| Health experts worldwide resoundingly agree | | | | can be said that music will lighten your mood |
| that workers in all labor categories must | | | | and nurture your soul. Music, in a form that |
| maintain a balance between their work and | | | | appeals to you, can quiet your mind and |
| social lives. The dangers of more or over | | | | release the pain of the workday. |
| work and less socializing cannot be | | | | |
| emphasized enough especially for the | | | | · Exercise. Consider membership in a |
| Londoner. The advantages to having an active | | | | health or fitness club. A healthy physical |
| social life are many. Finding a healthy | | | | body will give the hard working professional |
| balance between our work and social lives is | | | | the energy needed to be both highly |
| not always easy but some efforts towards | | | | productive with job demands and the ability |
| developing that balance can assure we stay | | | | to keep up with an active social calendar. |
| productive on the job and at the same time | | | | Other means of getting good exercise can be a |
| have a satisfying and healthy personal life. | | | | walk in the park or bring out the child in |
| | | | you and dance around the house while getting |
| We have all heard of the dangers of stress | | | | ready for work. |
| and overwork. But what about those of us that | | | | |
| love to work or have to work for various | | | | · Take in some culture with art or |
| reasons? There has to be more to life than | | | | theatre. Museums and the theatre are |
| working at our jobs. How do we find a balance | | | | fantastic venues in which to have a quiet and |
| that keeps us healthy in both these important | | | | reflective personal experience. The visual |
| areas of our lives? Years of research and | | | | delight of examining a piece of art that |
| scholarly studies from experts in the UK, | | | | touches you in a special way or watching a |
| London, and worldwide have found the answers | | | | theatre performance that moves you in a |
| to these questions. | | | | positive manner can be extremely beneficial. |
| | | | Not every social event on your calendar has |
| While this article is about offering you the | | | | to include other people. Socializing with |
| reader "tips" on developing that balance, it | | | | you, for yourself can very often be just as |
| is important to highlight the dangers any one | | | | healthy an experience as being around |
| of us can succumb to if we don't play or | | | | hundreds or thousands of people. |
| socialize in addition to working. | | | | |
| | | | · Getaway to a fine hotel or spa. From a |
| An awareness of your stress levels or | | | | great deal of research and personal |
| symptoms of stress can give you a hint that | | | | experience, three days at a spa is just about |
| you need more of a social life. Indicators of | | | | perfect. Like many of you, I often don't have |
| stress are many but the main symptoms to | | | | the time for a one-day vacation much less |
| watch for are: | | | | three days however; I have found that a 3-day |
| | | | mini-vacation has its merits. It's just long |
| · Migraine's or headaches occurring more | | | | enough to take in the full benefits of a |
| often | | | | massage, swimming, facials and some of the |
| | | | other amenities the hotel or spa has to |
| · Inability to concentrate | | | | offer. If one day is all you can take the |
| | | | time for, then do that. Try to do this at |
| · Not wanting to get up in the morning or | | | | least twice a year. P.S. Leave the cell phone |
| insomnia | | | | off, leave the laptop at home and tell the |
| | | | front desk you are taking no calls. |
| · Over-tiredness | | | | |
| | | | · Go shopping. Indulge in a shopping trip |
| · Sudden mood swings not normal for you | | | | every now and then. All of us need to treat |
| | | | ourselves to that special dress or suit. |
| · Isolation from friends and family | | | | Buying that toy or electronic game we always |
| | | | wanted can only make life a bit better. Even |
| The last bullet point mentions isolation. | | | | shopping for food can be a great way to |
| Isolating activities such as going to work | | | | socialize. Take the time to say hello to the |
| and sitting at home every night, avoidance of | | | | checkout clerk or butcher that has been |
| friends and family and taking in little | | | | serving you for years. A simple exchange of |
| social outings/activities are probably the | | | | smiles is a social interaction that benefits |
| single most dangerous thing we can do for our | | | | all people on many unimaginable levels. |
| physical and mental health. Our physical and | | | | |
