Year: 2020

Ways You Can Help Local Businesses Right Now

December 12, 2020
community, shop local, Uncategorized

Small businesses need our help now more than ever. Here are 10 creative ways to lend your support without risking your health.

Ways You Can Help Local Businesses Right Now. Social distancing is the right thing to do right now, full stop. But the worry is that if everyone stays home, we won’t just shut down Covid-19, we’ll shut down small businesses as well. Most local businesses have already lost massive amounts of revenue as people self-quarantine, and some states are starting to mandate the closure of bars and restaurants. With potentially weeks’ worth of lost income, the local businesses that are so integral to the fabric and character of our communities may not have the margin to survive.

So maybe quit panic-buying toilet paper and start panic-buying stuff from the local stores, restaurants, and service providers you care about. Here’s how to support the small businesses that need your help right now — without risking your health.

1. Buy a gift card.
Businesses need cash flow right now, and the easiest way to help them out is to buy some gift cards to use down the road. Lots of shops are offering gift card bonuses right now, so treat yourself. Even better, treat someone else. Email a gift card that lets your nurse friend order some after-work tacos. Donate an art store gift card to your local school. Or stock up on cards from coffee shops, nail salons, yoga studios, and bookstores to hand out as gifts down the road. It may be hard to believe, but Mother’s Day, birthdays, and teacher appreciation week are still going to happen this year. Get your gift-shopping done now when it can make a huge impact on a struggling local business.

2. Get delivery.
Hanging out in your favorite diner is not a good look at the moment. Luckily, most restaurants and shops have stepped up options like delivery or curbside pickup so you can minimize contact with humans. If you can afford it, commit to ordering in a few meals this week.

3. Shop local online.
Lots of local shops keep at least some inventory available to order online. That boutique bag you’ve been eyeing? The great piece of local art? Now’s the time to treat yourself. This is a perfect time to support indie bookstores, too. Many of them have closed to the public but are offering free shipping, curbside pickup, and local deliveries. And trust us: you don’t want to quarantine without a stack of good books. (Prefer audiobooks? Get your favorites through libro.fm, an audiobook company that partners exclusively with indie bookstores.)

4. Tip like a boss.
It’s a crappy time to be a waiter, delivery driver, or barista, because not only are they likely working fewer hours, they’re getting fewer tips from their nonexistent customers. (Plus: Sick leave? What sick leave?) If you can afford it, make someone’s day with a massive tip.

5. Keep paying the people who work for you.
If you’re taking self-quarantine seriously, you’ve canceled the piano lessons and sent the housekeeper and the tutors away. But that doesn’t mean you should stop paying them. Venmo is no-contact and germ-free. Maybe throw one of those gift certificates their way while you’re at it.

6. Skip the refund.
If you missed a local show that you had tickets for, consider writing it off as a donation instead of asking for your money back. Now’s also a great time to sign up for that membership to your local nonprofit arts association or subscribe to the summer theater series.

7. Schedule a service for later.
Coronavirus has created the ultimate cancel culture, but all those missed reservations and skipped services are stressing out local workers. If you can, schedule works with a cleaner, a painter, a plumber, a contractor, or a salon. Simply knowing that work is coming their way can alleviate some anxiety and make a big difference in helping them weather this difficult time.

8. Provide a signal boost.
Give a shout-out to your favorite local businesses by leaving them a stellar review on Yelp, Google, or Facebook — that thing you always meant to do but never had time for. (Thanks, coronavirus!) While you’re at it, follow all your favorite businesses and artists online and share their social media posts. They might have their own ideas for how you can support them. (Indie musician Roxi Copland suggests buying merch online.)

9. Reach out to government leaders to ask for help.
In one of the cities hardest hit so far by the coronavirus, Downtown Seattle Association president Jon Scholes has said, “We need to move quickly at the local, state, and federal level to provide economic relief to the small business and workers who are out of jobs.” To get serious about boosting local businesses through this mess, email your legislator and ask them to help small businesses.

10. Say thanks.
All of us are mega-stressed right now, but local business owners worried about their livelihood have a special level of anxiety. Send a thank-you note or an email to let them know that you see them and you’re thinking of them. A little compassion and connection right now go a long way.

“Ways You Can Help Local Businesses Right Now”

From: https://livability.com/topics/love-where-you-live/10-ways-you-can-help-local-businesses-right-now

By: Melody Warnick is a freelance writer and the author of This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live

HIKING IN NATURE CHANGES YOUR BRAIN

December 1, 2020
hiking, nature hike, Self Care, self care stress, What is best for me?

HIKING IN NATURE CHANGES YOUR BRAIN – Immersing yourself in the great outdoors can ease stress and heighten your mood, but a new study shows it can even help you stop ruminating— or overthinking and dwelling on situations and life events. Rumination is linked to mental illness, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, as well as binge-drinking and binge-eating.

