships have disagreements sometimes.

    But arguments don’t have to be hurtful.

    Handle disagreements in a positive way:

    *Pick your battles:Don’t fight over every disagreement. Decide if small things are worth an argument. Walk away from an argument when it’s not an important matter.

    *Be open.Try to see others’ point of view. Stop and listen to what they’re saying and really consider it before responding.

    *Set boundaries.Arguments should not include name calling, insults or disrespect. Try to avoid shouting, too. If things get heated, take a break and say you’ll discuss it later when everyone feels calmer.

    *Look at root causes.Are you arguing with the same person all the time? Or are you having the same argument with multiple people? Think about why this is happening, and what you can do to stop having these conflicts. Consider this preventive care for your relationships.

    *Remember that you’re an example.Children see how parents argue. Think about how you would want them to handle a disagreement, and try to model that behavior.

    Source: American Academy of Pediatrics

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • New Year, New You

    Weight Control

    Smiling man.

    Take action now to reach your resolution to lose weight.

    *  Set an exercise goal you can reach. For example, by the end of this month, I will walk at least 20 minutes a day, five days a week.

    *  When you reach a goal, give yourself a nonfood reward, such as a new workout video or a new lunch bag.

    *  Substitute water for sweetened beverages.

    *  Eat fruits and veggies for snacks instead of candy, chips, and cookies.

    Action Step:Chew food slowly to give your body time to send a signal to your brain that you’ve had enough. You’ll enjoy your food more and eat less.

    Choose foods that won’t sabotage your goals.

    Page from HealthyLife Weigh book by the American Institute for Preventive Medicine. www.HealthyLife.com. All rights reserved.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine

  • 6 Ways To Cool A Workplace Argument

    WORK LIFE

    Image of co-workers talking.

    No matter where you work, you’re bound to meet coworkers with different personalities and work styles. As a result, there may be times when you need to work through opinions that differ. Sometimes you may be faced with a heated argument. But, this type of situation doesn’t have to get worse.

    Learn how to calm an upset coworker with these tips from the Society for Human Resource Management:

    1.Remain calm.Yelling and unprofessional behavior doesn’t help anyone find a solution. It could escalate and end up out of control.

    2.Try to understand what the other person is saying.Look at them calmly and let them talk. Follow up by asking them to explain more if needed.

    3.Use “I” statements, such as “I feel disappointed that this project isn’t going well.”Rather than, “You aren’t doing a good job on this project.” Focus on behaviors or problems, not people.

    4.Discuss solutions to the problem.Write them down on paper or a white board if needed.

    5.Make sure everyone agrees on the solution.

    6.If an agreement can’t be reached, decide if you can “agree to disagree” on the issue.If that’s not an option, consider involving a neutral third person or a human resources staff member if needed.

    Knowing how to resolve conflict in the workplace is a valuable skill you can use throughout your life. Staying calm and collected in a tense situation gives you the ability to find a productive, positive solution.

    © American Institute for Preventive Medicine