Wellness Wednesday Issue #35

In today’s digital age, technology has become an integral part of our lives, and that includes our families.

While it brings numerous benefits, it’s important for parents to guide their children in maintaining a healthy balance between screen time and other activities.

Studies show that excessive screen time for kids can lead to physical health concerns like obesity, disrupted sleep patterns, delayed language development, behavioral issues, reduced face-to-face interaction, and shortened attention spans.

Here are some ways to promote digital wellness within your family:

Setting Healthy Boundaries: Creating clear guidelines for screen time can prevent overindulgence and promote healthier habits. Set specific times for device use, such as during meals or before bedtime. Encourage family discussions about balancing screen time with outdoor activities, hobbies, and quality family interactions.

Tech-Free Zones and Times: Designate certain areas of your home as tech-free zones, such as the dining table and bedrooms. This promotes face-to-face communication and improves sleep quality. Additionally, establish tech-free times, like an hour before bedtime, to help wind down for a restful night’s sleep.

Leading by Example: Children often mimic their parents’ behavior. Be mindful of your own screen time habits and prioritize face-to-face interactions. Model the behavior you want to see in your children by practicing balanced device use and showing the importance of unplugging.

Exploring Educational Apps: Not all screen time is created equal. There are plenty of educational apps and websites that can provide valuable learning experiences for kids. From language learning to STEM activities, these apps can be both entertaining and educational.

Family Screen Time Activities: Turn screen time into family bonding time. Enjoy a movie night together, engage in multiplayer video games, or explore interactive apps as a family. This not only encourages shared experiences but also helps in understanding the content your children are engaging with.

Encouraging Physical Activity: Balance is key. Encourage physical activity and outdoor playtime to counterbalance sedentary screen time. Plan outdoor adventures, bike rides, or nature walks that allow your family to disconnect from screens and connect with each other and nature.

Open Communication: Maintain an open dialogue with your children about their online experiences. Discuss online safety, privacy, and appropriate behavior. Make sure they feel comfortable approaching you with any concerns they may have encountered online.

Screen-Free Alternatives: Provide a variety of screen-free alternatives for entertainment and relaxation. Encourage reading, arts and crafts, board games, and other creative activities that help develop well-rounded skills.

How well do you know your team?

 

1 truth 2 lies is a simple icebreaker to do and creates healthy banter.

Here’s how to play:

• Team members populate a total of three sticky notes with 2 lies and 1 truth.
• Once completed, everyone uses dots to vote for the one they think is the truth.
• Do a round-robin where each person gets to share verbally what the correct “truth” sticky was.

This icebreaker is really easy, quick and fun, and is a great way to energize your team before starting a meeting.

Swipe the template and play with your team

Biohacking isn’t about hacking into your computer or becoming a superhuman overnight. It’s about refining your body and mind through science and self-experimentation.

It’s a journey of purposeful changes that can supercharge your energy and vitality, leading to a more empowered life.

Exploring Various Biohacking Approaches

Lifestyle and Dietary Tweaks: The foundation of biohacking includes yoga, meditation, healthy eating, spending time in nature, and exercising. These habits, often overlooked, lay the groundwork for further biohacking adventures.

Wearable Technology: Your Apple watch or fitness apps can be considered biohacking tools. Wearable tech nudges you towards health-conscious habits like walking more or staying hydrated, making it ideal for those starting their biohacking journey.

Implant Technology: While a bit futuristic, implanted technology – microchips, bionic eyes, and gene editing – holds the potential to revolutionize biohacking, although it’s yet to reach mainstream recognition.

Genetic Engineering: CRISPR technology, controversial yet groundbreaking, allows individuals to edit their own genetics. It’s an advanced form of biohacking that’s sparking discussions and changes on the fringes of the biohacking community.

Diving into Effective Biohacks

Cryotherapy for Circulatory Vitality: Exposing your body to cold temperatures through cryotherapy promotes blood flow, aiding recovery and endorphin release. Athletes like Usain Bolt swear by it for enhanced performance.

Red Light Therapy for Health: Red and near-infrared light waves can impact your body positively, aiding pain relief and reducing inflammation. This non-invasive method is making waves in biohacking circles.

Compression Therapy for Lymphatic Health: Compression therapy flushes out toxins, aiding recovery. Combining this with cryotherapy provides a potent blend for recuperation.

OsteoStrong for Bone Strength: OsteoStrong offers a non-pharmaceutical solution for bone health, enhancing density and balance through a cutting-edge system.

Intermittent Fasting for Dietary Success: The timing of your meals matters. Intermittent fasting boosts metabolism, reduces insulin resistance, and has potential benefits like cognitive enhancement and inflammation reduction.

Functional Music for Brain Wellness: Audio entrainment synchronizes with brainwaves, inducing relaxation and focus. Brain.fm offers tailored programs for various activities, enhancing your experience.

Gratitude as a Mindset Biohack: Cultivating an abundance mindset through gratitude journaling, walks, letters, and rituals reshapes your perspective, fostering positivity and fulfillment.

