The other day CODA, our DE&I Council was joined by Ginger as well as Our House, Working Families ERG for a panel discussion to help our company's parents and those that lead them. Here are some themes and suggestions that emerged during the conversation.

Being a parent provides us with some of life’s most precious moments, but it also can present challenging ones as well. For working parents, juggling responsibilities at home with a career can certainly be stressful. As we approach another school year and many working parents transition back to the office, the family dynamic may be changing once again!

We begin a new year, and with it comes the motivation to "be better", to "do better".  We take what we learn from our previous and apply our own changes in order to improve ourselves.  This is what is important. As unique individuals, "better" isn't the same for everyone, and while there are some universal truths, such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy, reducing stress, and moving your body, there are many diverse thoughts as to how to accomplish those things. 

Sleep is so important! Although the amount of sleep required varies person to person, lack of sleep is linked to increased stress, burnout and can also cause cardiovascular disease over time. There are only a few (1-3% of the population) that are part of the ‘sleepless elite’: those that only require 5-6 hours and are able to function with continued high performance.

As the second position in M.E.D.S., EXERCISE may seem the most attainable, but can be one of the most difficult to sustain.  Exercise must challenge you in order to make an impact. A workout is just that: WORK. This doesn't have to mean forking over hundreds of dollars for a crazy-intense program. It simply means adding physical activity to your daily/weekly routine that was not previously there.  And, that can be difficult. You must work past your comfort zone, and here is where many of us fall short. Our own Shey P. describes how she still needs that beginning push to get her through her new program:

GETTING YOURSELF TO A GOOD PLACE

SAS Retail Services understands the current climate’s stress levels and how we are ALL effected by it. No matter your status in life, stress and uncertainty affects us all, and we all have different ways of dealing with it. To continue the focus on our Team Members’ well-being and everyone we interact with, we are highlighting September as Self-Care Awareness Month. We want to take this time and provide resources, experiences and suggestions people can incorporate into their daily lives, should they choose. We want us all to be our best selves and to maintain a healthy and progressive lifestyle.