Staying on task

In my job there are always many tasks to complete every day. Sometimes it feels overwhelming because I don’t know where to start and what to work on. It can be difficult to stay on task amidst so much going on.

What has worked for me to stay focused on the tasks I need to complete is to make a list. Now it is important to keep this a short list of up to 5 tasks. In the past in an attempt to organize what needed to be completed I would make a giant master list of about 20 or more tasks. A problem with this was that it was daunting. Too many things to do created panic and resulted in procrastination because I didn’t see the list as doable. I didn’t want to attempt it and fail so I often never got started on the tasks. Another problem with the long list was that the tasks that were a big priority often got lost in the shuffle. The tasks that needed to be completed first did not get done until later when I had less time to complete them and it caused unnecessary stress.

On great days I get all 5 tasks completed and then even add 1 or 2 more and cross those off too. On very busy, chaotic days I gets 2 or 3 of the 5 tasks completed and then start on the remaining tasks the next day. I try to put a few tasks on my list that are fairly easy to complete, but still need to get done. In my company we offer massage and facial services to our clients. I send out cards to clients when it is their birthday to wish them a happy birthday. Sending out the birthday cards is an example of a task that is fairly easy to complete because it doesn’t require too many steps in order to accomplish it. Another task I do often is entering new client data into the computer and then sending the client a thank-you card thanking them for their business. This requires a few steps and takes longer to complete.

It can be helpful to create a short to-do list in order to stay on task. This strategy keeps me from getting distracted and I am able to accomplish a lot of tasks at work. It gives me a sense of satisfaction when I can cross off a task I have completed. When I am busy, having a to-do list is really instrumental to staying organized and reducing stress at work.

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Skin Care – Bradenton, Florida

Drink more water

It’s summer and it’s hot out there. To feel your best be sure to stay adequately hydrated. Drink water to prevent muscle cramps and fatigue especially when outside in the hot sun. When you are dehydrated your muscles are too. Thirsty muscles will “knot up” and cramp quicker than healthy hydrated muscles.

Coffee, iced tea and soda may be a refreshing beverage of choice for many people, but it can actually cause you to become dehydrated. Caffeine is a diuretic which means that is flushes water out of your body. A good rule of thumb is for every 8 ounce caffeinated beverage, drink 8 ounces of regular water to replace the fluid that you lost due to the caffeine consumption. In order to stay sufficiently hydrated you may need to drink two servings (16  ounces) of water for every 8 ounce serving of caffeinated beverages that you drink.

Alcohol can make your body thirsty. One of the side effects of drinking alcoholic beverages is excessive urination. It is important to hydrate your body with water when drinking alcohol to replace fluids and to prevent headaches from the negative effects of alcohol consumption.

Drinking water is important for your health when engaging in physical activity. When participating  in strenuous exercise your body will sweat in an attempt to cool itself down. It will also lose fluid and become dehydrated. Drink cool water to reduce body temperature and prevent muscle fatigue from overexertion.

Enjoy your summer and stay healthy by staying hydrated!

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida

 

Stress-free grocery shopping

There are many perks in my life that I can attribute to being an adult. I own my own house and car, I can stay up as late as I want, I can plan and take vacations, but buying groceries isn’t fun for me at all. That task I view as a chore. And as with most tasks that I see as a chore I just want to be done and over with it as soon as possible.

Fortunately, my husband goes grocery shopping with me because like me he sees grocery shopping as a chore and detests it as well. And since misery loves company we go as a team. For us this trip to the food market used to loom over us all week, it felt daunting. We felt that it would take forever, but as we often remarked, “We have to go to the store. We have nothing to eat!” So we would go, often hungry and cranky and wander around the market trying to decide what looked appetizing for dinner. And you know what? It did feel like it took forever!

But because we hated it so much we started to try and make the task easier. First, we have a discussion at home when we are relaxed about what we would both like to eat that week. We both contribute ideas and then decide on several meals. Once the meals are decided we either look at recipes to determine what ingredients to add to our shopping list or we already know how to make the meals and just look through our pantry and fridge to know what to add to the list. The key is to organize the shopping list according to aisle or category. I make sections such as: produce, dry goods, meats, refrigerated, frozen and misc. Then we start at one end of our grocery store and work our way to the other end. In our store produce is at one end and frozen at the other. So my husband and I start at produce and work our way through our list crossing off items as they get added to the cart until we finish up in the frozen section.

Organizing the list and deciding together what meals we are going to make has made the chore of grocery shopping more bearable for both of us. But one of the best tips I have for a successful shopping trip is to never go hungry. I often have to eat a small snack before we leave so that we can stay on track and be able to stick to our list. Happy shopping!

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida

Relieve neck tension

Many of us spend much of our day hunched over. We may be working at a computer, using a smart phone, reading or engaging in a similar activity, but the posture is the same: the head and neck are tilted downward and the shoulders are rolled forward. By the end of the day the neck and shoulders can become stiff and sore from holding these muscles in this poor position.

A good stretch to relieve tension in the neck muscles is to lay down on a bed face up and let the head and neck hang over the end. It is effective because it allows the neck muscles to move in the opposite way from how they are usually used. The neck is tilted back instead of forward.

During your day, to help prevent muscle tension from accumulating, stretch your neck to each side (ear to shoulder) and roll your shoulders backwards a few times. Stretch often to help correct forward posture of the neck and shoulders.

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida

Music reduces stress

One of the best ways to relieve stress is through music. There is no question that music can be relaxing and even help you to concentrate in certain situations.