The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found spending time in nature can lower negative, obsessive thoughts by a sizeable margin. The researchers aimed to find out the impact of nature on the mind. They compared the thoughts of urban dwellers who walked through an urban environment for 90 minutes with those who walked through a natural environment. Those who walked in nature reported fewer negative thoughts. They also had less neural activity in the part of the brain associated with mental illness, known as the subgenual prefrontal cortex.

Hiking Enhances Creativity and Problem-Solving

Disconnecting from technology and reconnecting with nature can increase creativity and problem-solving, according to a study conducted by psychologists Ruth Ann Atchley and David L. Strayer. Participants went on a four-day tech-free backpacking excursion and were asked to perform creative-thinking and complex problem-solving tasks. The researchers found their performance on these tasks improved by 50% after hiking through nature.

The researchers noted that technology and urban noise are constantly demanding our attention and inhibiting our focus, which strains our cognitive functions. Going on a peaceful nature hike, while cutting ties with technology, can be just what you need to recharge.

Hiking May Lessen ADHD Symptoms in Children

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHA) is becoming increasingly common among children. Those with ADHD exhibit hyperactivity, inattention, and difficulty focusing. It often arises in childhood, with symptoms continuing into adulthood. While medication is typically prescribed to ADHA patients, a study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, found exposure to green outdoor activities like hiking can drastically reduce their symptoms. This suggests anyone with difficulty concentrating or controlling their impulses can benefit from spending time in nature.

Hiking is a fun and healthy activity suitable for all ages and fitness levels. So, strap on your hiking boots and go exploring!

“HOW HIKING IN NATURE CHANGES YOUR BRAIN”

by: Nicole Romeo

From: http://blog.spaweek.com/2016/08/30/hiking-changes-your-brain/

Massage measurably reduces stress

November 30, 2020
Health, Massage, massage stress relief, Natural Ways to Relieve Stress, self care stress, stress, What is best for me?

A study finds that 10 minutes of massage or relaxation can activate the body’s system for overcoming stress.

Massage measurably reduces stress – The damaging effects of stress are well-known, but fortunately, our bodies have a built-in system for managing and recovering from it. This system is called the parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS).

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that taking time to relax — especially when it involves massage — can activate the PSNS, the new study by psychologists at the University of Konstanz in Germany has scientifically measured and confirmed this effect.

In their paper, the researchers conclude that short periods of relaxation may be psychologically and physiologically regenerative and that the effect is even more pronounced with a massage.

The senior author of the study is Prof. Jens Pruessner of the university’s Neuropsychology lab, who is a member of the Cluster of Excellence “Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour.” He explains the importance of the new research:

“To get a better handle on the negative effects of stress, we need to understand its opposite — relaxation. Relaxation therapies show great promise as a holistic way to treat stress, but the more systematic scientific appraisal of these methods is needed.”

The study appears in the September 2020 issue of Scientific Reports.

The study

For their study, the team divided the participants into three groups.

The first group received 10-minute head-and-neck massages with a moderate pressure intended to stimulate the PSNS’s vagus nerve. This nerve contains some 75% of the PSNS nerve fibers, branching out to the many organs in the body with which the system interacts.

The second group of individuals received much softer 10-minute neck-and-shoulder massages as a means of determining the PSNS-activating effect of simple tactile contact.

A third control group simply sat at a table relaxing for 10 minutes.

The researchers used both physiological and psychological measurements to evaluate the degree to which each intervention, or lack of, had activated the participants’ PSNS.

Neuropsychology doctoral student Maria Meier led the team, who assessed the tests’ physiological effect by measuring the participants’ heart rate, as well as their heart rate variability (HRV). HRV is a measurement of variations in the time intervals between heartbeats.

For example, when the body is in fight-or-flight mode, there is a very little variation because the heart beats quickly at a steady rate. This will provide a low HRV value. When the body is relaxed, a greater degree of variation occurs, resulting in a higher HRV.

All of the participants had significantly higher HRV levels afterward. However, the most dramatic increases in HRV belonged to those who had received massages. The type of massage did not matter.

Simple tactile contact proved just as effective for helping an individual relax as a massage designed specifically to activate the PSNS.

Psychologically, all participants reported feeling less stressed and more relaxed after the tests.

Overall, the experiments confirmed that simply taking a few moments to relax can help a person manage stress. Adding a relaxing massage does, even more, to activate the PSNS and alleviate the physical and mental effects of stress.

Stress management

Meier concludes: “We are very encouraged by the findings that short periods of disengagement are enough to relax not just the mind but also the body. You don’t need professional treatment in order to relax. Having somebody gently stroke your shoulders, or even just resting your head on the table for 10 minutes, is an effective way to boost your body’s physiological engine of relaxation.”

Equally important as the study’s finding is the development of a system for objectively evaluating relaxation therapies. With experts often citing stress as the driver of diseases such as depression, a reliable means of validating relaxation techniques clearly has value.

Says Meier, “Massage, being such a commonly used relaxation therapy, was our first study. Our next step is to test if other short interventions, like breathing exercises and meditation, show similar psychological and physiological relaxation results.”’

From: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/massage-measurably-reduces-stress