Weekender #151

🧠 Wellness: Six everyday chemicals that are disrupting your hormones.

👶 Parenting: What over-the-top precautions did you take as a new parent?

🏡 Home: The right way to get rid of mold in your home.

💼 Career: Are you a superstar employee (or do you manage one)? Find out.

Navigating life’s inevitable changes—whether it’s the back-to-school rush, shifting financial circumstances, undergoing a divorce, or coping with grief—can feel overwhelming. Staying grounded during these turbulent times is key to maintaining your well-being and perspective.

Here are practical strategies to help manage the chaos and maintain a sense of stability:

1. Establish Routines

Routine offers a comforting structure amid chaos. Especially during major life changes like the back-to-school season, establishing clear daily routines can help both parents and children feel more secure. Set consistent times for meals, homework, relaxation, and bedtime to bring predictability to your days.

2. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness involves staying present and fully engaging with the now, rather than worrying about the past or future. Techniques such as meditation, breathing exercises, or simple mindful walking can help center your thoughts and reduce anxiety caused by change. Apps like Headspace or Calm can guide you through mindfulness exercises.

3. Lean on Your Support Network

Change can be isolating, but you don’t have to face it alone. Reach out to friends, family, or support groups who can offer practical help and emotional comfort. For parents, connecting with other parents through school events or community groups can provide mutual support during the back-to-school transition. 🎧 Check out podcasts like this one: Getting Comfortable Not Knowing – The Question Mark Season.

4. Keep a Journal

Writing about your experiences and feelings can provide a therapeutic outlet for your emotions. Journaling can help you process changes and gain clarity about what you are going through. Reflect on your day, vent frustrations, and celebrate small victories to stay balanced.

5. Stay Physically Active
Physical activity is a potent stress reliever. It doesn’t have to be intense; even regular walks or yoga sessions can significantly impact your mental health. During times of financial stress or personal upheaval like a divorce, maintaining an exercise routine can help manage stress and improve your mood.

6. Prioritize Healthy Eating

Nutrition often takes a backseat during stressful times, but a balanced diet is crucial for mental and physical health. Try to prepare nutritious meals, which can be a meditative process itself and provide the necessary energy to handle stress. Meal planning and prep can reduce the decision-making load during hectic weeks.

7. Seek Professional Help if Needed

Sometimes, change brings challenges that are hard to cope with alone. If you’re struggling to stay grounded despite your efforts, consider seeking help from a counselor or therapist. Professional guidance can be particularly beneficial in navigating complex emotions related to grief or divorce.

8. Focus on What You Can Control

Change often brings a sense of loss of control. Concentrate on the aspects of your life that you can control, such as how you organize your time, the boundaries you set, and the activities you choose to engage in. This can help reduce feelings of helplessness and boost your confidence.

9. Remember It’s Temporary

Every phase in life is temporary. Reminding yourself that the stress and upheaval are not permanent can significantly ease your mental burden. This perspective encourages resilience, helping you to navigate through tough times with the knowledge that there will be an end and likely a new beginning.

Take a few minutes to organize your upcoming work week with monday.com.

It’s perfect for anyone who is struggling to…

• Prioritize tasks
• Fight overwhelm due to the amount of projects flying around
• Keep teammates on the same page
• Manage time throughout the workday

You can customize your space, color code, set deadlines, collaborate with teammates, and more.

Like any tool, we suggest you try it out for yourself to see if it covers all the bases.

Get started here for free.

📚 Read: Rock Paper Scissors

If you’re in the mood for a gripping psychological thriller, Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney will keep you on the edge of your seat. The story follows a couple whose weekend getaway to an isolated location reveals long-buried secrets and shocking twists. With its clever plot, eerie atmosphere, and suspense that builds with every chapter, this book is perfect for fans of domestic thrillers who love a good twisty narrative.

📺 Watch: Oddity

To all our horror fans—Oddity is a must-watch. Well paced with a fresh take on eerie storytelling, this movie will keep you guessing as its slow-burn tension unfolds. Perfect for those who love a blend of psychological and supernatural suspense.

🎧 Listen: Three

Three is a true crime podcast that delves into the mysterious disappearance of a teenage girl after a late-night walk in the Appalachian woods on July 6th, 2012. As two of her friends emerge, the podcast explores the haunting question of what really happened that night under the nearly full moon.

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His parents named him Loki because their last name is Thor. Little did they know Loki would be a mischievous little brat just like his name implies.

Walks with Loki take twice as long because he has to say hi to every dog and human who will give him attention. So much so, that he will lay down on the ground to make himself appear small, because he knows he’s a big dog!

💌 We’re huge pet lovers at The Assist—fill out this form for your fur baby to be featured.

🚨 Job Ops: Visit our job board here.