Biohacking Supplements for Optimal Performance: Supplements like NEUROBOOST B12 and VITAL ENERGY bridge nutritional gaps, enhancing energy, focus, and overall vitality.

A Banksy got everyday investors 32% returns?

 

Mm-hmm, sure. So, what’s the catch?

We know it may sound too good to be true. But thousands of investors are already smiling all the way to the bank. All thanks to the fine-art investing platform Masterworks.

These results aren’t cherry-picking. This is the whole bushel. Masterworks has built a track record of 15 exits, with 3 recent sales seeing 10.4%, +27.3%, and +35.0% net returns.

As a trusted partner, The Assist readers are invited to skip the waitlist with the exclusive link below.

Skip the Waitlist

*See important disclosures at masterworks.com/cd

Dealing with bereavement is an inevitable part of life, and it’s important for companies to create a supportive environment for employees facing such challenges.

An empathetic and well-structured approach to addressing bereavement in the workplace can help employees cope with their loss while maintaining productivity and a positive work atmosphere.

This guide outlines key steps for companies to consider when approaching bereavement in their workplace.

Step 1: Develop a Bereavement Policy

Create a clear and comprehensive bereavement policy that outlines the company’s stance on handling employee bereavement. Include details such as the process for reporting a bereavement, the types of leave available (paid or unpaid), the length of leave, and any additional support services offered.

Step 2: Communicate the Policy

Ensure that all employees are aware of the bereavement policy. Include the policy in the employee handbook, conduct workshops or seminars to explain the process, and consider sending out reminders periodically.

Step 3: Show Empathy and Flexibility

Bereavement experiences vary widely, so approach each situation with empathy. Be flexible in granting time off and understand that employees may need more than the standard bereavement leave, depending on their relationship with the deceased and their grieving process.

Step 4: Provide Counseling and Support

Offer access to grief counseling or therapy services. This can help employees navigate their emotions and cope with their loss effectively. Partner with mental health professionals who specialize in grief counseling.

Step 5: Maintain Privacy and Confidentiality

Respect the privacy of grieving employees. Only share information on a need-to-know basis, and with the employee’s consent. Avoid discussing personal matters in public or with other team members.

Step 6: Offer Flexible Work Arrangements

Consider providing flexible work arrangements to help employees manage their responsibilities during the grieving process. Options might include remote work, adjusted hours, or reduced workload for a period of time.

Step 7: Support Returning Employees

Grieving employees may find it challenging to transition back to work. Arrange a return-to-work meeting to discuss any concerns or changes needed to facilitate a smooth reintegration.

Step 8: Create a Supportive Work Environment

Foster an atmosphere of understanding and support among coworkers. Encourage team members to offer condolences and provide assistance when needed. Raise awareness about bereavement sensitivity and its importance.

Step 9: Monitor Well-being

Keep an eye on the emotional well-being of bereaved employees, even after they return to work. Regular check-ins and an open-door policy for discussions can help identify ongoing challenges and provide ongoing support.

Step 10: Maintain Flexibility in Performance Expectations

Understand that productivity might be affected during the grieving process. Be open to adjusting performance expectations temporarily to accommodate employees’ emotional needs.

Step 11: Evaluate and Adapt

Regularly review your company’s bereavement policy and support mechanisms. Gather feedback from employees who have utilized the policy and make necessary adjustments to better meet their needs.

📝 Put together your ideal bereavement leave policy by checking out this guide, or swipe this Bereavement Leave Policy Template.

As summer comes to a close and PSL days are approaching, what better way to end the season than with a team gathering (preferably soaking up the rays before they start hibernating).

🎉 Check out this list of end of summer party ideas.

Check out this free Delegation Poker template that promotes employee engagement through controlled self-organization and clarified value and decision-making.

monday.com is the free work OS that lets you manage tasks, projects, and team collaboration so efficiently, you’ll have time to actually enjoy your Monday (for once).

Raising Empowered Kids is a free weekly newsletter helping parents raise compassionate, curious, and resilient kids.

BetterHelp is the therapy session you don’t have to leave your house for, connecting you with licensed therapists online.

🍗 Are you also obsessed with airfryers? Here’s some meal inspo.

🧊 Our favorite (free) skincare routine add? Ice cubes!

🔖 Catch up on all Wellness Wednesday newsletters here.

🏪 The Assist Store: Check out our Etsy Store or get our most popular templates for free here.

🚨 Job Openings

• Off The Record is hiring for a Growth Marketing Manager (Remote).
• Charles Schwab is hiring for a Marketing Specialist (Chicago, IL).
• Salve Regina University is hiring for an Office Coordinator (Newport, RI/Hybrid).
• Jasmine Star is hiring for a Part-Time Executive Project Manager (Remote).
• University of Virginia Medical Center is hiring for an Executive Secretary (Charlottesville, VA).
• Nasuni is hiring for a Part-Time Executive Assistant (Boston, MA).

❗If you have a job opening at your company that you’d like us to share in our newsletter, please submit it here.

Pssst…If you work in HR, we recently launched a free newsletter for HR Professionals called Human Crapital! Subscribe today before the next issue comes out (Wed morning).