It’s no secret that all relationships face challenges.  However, what if your partner has a mental illness?  How do you cope?   The link below offers a firsthand perspective and gives suggestions that have worked in their relationship, empathy, communication and self-care.

http://blogs.psychcentral.com/bipolar-laid-bare/2015/10/partner-care/

Things to do today:

1) Breathe in.

2) Breathe out.”

― Ned Vizzini      

Even though you may feel guilty about taking time off from work, long breaks away from your job are important. A vacation can help you to feel better by reducing stress and avoiding burnout, renewing you so that you are more productive when you come back to work.  It can also give you something positive to look forward to and something delightful to think about and remember after you have come back from your escape.

Read the full article below:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2013/06/25/the-best-reason-ever-to-take-a-two-week-vacation/2/

“I like to call in sick to work at places where I’ve never held a job. Then when the manager tells me I don’t work there, I tell them I’d like to. But not today, as I’m sick.”

― Jarod Kintz   

I met up with my runner at three in the morning. It had been raining all night and all he had been eating were syrupy gels, an energy bar, and energy drinks (and maybe a grilled cheese sandwich or two) since 4 a.m. the day before. He had already been running and hiking 23 hours for over 51 miles and had climbed over 20,000 feet – equivalent to climbing Denali from sea level.

My friend was running a 100 mile race set in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.  These mountains are Colorado’s largest and are similar in degree of steepness to the...

“If I told you I’ve worked hard to get where I’m at, I’d be lying, because I have no idea where I am right now.”

― Jarod Kintz   

A situation in the workplace that unfortunately many of us will encounter is learning that a coworker has been diagnosed with a serious illness. Every situation is unique, but a very common concern is how to respond. You may have had personal experiences with family or friends getting sick or with grief. With our coworkers, this can be a tender and uncomfortable situation. You may wonder: What should I say or not say? What should I do?

Acknowledge and Ask

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“If a book about failures doesn't sell, is it a success?”

 ― Jerry Seinfeld         

Back in January, I wrote an article on the Dilemma of Multitasking outlining the irony of increasing productivity through multitasking.  The article linked below outlines the findings of Gloria Mark, professor of Informatics at the University of California and her findings regarding distractions.  She concludes that on average it takes 23 minutes, 15 seconds to get back on task after an interruption.  Her research offers new considerations into how we can protect productive time, reduce stress levels, and improve...

Don't watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going.

-Sam Levenson