Workaholics Anonymous
I was inspired by
this article today.
I've been working a lot lately on spending my time consciously - on working more efficiently so that I have more time and energy left for MY LIFE. It's so freeing to start to ask questions like 'how does this fit with my goal of having a balanced life?' and 'will this make my family happier?' and 'why am I doing this in the first place?'
It's kind of amazing, actually. Yes, I'm saying NO a little more often. But by saying NO to the things that don't have a place in the life I want to live, I'm able to say YES to some other things - things that make me happy. Of course, BALANCE isn't a destination - it's a journey. But every decision I make to live my life more consciously keeps me on that path.
I think we can all do a better job of pursuing balance. This week, I'm making a promise to myself to keep my work inside boxes of dedicated Work Time - and to walk away from my laptop and live my life in between.
What will you promise to yourself this week?
Labels: Be Here Now, Being Healthy, Going Rogue, Stuff I Found Online, Stuff I'm Thinking About
Chief Decision Maker
or THE INEVITABLE H1N1 POST
Now there's a mommy-induced title that I was not exactly prepared for...
Being a parent is all about making decisions on behalf of someone else. It makes me uncomfortable sometimes - even with all the reading and research I do, and even with a nurse as my baby daddy.
This fall has been especially stressful because of all the H1N1 crap. I feel like we have *extra* decisions to make now, and there's more pressure than ever on making the right ones because everyone else seems to be asking us what we're going and letting that influence their own family's decisions.
The thing about H1N1 is that I don't really stress about it in particular. I think of it as a flu with a high fever and something that's going around a little more aggressively than the normal flu. The percentage of healthy people who end up on ventilators - or die - is microscopically tiny, and I don't live my life in fear of insignificant statistics.
A few extra things that factored into our decision:
- Briony's already had the flu this fall and it SUCKED. And I'd like to avoid that - or an even worse flu - if we can.
- If either Briony or Geoff get sick, I take care of them, which almost inevitably ends up with me getting sick and flared up.
- If I get sick with any kind of virus, my arthritis charges in and flattens me for at least a couple of days. As a family, we don't really handle illness very well.
- With Geoff working at a hospital, he comes into contact with all kinds of crap than the average citizen (and probably inadvertently brings some of it home with him from time to time).
This morning, enough was enough. I made a couple of phone calls and set things in motion to make all the decisions we've been leaning towards official. Geoff got his H1N1 shot this morning, and I'm making arrangements for Briony and I to follow suit within the next week or two. On top of this, we've decided to delay Briony's 12 month immunizations until after Christmas - just because immunizations tend to suppress babies' immune systems for a couple of weeks and the combination of flu season + H1N1 concerns + the holiday season (where she's going to come in close contact with a heck of a lot of people) makes me worried that she'll catch SOMETHING.
So there you have it. Controversial or not, it's done, and it's the best decision for *our* family with the information that's available to us right now. PLEASE do your own research and make your own decisions about what's right for *your* family. But this is what we've decided for us, and for the first time in weeks, I'm feeling pretty okay about it.
Labels: Arthritis/Fibromyalgia, Being Healthy, Briony, Current Events, Family, The Boy
This One's For The Girls
It's that time of year again, my lovely lady blog readers.
DO NOT skip over this post. I know you want to. But DO NOT.
Now answer me honestly... When was your last Pap Test?
If you don't know the answer:
That's totally okay (and let's face it, it's not like you threw a party and made it a big occasion to mark on your calendar). Call 1.866.616.8805 and they can tell you, because all Pap Test records and results are catalogued by the Manitoba Cervical Cancer Screening Program. Then you can sort yourself into the appropriate category below.
If your answer is 'more than two years':
Okay. No sudden movements. Take a couple of deep breaths. We can still be friends. But I want you to remove your hand from your mouse, reach over and grab the phone, and book a damn appointment already. Now. Your friends and family love you too much for you to put it off any longer.
(I'm assuming that you're fully aware that the reason for regular Pap Tests is to help prevent full-blown cervical cancer. Did you know that 80% of cervical cancer is diagnosed in women who haven't had a Pap Test for more than five years? Scary stuff because we live in a country with a pretty sweet health care system.)
Don't like your doctor? Don't HAVE a doctor? Totally okay. I'll let you put that hand back on your mouse and click here to visit
TellEveryWoman.ca and find a clinic close to your house that is offering walk-in appointments for Pap Tests next week - October 19 to 23.
If your answer is 'less than two years':
Congratulations! You're officially awesome. But you're not off the hook. Now I want you to pick up the phone anyway, and call a woman who you love - a friend, a sister, your mom - and ask them the same question I just asked you.
I know it's kind of weird and maybe awkward to talk about, but WE ALL NEED TO GET OVER IT. It's too important not to.
So my last Pap Test was in March 2009. When was yours?
Labels: Being Healthy, Current Events
