Work/Life Balance
When describing the SAS Work/Life Center, I like to say our job is to help you make your life as good as it possibly can be outside of work. So when things aren’t going so great i.e. stress, caregiving, kids won’t sleep, divorce, illness - we appreciate that you think
I have 3 mantras: less is more; you must start the way you want to finish; and, life is short but wide. As many of you know, I’m a planner. I’ve had my funeral folder since I was 19. Even with my good genes (my 98 year old father is
Working in hospice I learned there was nothing I could say to erase a person’s pain, sadness, anger etc. I didn’t have that power and it would be irresponsible to think that I did. However, through education, I found that I could often ease the unnecessary additional suffering caused by misinformation and
As I write this we are halfway through teaching our first Powerful Tools for Caregiving class. It has been an exciting time of learning and growth for all of us. Each time I work with caregivers, I am reminded of a common theme – the delicate dance of trying to
“There’s so much free time on my work calendar this week” said No SAS Employee Ever. For most of us there's never a lot of downtime at work but there are certain times of the year that we consider our ‘busy season’. For Work/Life it’s January, right after the holidays.
I remember going to a workshop about grief a few years back. At one point, the speaker talked about various types of support grieving folks need after the typical mourning rituals have receded and life continues on. He asked the workshop participants to pull out a sheet of paper and
Thank you to Katie Pape, LPC for this Friday's guest post for the Work/Life Center 2018 Relationship Series. In a new relationship or a first date scenario, you might think you have to downplay who you are or change your persona to get a needed laugh from your interesting date,
Thanks to Amelia Kelley, PhD for this guest blog post for the Work/Life February Relationship Series. Trying to date and find a meaningful relationship can pose challenges to most any person who has ever tried. But when these challenges are coupled with a diagnosis of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, otherwise known
Work/Life is focusing on relationships during the month of February. As the Eldercare Program Manager, I often work with individuals who are caregivers – trying to balance the caregiving role with their spouse/significant other relationship. While some who provide care to their spouse feel the experience strengthens the bond between
Two years ago my husband and I found ourselves on the eve of Valentine’s Day with no plans. It fell on a weekend that year so there was plenty of time to do something. The act of giving gifts isn’t necessarily either of our love languages. We also have very
This is a guest blog by Hayden Dawes, LCSW, LCAS-A, as part of the Work/Life February Relationships Series. We offer our sincere thanks to Hayden for volunteering to contribute! As we head into Valentine's week of 2018, I am struck at the differences as to how children and adults typically celebrate
Next week I am offering a lunch-and-learn called "Successfully Single: In and out of relationships", but I think I should have titled it "Attractiveness and Self-investment". I am not sure how many people want to be "successfully single", particularly this month when our collective attention is focused on love and
Sometimes we social worker types in Work/Life forget that other people don't use phrases like "love languages" with the same ease that the typical SAS employee might talk about "data-driven customer experience." In Work/Life we are kicking off a February series on relationships, so I wanted to take a moment to tell
In the spirit of my intention this year—to be mindful vs. mind full--I was at a gathering the other day and my attention was immediately drawn to the corner of the room where a fully-blooming Amaryllis was displayed on the side table. Its beauty was shocking. Such a weirdly amazing
We are excited to announce a new Work/Life class offering: “Powerful Tools for Caregivers”. You might be thinking “This sounds great, but I’m not sure if it really applies to me – I’m not really a caregiver, I just do ……………. for (my wife, my husband, my mom, my dad, etc)
Happy New Year from your Work/Life Team! Lisa here. I don’t really do “resolutions” in January, but I have set an “intention” before and loved the way I was able to focus my thoughts and behaviors around it. Part of why an intention works better than resolutions for me is
In 2018, join us for lively discussions on thought-provoking books. We love to read and have each picked out great books that we hope you will enjoy too. Book Club discussions will be held from 12:00 - 1:00pm in the designated month. Check the Work/Life Calendar throughout the year for
Driving to work today I was thinking about the "funk" that has descended upon me over the last few weeks. Shorter days and less light? Dry skin and a stuffy nose? Old and cranky? Maybe all of those are true, but as I reflect, I realize it happens every year
Welcome back from your Thanksgiving holiday break! I have to ask. Was your time with your returning college student as wonderful as you thought it would be? Chances are there were at least some brief moments of disappointment. You thought you’d have more time together…and, yet, your student spent more
While I’d like to say that I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, I know this was not the case for everyone. While I’d like to wish you a joyous holiday season ahead, I know that for some this may seem a bit out of reach. While the holiday season
My family dog Danny barks at everything...constantly. Knowing this makes the following story even more remarkable: My Dad and Danny were in the backyard when a possum approached from the other side of the fence. Once he caught Danny's attention, rather than running away, the possum continued to approach. Face to face with
The overfunctioning or underfunctioning dynamic can occur in all kinds of relationships including romantic, work, sibling, parent/child, or friendship. In this podcast Adrianne Robinson, LCSW, LCAS, explains what this dynamic might look like and how to address it to make a change. http://www.adriannerobinson.com/
My father introduced me to Gene Kelly and Donald O’Connor when I was 10… in a figurative sense. Dad loved musicals and Singin’ In The Rain became one of my favorites. I was obsessed with their tap dance to Moses Supposes and practiced every day after school until I ‘got
If you checked the Work/Life calendar of events this summer, you may have seen ads to meet with me to discuss character strengths and how to incorporate them into your everyday. It’s been a pretty popular offering, and that’s really no surprise. Who doesn’t want to learn more about themselves
I have a busy life. Did I sign up for it? You bet! Now I’m trying to balance it all and do it well. I’m a mom first and foremost. Being a parent is the most important job someone can take on. Raising the next generation is no easy task
Last month I vowed to take time off from watching TV. I worried I was wasting time that could be spent in better ways. I entered that commitment with optimism for what I could achieve during the time off. As it turned out instead, my body was waiting to teach me
Starting the Parent Care conversation . . . There are numerous reasons why we don’t want to have this conversation and avoid it at all costs. It’s awkward . . . it’s emotional . . . it feels presumptuous and uncomfortable . . . the list goes on and on.
I know that we are all anxiously following the devastating events in Houston right now. I have a very personal connection as my daughter and her family live in Houston. My daughter is a nurse and is on the emergency response team – she has been at the hospital since
Next week I will be facing two major milestones in my life. I turn 55 ...and the next day I take my only son to college. These simultaneous occurrences have led me to some soul searching. At times like this I often turn to my favorite authors/speakers for insight and
Take a minute to think of all the television programs you have watched throughout your lifetime. For me? Arthur, The Rugrats, Doug, Full House, Family Matters, Clarissa Explains It All, The Jeffersons, The Golden Girls, Pete and Pete, The OC, Laguna Beach, The Office, Scrubs, Scandal, The Real Housewives of fill in
