Alan Zupka, Author at AZupkaCounseling

October 19, 2022 by Alan Zupka

How to Stay Active When Working from Home

Since the Covid lockdowns, more people have begun working from home. While working remotely definitely has its benefits (wearing pajamas all day comes to mind), there are also some drawbacks. In addition to less social interaction daily, there’s also less movement. And this lack of movement can greatly impact your health and fitness level.

If you work from the comfort of your home office or sofa, keep reading to find out how you can stay active to stay healthy!

Schedule Breaks

When in an office environment, it’s easy to take a break to walk down to the kitchen or go gab with coworkers at the proverbial water cooler. But when people work from home, they sometimes feel a bit guilty about taking a break. I mean, you already slept in and didn’t shower, AND you want a break on top of that?

No matter where you work, giving yourself 10-15 minute breaks a few times a day is important. Use these to get up, stretch, and do some walking to keep the blood flowing!

Take Your Conference Calls for a Walk

Most people have Zoom fatigue these days, and we’re all trying to have good old-fashioned phone calls once again. Try and make your virtual meetings happen by phone and then take your calls while on a walk. This will help clear your mind so you can focus better. Plus, you’ll burn a decent amount of calories.

Try a Standup Desk

Some health experts have recently warned that sitting all day is worse for your health than smoking. Try a standing desk to mitigate the health risks of sitting for hours. If cost is an issue, there are laptop stands that adjust. You can place one on your table or desk and raise it to the right standing height. And if your budget is really tight, you can stack boxes or books on top of your desk to get your laptop at the right height.

Working from home is great, as long as you find ways to keep your body active. These tips will keep your heart pumping and your blood flowing so you can protect your health.

SOURCES:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2019/05/28/10-ways-to-stay-active-while-working-from-home/?sh=49d7bed45865

13 Tips for Staying Active While Working From Home (2022)

https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/heart-and-vascular-blog/2020/march/working-from-home

October 16, 2022 by Alan Zupka

Keeping the Spark Alive: Simple Romantic Things Long-Time Couples Can Do

When you build a fire, whether to warm your home or to add a bit of ambiance on a cold winter’s night, you know you’ve got to tend to the fire to keep it going. Relationships are no different. They, too, begin with that initial spark, but you both have to tend to the relationship to keep the heat!

In our modern age, too many couples are ready to throw in the towel as soon as things begin to cool off slightly. Love takes work; that’s the reality. I’ve known and worked with many couples who have been together for decades, and I’ve learned some of the key things that have helped them stay together for so long.

Give Each Other Your Full Attention

One of the greatest gifts of love you can give someone is your attention. Especially in today’s day and age, when it seems everyone has their head down, staring at their phone.

When you first fell in love, the other person was the center of your world. Has that changed over time? Do you take each other for granted?

Whether sharing a silly story or seeking advice, always give each other your full attention. Tune into them fully and engage. Ask questions and be with them there in the moment.

Learn Together

When the relationships begin to feel stale and old, it’s time to learn something new together. This could be taking a Salsa class or learning how to white water raft. The wonderful thing is while you are learning a new skill together, you will most likely learn new things about each other. We get to a point in our relationship when we think we know everything about the other person. But people are deep, mysterious wells that take years and years to explore!

Plan Surprises

Take turns planning something fun and spontaneous for you to do each month. It could be borrowing your friend’s rooftop condo for a rooftop summer picnic with stunning views of downtown. Or it could be taking a weekend cooking class or going on an overnight trip up into the mountains. Being spontaneous not only helps you break out of your relationship rut, it “forces” you to really think of the other person and what might make them happy.

Love is not something you fall in and out of; it is a journey that both of you are on together. To stay the course, be sure to give each other your full attention, learn together, and be spontaneous!

SOURCES:

How to keep a relationship alive

https://www.insider.com/how-to-keep-the-spark-in-your-relationship-2017-7

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mindful-relationships/202010/keeping-the-spark-alive-in-your-relationship

October 12, 2022 by Alan Zupka

Conflict Resolution Strategies for Couples

Conflict is natural, and every couple will experience it at some point in their relationship. The difference between a couple who can navigate this conflict and those who allow conflict to break their bond comes down to proven conflict resolution strategies.

The following are highly effective strategies every couple can use to get to the other side of a conflict lovingly and respectfully:

Create a Safe Space

When an argument begins, how many of us go into it with the intent of “winning” or proving the other person wrong? Having this intention is a recipe for disaster and resentment.

To resolve conflict, you and your partner need to establish respectful rules. These can include:

No yelling
No name-calling
No physical aggression
No foul language
No blaming or shaming

Without a safe space to interact, no real communication can take place.

Validate the Other Person’s Feelings

Resolving conflict requires the validation of both partners’ feelings. When you blame the other or state that they are somehow wrong, they will feel unheard and misunderstood. And arguing from this place will never lead to the resolution of the original conflict.

Acknowledge your partner’s feelings. Listen fully when they speak. Make eye contact (stay off your phone!). Nod while they are speaking. Thank them for sharing their thoughts and feelings with you.

You will be amazed at how much different things go when you validate your partner.

Find the Middle-Ground

Conflict resolution ultimately relies on both of you being able to come to a compromise. Find a balance between what both of you want and what you are comfortable with.

Get Help

Professional counseling may be warranted depending on the root cause of the conflict. A couple most likely can navigate an argument that stems from someone not doing their fair share of chores. But a conflict that is rooted in, say, financial trouble or infidelity may warrant professional help.

If you and your partner seem unable to resolve your conflicts on your own and would like to explore treatment options, please contact me. I would be more than happy to discuss how therapy can help.

SOURCES:

7 Tips for Handling Conflict In Your Relationship

https://psychcentral.com/relationships/conflict-resolution-in-relationships

https://positivepsychology.com/conflict-resolution-relationships/

October 9, 2022 by Alan Zupka

The Three Types of Stress

Stress is a normal part of life. And a little bit of stress can actually be a good thing. For instance, when we lift weights, we are stressing our muscles, helping them to become bigger and stronger. Similarly, little bits of mental stress can help us become more skilled and resilient.

But too much of any type of stress can wreak havoc on our bodies and overall health. The following are the three main types of stress according to the American Psychological Association:

Acute Stress

Acute stress occurs suddenly and out of the blue. Your boss may throw you a big project to finish under a tight deadline. Or you just barely missed a bad car accident. You will experience an elevated heart rate, blood pressure, and perhaps a migraine for a short period.

Episodic Acute Stress

These are mini-crises that happen to some people on a fairly regular basis. Some people take on too much responsibility or are somehow overburdened in their life, and so they live in a constant state of tension.

Chronic Stress

Chronic stress results from serious life problems that wear us down for months or years. There is really no let up with this type of stress. Chronic stress has been linked to heart disease and stroke.

Chiropractic to Help Beat the Effects of Stress

Seeing a chiropractor won’t magically make you immune from stressful events in your life. But regular chiropractic care can help your body deal with the effects of stress on your body. Whether you need help with tense muscles, ease headache symptoms, or get a better night’s sleep, we can help you hold onto your health and well-being.

If you’d like a free consultation, please give us a call or stop by our office.

Remain Curious

How to Stay Active When Working from Home

Keeping the Spark Alive: Simple Romantic Things Long-Time Couples Can Do

Conflict Resolution Strategies for Couples

The Three Types of Stress

Chiropractic to Help Beat the Effects of Stress

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