Being happy and healthy both mentally and physically is vital for having a positive work environment in any practice. While stress is nothing new, a new study from the American Psychology Association shows that pandemic stress is now starting to take a toll on us physically beyond just our teeth. If you’re experiencing higher levels of stress—pandemic-related or not, in recognition of April’s National Stress Awareness Month, we have put together a list of tips and ideas to help you reduce stress in your practice:
- Get some sun. Just 10 to 15 minutes of sun on the arms and legs a few times a week can generate nearly all the vitamin D we need. Just a few minutes goes a long way to improve your mood and reduce stress levels.
- Free up mental space. Do you have a million things to do and seemingly not enough time to get it done? Consider your time management. A complicated case weighing on your mind, let us help. We offer chairside technical assistance. Contact us to find out more information.
- Go for a walk. According to a 2016 study from psychologists at Iowa State University, walking for just 12 minutes—even without traditional happiness factors like sunshine, nature, social contact, and uptempo music—turns out to be a powerful mood lifter.
- Stretch. A few quick stretches can loosen stiff muscles and go a long way to making you feel better. Use this simple guide.
- Promote office-wide wellness. If you are stressed, chances are your employees are feeling it too! Consider these simple ways that you may be able to promote wellness in your practice: healthy snacks in the break room, promote healthy competitions like step challenges, morning stretch-and-flex office routines, or even just upgrading office chairs to more ergonomic ones. Check out these other ideas.
