Better Health Better Life – Q3 2022 (Work Well)

Valerie Davison
Workplace Wellness Manager

Pick the Joy Choice

I am recovering well from a recent back surgery and look forward to being more active again.

When I shared this with a friend and colleague, her genuine and caring response sparked a reminder for me that it’s okay to focus on my self-care, to give myself permission to heal, and to ask for grace.

Sure, practicing self-care is a win-win and allows you to be a better partner, parent, friend, and colleague. But in our oftentimes unpredictable and busy lives, how can we better take care of ourselves?  The POP! concept is based on research from one of my summer reads, The Joy Choice: How to Finally Achieve Lasting Changes in Eating and Exercise by Dr. Michelle Segar, best-selling author of No Sweat and sustainable behavior change scientist.

How to POP! Your Way to Self-Care
Pause
Open up your options
Pick the Joy Choice

While there are many forms of self-care (physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, financial), here’s how you can use the POP! concept to rethink, reframe and reimagine what matters most for you that day.

• Pause – take the time to check in with yourself. Stay clear of a rigid mindset. “I have to deal with work right now.”
• Open up the possibilities to consider what else can you do for yourself. “I can take a much-needed break or ask my co-worker to help.”
• Pick the Joy Choice – pick an option that works best now. “I will feel refreshed and do a better job at work after a 10-minute walk outside.”

Start prioritizing yourself and achieve lasting changes in self-care behaviors including eating and exercise by making strategic trade-offs and compromises in your life today. Learn more from Dr. Segar by watching our short video.