Month: August 2022

How you can support your kids mentally this back to school

We are living through some unprecedented times, and even before the global pandemic, teenagers have been historically prone to believing no one quite understands them or what they are going through. Here are a few tips and friendly reminders to get you into the right headspace for supporting your kids returning to school this fall.

  1. Encourage sharing 
    • While they may not immediately pour their hearts out to you, making a point to check in and ask how your kids are doing consistently is always a great place to start. The key here is to encourage conversation, not criticism. As a parent, it’s easy to react quickly with an opinion or advice when sometimes kids want to be heard. Maybe you can return to how you feel about whatever they are sharing at a later moment. Still, at this moment, if your immediate response is negative, your kids may begin to associate talking about their problems with you with negativity which is not an association either of you want. Try more general, less polarizing initial reactions. 
  2. Support but take a step back where you can 
    • Setting goals and routines create structure and help kids develop a sense of responsibility. That being said, adolescents crave independence, and finding a balance between the two can negate the oh-so-common trope of teens feeling the need to sneak and lie. 
  3. Work through conflict together. 
    • Working through conflict goes hand in hand with our last point. Sure, you are the parent, and your kids should just trust and listen to you. Still, you are raising them to be independent, functioning members of society who will inevitably have their own opinions that may differ from yours or get themselves into situations that may cause you to be angry. Sometimes it’s best to walk away. At the moment, it can be challenging for both of you to articulate your feelings appropriately, which creates further frustrations and leaves room for one of you to say something you probably don’t mean. 
  4. Set an example and take care of your own mental health 
    • Even when they seem worlds away, your kids are watching you. How you take care of yourself and handle situations paves the road. Keeping an open mind when discussing therapy, depression, and anxiety will positively affect how your kids handle these issues on their own. There is no shame in recognizing you need help and seeking it. However, if you express a feeling otherwise, if your kids need help, they may not ask for it, and whatever is troubling them will only snowball into a more significant issue later down the line. 
  5. Ask for their opinions. 
    • Every parent wants their children to have a good life and to find fulfillment. It’s easy to refer back to gaps in your experience or try to instill your exact definition of success or societal standards simply because you think it will help them achieve happiness. Still, the truth is what provides you joy will not always provide enjoyment for your kids. When you truly love someone, you learn to agree to disagree with them. Whether regarding religion, politics, the way they want to cut their hair, their pronouns, their sexuality, or their style, remember they have long lives ahead of them to either flourish with their choices or change their minds and need a shoulder for support. 

6 Stretches you can do from your desk

The view from over our computer screens may have changed since the pandemic, with work from home reigning supreme for many. However, one thing that hasn’t changed is our computers being the center of our work world. Spending hours on screen can be draining, and it’s essential to be mindful of our bodies and take care of ourselves; one great way to do this is to use these six easy stretches throughout your day. They are all desk-friendly, and your back will thank you!

  1. Focus- Neck
    • Sitting up straight, slowly tilt your head to your right side and gently lift your right hand to the top of your head to extend the stretch. Do this on either side for 5-10 seconds each and repeat when needed.
  2. Focus- Shoulders 
    • Extend your hands in front of you and intertwine your fingers, palms facing away from your body. Hold this position for 5-10 seconds if you want a little more stretch to push into your hands slightly.
  3. Focus- Back 
    • For this stretch, you can sit, but it works better standing. Reach your right hand over your head in a sweeping motion resting your left hand on your hip. Hold here for 5-10 seconds and switch. 
  4. Focus- Hands 
    • Hand stretches are not as widely discussed, but with our hands in constant motion between our computers and phones, they deserve some love. Reach your arms straight out in front of your hands in fists, roll your wrists in circles after five circles, and switch and roll counterclockwise. Now straighten out your fists, and with your palms facing away from you, use one hand to pull your fingers back towards your chest. Everybody’s flexibility is different so take this slow. 
  5. Focus- Legs 
    • This one does require you to stand. Standing straight, pull your leg back, pointing your toes as if to reach up and touch your toe to your behind, and hold your foot here. You can use your desk or a nearby wall to steady yourself. Again everybody’s flexibility is different, so if you can’t fully tuck your knee back on the first go, that’s OK stretching takes practice. Over time, this and the other stretches will become easier. We recommend 15 seconds on each side to start. 
  6. Focus- Shoulders and upper arms 
    • Take your right arm horizontally across your chest, and take your left hand at a vertical angle over your arm. You should feel this one on the outside of your upper arm. Hold here for 15 seconds each. 

