OK, you know you should exercise, but it can be so easy to find a reason to avoid it. Sometimes, motivation is the key.
Vinyasa in the Vineyard at Domaine Carneros is a group yoga class, led by a certified instructor, on the veranda of the winery’s iconic château, followed by a crisp, post-yoga flute of organic bubbles and a cool-down walk through the vineyards led by a senior wine educator, who will explain the basics of winemaking, organic farming and bud break before leading you back to the château for a revitalizing brunch. A morning of yoga, a curated wine tasting and an Instagram-worthy photo opp are guaranteed to make your friends just a little bit envious. Plus, post workout bubbles trump green juice any day. Requires group of eight to 10. (www.domainecarneros.com)
Now breathe (both you and the wine)….
In Overwhelmed: Work, Love and Play When No One Has the Time, award-winning Washington Post journalist Brigid Shulte examines our over-scheduled, stressed out modern day reality and seeks solutions by talking to scientists and sociologists around the globe. She delineates cultural differences and challenges the U.S. stereotypes of what it means to be an “ideal” worker, parent and family.
Studies have shown that scaling back—making time for leisure, independently and in groups—improves cognition and health, thereby improving employee output. Shulte seeks out companies and organizations, including the Pentagon, that are redefining work to focus on required results (as opposed to strict, traditional “face time” requirements), giving employees more freedom to work independently and set their own schedules. Results have ranged from increased employee longevity and loyalty to more innovation and productivity. “There is, in fact, a tangible business value to joy,” says one of her interview subjects, a successful software developer.
Of course, it all sounds easy just reading about it. The real test comes when we try to implement some (all? nah!) of these strategies in our own lives. But even if we only slow down for “five slow, silent breaths” at a time, it’s a start.
Ensuring a Desirable Lifestyle
With reports of the unemployment rate dropping to 7 percent, down from a peak of 10 percent in October 2009, many are breathing a sigh of relief. But, says former Exxon executive Bob Epperly, author of Growing Up After Fifty: From Exxon Executive to Spiritual Seeker, “For those lucky enough to have decent employment, many feel insecure and are willing to skew their work-life balance into a tailspin, with exaggerated emphasis on their career. Most people cannot afford to simply refuse the demands of their job, so what’s a worker to do?” Here are his tips:
• Ambition is admirable, but if it’s more important to you than anything else, that’s a red flag. Take steps now to restore balance, beginning with personal, nonwork relationships.
• Intense focus on work tends to deprive professionals of moments and memories that cannot be replaced. Set goals for how much time you’ll spend giving your family 100 percent of your attention each day and week, and stick to them!
• The importance and value of real communication cannot be overemphasized. “More important than speaking is listening,” Epperly says. “My relationships immediately improved when I began listening very carefully to what was being said.”
• Only you are responsible for your life. The Serenity Prayer goes a long way in work-life balance; it reads: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
• Accept who you are. This can be challenging; it demands courageous self-reflection and letting go of the need for external approval.
Source: www.bobepperly.com
