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Celebrate Labor Day with Well-being in Mind

  • Published
  • 2 September 2022
  • Category
  • General

Well-being is the experience of health, happiness and prosperity. It includes having good physical and mental health, high life satisfaction, a sense of meaning or purpose, and the ability to cope with stress.

Over the Labor Day weekend, you may want to take some time to reflect on your own sense of well-being in connection with both your personal and occupational health. When you make a commitment to well-being, you become a role model for employees you may supervise, other co-workers, friends and family members.

Physical Health

A healthy, active lifestyle helps people control their weight and prevent chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, asthma and high blood pressure. Exercise releases endorphins, serotonin and other brain chemicals that help lift mood, decrease anxiety and depression, and promote a positive mindset. Physical play is also associated with better sleep, higher self-confidence and self-esteem, and more effective stress management skills.

Here are some related fitness tips:

  1. Do “mini-workouts” throughout the day. For example, take the stairs, go on a brisk walk or use a treadmill desk.
  2. Use at-home aerobic equipment and training programs with recorded or live instructors to help keep you motivated.
  3. Use body weight or hand-held weights to improve muscle tone, flexibility, and bone and muscle health.
  4. Rotate cardio exercise with rest days and mindful practices. Be active outdoors.
  5. Take a dance class or play a sport suitable for your age and skill level.
  6. Consider retaining a coach to help you identify and attain your heath goals.

Mental Health

Mental well-being is an indicator of how people respond to life’s ups and downs. It includes how you think, behave and manage strong emotions.

If you allow yourself to relax and take time to do things you enjoy, you are promoting mental well-being. Having something to look forward to also contributes to have a positive attitude, which is an attractive personal and occupational attribute.

Relaxation means different things to different people. Here are a few examples:

  • Turning off electronic devices
  • Reading, listening to music or watching TV
  • Playing video games
  • Engaging in social media
  • Getting together with friends
  • Working out at the gym
  • Practicing yoga or meditation
  • Doing outdoor activities and being close to nature
  • Playing with pets and/or children
  • Practicing a musical instrument
  • Going shopping or to a show

Social Connection

Feeling connected to people is an important part of staying well. It can help you feel confident and valued. When you sense that people care about your welfare, you feel supported even when you are alone or going through a difficult time. One way to build social connections is to get involved in a local community or interest group where you will find you have things in common with other group members.

Work-life Balance

Work-life balance is a concept that describes an ideal situation in which someone effectively allocates time and energy to work and other important aspects of their life. The phrase “quiet quitting” that has been getting attention recently is associated with this type of balance. Achieving work-life balance can be challenging. However, awareness about your priorities can provide useful insights.

Experts recommend taking a personal inventory. For example, you might ask yourself: How much do I value my work ethic? Am I available, focused and productive at work? How much more time can I devote to my partner, friends and family members? Which types of community and/or spiritual activities are most important to me? Do I set aside enough time for self-care? Have I established reasonable work-life boundaries and explained them to the people they affect the most?

When you know the answers to these types of questions, you will be better able to navigate through life. Remember, everyone around you benefits when you model healthy behaviors.