Pace Health Blog
Are you a member of the ‘sandwich’ generation?
If you are in your 50s or 60s, caring for aging parents, adult children and grandchildren OR you are in your 30s and 40s, with young children, aging parents and grandparents that you provide care for, then the answer is Yes.
Holiday Parties: Do you know your limit?
It is the time of year when many families and circles of friends gather in traditions of the season, and most work environments host holiday gatherin
gs.
Whether your work parties are formal or informal, the attendees are friends or business associates, or you find the holidays joyful or stressful, holiday gatherings tend to have at least one thing in common: alcohol.
While holiday gatherings are an opportunity to celebrate, have fun, and engage with your family, friends, and colleagues we need to be careful about how much we drink.
Check out the latest edition of the Pacesetter where we explore 'knowing your limit' in more detail, including tips for alcohol use at holiday parties, as well as reviewing some myths and facts.
Spring is the Time for New Beginnings
A new beginning usually means change, and change usually means making choices, such as focusing on your career vs. family goals.
Are your professional goals and aspirations balanced with what you value and cherish in your personal life? Many people struggle with the balance between their career and personal life and there may be no bigger decision then when to start or grow a family. Whether it’s your 1st child or 3rd, the decision to grow a family may impact your personal life and career.
Many women believe they must choose between their careers and having a family, while others may choose to postpone having children until they are more comfortable in their career or financial position. Sometimes financial need drives the decision for parents and there is no choice, such as in situations where having a baby can add financial strain on a family budget that is already stretched. Financial need may also impact whether or not a spouse will take a parental leave or a mother will take a full maternity leave. All of these decisions require careful consideration and the ultimate path chosen is a personal decision for a couple.
Learn more about Career vs. Family decision making in the Spring edition of the Pacesetter, including:
• What Moms say according to more than 15,000 women who responded to an Oprah.com poll in January 2007
• 4 questions to help decide if you should stay home or return to my work/career after maternity leave
• Tips on how to manage the stress of being a parent.
Make Your New Year's Resolution for Financial Health
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We identify this time of year as the chance to start something new or finally make the decision to do something we've been putting off. Typically, resolutions focus on general goals like "be more active", "eat healthier", or "work less" and "spend more time with our families". While these may be things we want and are definitely goals we should be setting for ourselves, it is important to create specific and measurable goals that are short-term and easily achieved; For further discussion on SMART Goals.
Make a practical and systematic promise to yourself which will result in reducing your stress and help improve the quality of many areas of your life.
Create a budget and improve your financial health in 2011.
A budget may sound like a complicated task but it's really only a list of information about our own lives that we already know. It's a tool which helps organize your personal finances that will simplify your day-to-day and month-to-month lives. A budget helps provide a clear picture of your financial well being and allows you to make informed decisions on how you spend your money. Through this you can create and achieve any financial goals you set out.
Learn more about your financial well being in the Winter edition of the Pacesetter, including spending tips to help you stick to your budget in the new year.
Please see this example Budget Builder tool to help you get started on creating your budget.
Warm Yourself with Autumn Cooking
Autumn is now arriving and we want to remind you that with fall comes a whole new variety of seasonal vegetables and fruits. It's an ideal time to set new goals for healthy eating or to re-establish healthy eating habits.
The fall menu brings with it many hearty fruits and vegetables that can be key ingredients in stews, savory pies and hearty side dishes. For some hearty might not mean healthy but remember that there are seasonal nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables including sweet potatoes, zucchini, eggplant, squash, leeks, and apples, to name a few, that are an important part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
So while the weather outside is getting colder, your menu inside can be warmed.
Learn more about Healthy Eating Habits in the Fall edition of the Pacesetter; including 5 general healthy eating tips and healthy menu suggestions.
Is your Workplace ready for Bill 168?
As of June 15, Bill 168 is in effect, providing specific measures to protect Ontario workers from violence as well as harassment in the workplace.
The aim of Bill 168—and similar legislation in other provinces—is to foster safe and psychologically healthy working environments.
One of the most intriguing elements in this new amendment is the inclusion of the special obligation on employers to consider domestic violence when assessing risk factors within the workplace. Specifically: the legislation refers to domestic violence (in the context of the workplace) as a situation where “a person who has a personal relationship with a worker – such as a spouse, former spouse, current or former intimate partner, or family member – may physically harm, or attempt or threaten to physically harm, that worker at work”.
Ultimately, violence impacts everyone in the workplace, not just the victim. A toxic work environment costs companies in terms of lost hours, insurance claims, and staff turnover. Employees working in a toxic environment suffer depression, stress, and other symptoms that can contaminate all aspects of their work and home life.
Read more about the introduction of Bill 168 in our current edition of the Pacesetter where we discuss the role of your EAP in supporting the issue of workplace violence.
Pace Consulting Group announces launch of new Web site
I am very pleased to announce the launch of Pace Consulting Group's new web site.
Pace is a leading provider of Employee Assistance Programs, Counselling Services, and Organizational Consulting.
The look of our new site is in alignment with Pace Consulting Group's "professional, reliable, and to the point" corporate identity.
In addition to building our corporate brand and generating awareness about our services, our new web site allows us to now deliver premium health content to our clients to supplement our comprehensive counselling services.
Clients now have many ways of accessing support through Pace, whether it is through experiencing one of our Web Based Health Solutions, receiving support over the phone, through face-to-face counselling or on-site workshops. We are able to provide the right service, at the right time and in the manner that is the most appropriate for each client’s unique situation.
Andrew Pace
Vice President
Sex and Love Addiction
News of Sex Addiction is Everywhere…
You can’t turn on the news or open your web browser without learning about the latest celebrity or politician found to have or be accused of having a sex addiction. Whether its rumors surrounding Tiger Woods’ affairs or candid statements regarding treatment made by stars such as X File’s David Duchovny (Mulder) the general public is often intrigued, shocked, and confused about this sexual behaviour. The jury is still out as to whether the behaviour is a result of an addiction or whether it is a compulsive behaviour. Some believe it’s an addiction similar to alcoholism or drug use while others believe it’s a form of compulsive disorder resulting in sexual compulsivity.
When stories of infidelity and sexual deviancy make headlines, the “buzz” surrounding these topics has the potential to receive attention in social settings such as the workplace. While some may voice strong opinions or poke fun, others may be left feeling shame, emptiness, and despair if this is an issue for them. Couples or individuals that are struggling with this issue are encouraged to seek help as the behaviour can result in serious consequences.
If you would like to learn more about this issue check out the latest edition of the Pacesetter.
Coping with your feelings about traumatic world events
How do you feel when you watch the news coverage of events like the earthquakes in Haiti and Chile? Watching television or reading about these very traumatic events may bring about anxious feelings, worrying or other emotions. How do you know when these feelings have become a problem? Are you worrying too much? If you, or a family member are struggling with your feelings about the recent events in Haiti or other globe events you may want to read more about critical incidents and traumatic events as well as anxiety in our web based self help area or contact us for a consultation.