| emotional states of well being depend upon a | | | | · Involve your co-workers on your social |
| healthy balance of work and play. The | | | | calendar. There is nothing better than the |
| following tips will help you avoid this | | | | buddy system for a healthy social (and work) |
| common danger. | | | | life. Let's face it, engaging in some social |
| | | | activities is just no fun alone. Keep in |
| · Organize a social calendar. Just like | | | | mind, socializing with co-workers can also be |
| your daily "to-do" lists at work, start | | | | a great way to maintain healthy work |
| planning a social "to-do" list. Knowing what | | | | relationships. |
| social activities appeal to you is essential | | | | |
| towards organizing your social calendar. I | | | | · Breathe. This may sound simple and |
| have found an excellent source for | | | | unimportant because it is a natural activity |
| researching ideas or social activities you | | | | we take part in every second of the day. Let |
| may want to consider placing in your | | | | me assure you, we can often stop breathing |
| calendar. Find the time before or after work | | | | for several seconds at a time. The biological |
| to get out into the London social scene. | | | | and rhythmic breathing pattern of humans |
| | | | often gets interrupted for many reasons. |
| · Dine out. Many professionals in the | | | | Stress and automatic response to difficulties |
| work force are starting to see the | | | | in life are just a few of the reasons this |
| satisfaction and pleasure in taking the time | | | | occurs. Why is this important? One reason is |
| to experience food consumption in a whole new | | | | because we need to maintain a regular and |
| way. I'm not talking about going to a | | | | healthy breathing pattern throughout our |
| restaurant and quickly getting your meal down | | | | bodies for optimal oxygen intake. Lack of |
| your throat and into your belly. I am | | | | oxygen can be responsible for depression, |
| talking about expanding your culinary | | | | fatigue and damage at the cellular level of |
| horizons. For example, try ethnic cuisine or | | | | our bodies, to name a few. Good breathing |
| a new food you have never eaten before. Dine | | | | flow and control can keep you loaded with |
| for hours at a trendy restaurant and savor an | | | | energy as well as provide a healthy balance |
| eight-course meal with a fine wine or | | | | between mind and body. It will also make your |
| cocktail. Most importantly, take your time | | | | work life much more tolerable. |
| and enjoy the experience. | | | | |
| | | | These ten tips are by no means the only ways |
| · Dance the night away. The benefits to a | | | | to build a social life and maintain a balance |
| night out of dancing could never be | | | | between work and fun. These tips are many |
| overstated. The obvious benefits are the | | | | that have been provided by the best experts |
| exercise and calorie burning. Dance experts | | | | on work and social life. Those experts being |
| have long asserted that dancing tones the | | | | you or those like you, the workers. Be |
| body in a way no other form of physical | | | | creative, discipline yourself to organize |
| activity can accomplish. Dancers are | | | | your life towards a whole and healthy you |
| considered among the elite in athleticism and | | | | both on the job and socially. |
| discipline. Dancing also offers social | | | | |
| opportunities to meet new people. It gives | | | | Remember that it's not always about where, |
| you an outlet to work out aggression and the | | | | how or how long or with whom you socialize. |
| strains of the workday. Overall, dance is a | | | | Socializing can be as simple as sitting alone |
| complete source of exercise for the physical, | | | | and enjoying the flavors of good food and |
| social and mentally healthy self. | | | | libations, exercising a couple hours a week |
| | | | at a favorite gymnasium with friends or |
| · Soothe your soul with music. Take in a | | | | standing front and center at a major rock |
| concert or musical affair. Choose your | | | | concert. The point is to get out and be |
| favorite music and attend an event that will | | | | social. Taking these suggestions will get you |
| fill you with the sounds of your favorite | | | | out. No matter what profession you work in a |
| melodies. Music has long been a part of the | | | | healthy balance in work and social life will |
| human experience. It has been used for | | | | keep you mentally healthy and energized, |
| centuries to allow the human being an | | | | stress-free and socially empowered. |
| experience beyond their physical bodies. It | | | | |