Invest in your Community

What is your favorite thing about your community? Is it the friendliness of the people? The fact that you grew up there? The nostalgic feel of the little restaurant that a couple just opened up in an old building downtown? Or maybe the store that’s been owned by the same family for 15+ years and whenever you walk in you are greeted by your first name? Are there improvements you’d like to see happen in your community? Better roads or funding for schools? Nicer parks? Regardless of your answer, the fact is that you care about where you live. You want to see your neighborhood thrive as a safe and prosperous place. You want to see that the children in your area have a safe and pleasant place to grow-up before they make their debut into the world. You know you love your community and you want to support it in whatever way you can. We’ve all heard the popular “Go Local”, “Shop Local”, “Buy Local”, mantras promoting the growth of local, independently owned businesses. But what difference does that really make? Isn’t shopping at those businesses about the same as shopping at national chains? Not anywhere close! It seems that according to studies, the impact is greater than what might be imagined, and the results over time can be better than we think- not just for the local business owners, but for us and our communities, too. Did you know that when you spend money at a local business, …

Work from Home

While many are slowly returning back to the workplace after being in quarantine for the last three months, there are still many of us who continue to work from home either indefinitely or, now permanently, as companies weigh best solutions for continued operation. Though some employees may have taken to working from home like a duck to water, many of us are still struggling to find a rhythm that keeps us focused and productive, while at the same time meeting our vital needs for rest, human connection, and a healthy work/life balance. With a desire to help you through these special work-from-home challenges, here are some guidelines for staying on track and remaining sane: 1. Keep regular hours. Set a schedule for yourself and stick to it as much as you possibly can. Make sure that your schedule includes adequate breaks (per your company’s policy on break times) and reasonable start and end times for your workday. 2. Create a routine. Start and end your day with a routine. Develop habits that signal when your day starts and when it’s time to end. What morning routine could you begin that indicates you’re about to start work? Maybe it’s getting up and getting dressed (staying in pajamas all day may be a plus for some but can be a bad idea for others.) Perhaps your trigger to signal day-end could be going for a walk, or even as simple as shutting down your computer totally and turning off the phone you …