Doing these stretches once or twice a day will help you feel less tension and looser as you leave whatever your office is for you and continue your day. 

Beyonce said release your job, so you did….Now what do you do if you get sick?

Now we can’t blame Beyonce for the great resignation, but “Break My Soul” sits top of our minds as the movement’s anthem. The traditional 9-5 has been a quintessential puzzle piece in achieving the American dream for generations. In contrast, the past two years’ events made 9-5 the furthest thing from a dream for many Americans.
The lockdown of 2020 was an eye opener for employees. From the flexibility of work from home to the considerations one can take for their mental health, there were many factors leading employees to make the jump.
Forging your own path is an admirable pursuit, but don’t forget to take care of your health along the way. Leaving a full-time job means leaving the insurance that came with that job. Now you may be rolling the dice and going uninsured, but if the past two years have taught us anything, it should be how life can change in a blink of an eye.
Here you are at the start of a new chapter of your career. The last thing any freelancer wants is to pay out of pocket for medical bills. You don’t need a traditional full-time job to have health care; you need HealthEE by HBG. Our online marketplace has a variety of insurance packages at low costs that you can purchase on a monthly or quarterly basis. No open enrollment, no employer sponsor, no 9-5 required. We want you to have the freedom and flexibility you left your job for.

HealthEE Habits For A Healthy Life

Summer is a time for spontaneity, too much ice cream, day trips to the beach, and sun on our faces. But as we move into August, we must come back to reality and check in with ourselves. August is the best time to evaluate what works with my routines and what doesn’t. Especially here in New York, the change of the seasons makes it difficult to stay motivated, and I find having consistent habits an excellent grounding element. If you have been searching for a new routine or want to spruce up your current one, look no further. Here are six habits for a healthier life,

Stretch every morning,

Stretching takes only a few minutes and will set your day up for success. In our monthly newsletter, we share stretches specific to lifestyle. Next month we will be sharing stretches designed for desk workers, you can sign up to receive the newsletter by filling out the get in touch form here, but an excellent place to start is to reach down and touch your toes. My mother has always taught me that if she can still feel her toes, so should I, and I extend this challenge to you. Do you want to be outdone by my mom? I didn’t think so. If you can’t quite reach out of the gates, no biggie; every day, try to reach a little lower. However, if you can touch your toes with no problem, I challenge you to put your back against a wall, heels touching the wall, and bend, keeping your legs flesh to the wall for a bit more of a challenge. 

8 hours of sleep a night,

This habit is much harder in the summer when it seems there is every reason to stay out or finish that beach read, but your body will thank you for the extra recharge, and your heart will probably thank you too for not needing as many cups of coffee. 

Stay up to date with your checkups and doctor’s visits,

With the hustle and bustle of life, it’s easy to forget that appointment you scheduled six months ago before whatever fabulous plans landed in your lap, but keeping those appointments is essential to your health. Especially with affordable preventative essential care options available here, there is no reason not to go. 

Read everyday,

The average attention span of a human is 8.25 seconds. The average attention span of a goldfish is 9 seconds. I’m not talking about the average teen human or whoever you think is more addicted to technology than you are. That’s humans across the board. Whether it be a news article or a book, reading more than captions and tweets will be more stimulating for your mind and your sanity- not everything you read on social media is worth your time. 

Go easy on yourself and practice self-love,

Now I can almost feel your eyes rolling. “self-love” has been quite the buzzword as of late, but there is a good reason. Now, this looks different for everyone. Self-love to me can be walking by the dog park or journaling. But it can also be more subtle, talking to yourself in a kinder tone, not being mad at yourself for your mistakes, and complimenting yourself instead of criticizing when you walk by a mirror. Self-care to my brother is having the latest Yankees t-shirt. Well, each to each your own. There are no rules as long as what you’re doing makes you happy and brings you a sense of peace. 

Drinking water, 

Get yourself a reusable cup or bottle to keep by your desk and watch as, almost unconsciously, you drink more water. Drinking water helps every part of your body, from your joints to your brain to your internal body temperature. The benefits of water need no introduction. You simply have to choose to dedicate yourself to drinking at least2 liters of water a day.