A DAILY DOSE OF GRATITUDE
Raising Thankful Children Most parents want their kids to view Thanksgiving as a meaningful event — not just an opportunity to indulge in turkey and mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, most kids’ eyes will glaze over when their parents launch into a lecture about thankfulness. You will likely find better success by emphasizing the value of gratitude all year long. “What do you say?” It’s a question we all ask our young children after someone does something nice for them. This practice instills good manners, but it shouldn’t be confused with teaching gratitude. Imparting the meaning behind the words “thank you” takes something more. If you want grateful children, you need to be grateful parents. Consider how you can incorporate gratitude more into your everyday life. Are you as thankful as you should be? Do you repay favors and write thank-you notes? Do you regularly talk about why you’re so fortunate or what you’re thankful for? Cultivating gratitude in your life sets a good example, and many studies show it benefits your mental health as well. Next, consider how you can encourage your child to reflect on who they’re grateful for. Acts of kindness and returning the favor to those who have been good to us can inspire kids to put their gratitude into action. Doing some yardwork, sharing a toy, or making a painting as a
gift can help children understand how powerful it can be to outwardly show our gratitude for the people who are in our lives.
Consistency is the most crucial factor, so try to find ways you can incorporate gratitude into your everyday routine. Children of any age can keep a gratitude journal with their parents’ help. Some families also use a gratitude jar where each family member can write what they’re grateful for on a slip of paper and add something different to the jar each week. It’s the perfect way to keep gratitude front and center.
These lessons may not sink in immediately, but by cultivating these positive habits in our everyday lives, you will see a big difference in the long run.
Stay Active While You Work
WITH THESE 3 TIPS
SET REMINDERS TO MOVE. When you get into a good workflow, it’s not unusual for one or two hours to pass in the blink of an eye. While this might help you get ahead on your work, it could be detrimental to your health if you’re not physically active during this time. Set alarms and reminders on your phone every half hour, so you remember to get up and move. Just standing for a few minutes or taking a lap around the workplace will be beneficial. BE ACTIVE DURING YOUR LUNCH BREAK. Take time to enjoy your meal but be sure to maximize any time you have left over. Don’t just sit in the breakroom waiting for your lunch to end. Go for a walk, climb some stairs, or find another way to move. Utilize the extra time you get, and your body will thank you for it.
Not everyone is comfortable doing jumping jacks or other exercises in the office, though. Thankfully, there are many different ways to incorporate movement and exercise into your busy schedule, even while at work. Here are three things you can try to get more action into each workday.
INVEST IN AN ERGONOMIC SETUP. We sit for long periods throughout the
workday and will often continue to sit once we get home. Sitting for extended periods can be detrimental to our health. To avoid this, you can use a standing desk. There are even portable options available, so you don’t need to replace the entire desk and can transition easily from sitting to standing. Simply standing for a few minutes per hour throughout the workday will help you burn more calories.
www.campuscommonsphysicaltherapy.com 2 tired to hit the gym or even go for a walk. That’s why it can be quite beneficial to find time throughout your workday to get in some extra exercise or movement. Finding time to exercise and move can be incredibly difficult some days. We often spend the bulk of our day at work, and when we’ve wrapped up our work for the day, we’re too
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