Quite a bit of research has been done on this topic, and many health practitioners now use music to help patients relax. There is even a field of study called music therapy where people learn how to use music to help people relax and even reduce painful symptoms.

In order to get the maximum benefit out of music, it’s essential to choose the appropriate type of music for the situation. Personal taste also plays a part, of course. Some people, for example, find new age or ambient music relaxing. Others, however, cannot bear the sound of it, so they will obviously not benefit from hearing it. Such people, however, might enjoy classical music instead.

Not all types of music are good for reducing stress. In fact, some types have just the opposite effect. If you are trying to relax, heavy metal, punk or gangster rap are probably not your best choices. That doesn’t mean that these types of music have no value. They may be great for having fun or helping you feel energized. For de-stressing, however, you should stick to slower, softer types of music.

Music can be used in many situations to help reduce stress. It can take some of the unpleasantness out of your daily commute, for example. Playing some relaxing music in the car can help you deal with traffic jams.

Some types of music can even help you learn or concentrate more effectively. The Mozart effect, for instance, suggests that people can absorb certain types of information faster when listening to Mozart or similar kinds of music (especially Baroque style).

Relaxing music can also be used to accompany exercise, housework or any type of task that is challenging or normally causes you stress. Depending on the situation, it can be playing in the background or you can listen with headphones.

To use music for reducing stress, you can do some experimenting. Nowadays it’s easier than ever to carry music around with you, whether on your laptop, tablet, MP3 player or phone. When you start to feel tense, put on your headphones and feel that stress start to melt away!

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida

 

Massage for women

How massage helps women
Massage for transitions and PMS

If you are a woman, massage can help support you in many of your transitions from adolescence, motherhood and beyond menopause.

How can massage help?

Massage offers the time and space to relax. During a massage, you breathe deeply and let go of anxiety and irritability. Massage helps eases headaches and neck tightness. It can release tension that restricts circulation and causes pain.

Massage relieves tension in muscles around the joints, making movement easier and less painful. Keeping muscles and joints moving may be the best thing you can do to maintain healthy movement and your feeling of well-being.

Massage increases energy and the ability to focus. Improved circulation to the brain results in increased energy and ability to concentrate. At the same time, massage improves sleep. Less anxiety and muscle tension will make it easier to relax when you are ready for bed.

Massage helps moisturize your skin. Massage uses high quality oils and lotions that are good for your skin.

Finally, massage promotes a positive body image. We massage therapists are in the business to help people enjoy their bodies more fully. Each session should allow you a feeling of reconnecting with and honoring your body.

Especially for PMS

If you suffer from premenstrual syndrome, massage may help. In a study at the University of Miami’s Medical School, women suffering from PMS experienced reduced anxiety, depression and pain immediately after receiving massage.

If you can’t get in for a massage when you have PMS symptoms, have a friend or family member press with heels of the hand down the muscles on the sides of the spine from waist to sacrum (the triangular bone at the bottom of the spine). Press through clothing, or use a little oil on bare skin. Aromatherapists recommend blending a few drops of lavender, clary sage and geranium essential oils in your massage oil to further aid in reducing pain and other symptoms.

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida

Massage for tendinitis

Massage for tendinitis
Massage can help this injury

Tendinitis can affect everyone from tennis players and golfers to warehouse and office workers. Known for painful inflammation (‘itis’ refers to inflammation), scarring of tendons, swelling, and a feeling of weakness, tendinitis inhibits proper muscle function. The tendon is the tissue at the end of the muscle that connects to the bone.

Tendinitis is sometimes confused with or occurs with a condition called ‘tendonosis,’ a degenerative condition of the tendon, which also causes pain and dysfunction. The most common sites for both are the shoulder, arms, hip, hamstrings and the Achilles tendon. You may experience pain at the site of the injury or pain can be referred, or radiated, to areas distant from the injury.

The role of repetitive actions

Repetitive strain injuries (RSI’s) develop from repeated movements and are characterized by pain, stiffness and tissue scarring. They often involve tendons that cannot adapt to forces placed upon them. Unless you’ve suddenly whacked your tendon, pain and dysfunction usually occur gradually through repeated trauma to the tendon. A thorough assessment will help determine the cause of your specific problem.

Massage therapy for tendinitis

Massage is very effective in treating both acute and chronic tendon conditions. Massage therapists draw from an extensive background in clinical anatomy, and hands-on assessment and treatment skills. Massage relaxes and lengthens muscle groups in the area of injury and dysfunction. Massage also helps to ensure that the joint areas above and below the injury site stay relaxed and mobile.

Cross-fiber friction

Cross-fiber friction reduces pain, and helps heal muscles and tendons of the forearm. In cross-fiber friction, pressure is applied crosswise to the affected tissues for 2-5 minutes. The sensation can be numbing and uncomfortable. However, any pain should subside within minutes, and massage therapists make it a point to work within pain tolerance levels.

Scarring of the tendons means that tissue fibers are laid down randomly, limiting movement. To help heal the condition, deep friction is applied across the length of the forearm at the site of the injury. Realigning the tissues with cross-fiber friction often requires a series of treatments. The goal is to reduce and mobilize areas of scar-like tissue, reduce pain, improve the overall function of the tendon, and restore muscle length and strength.

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida

Mother’s Day Massage

What mothers really need…
Making the gift of bodywork work for you

What better gift for a hard-working mom than massage or bodywork? Whether you are a mom, or have a mom, here are some reasons mothers need support to receive nurturing touch on Mother’s Day.

– Mothers worry.
– Mothers have to multi-task whether they like it or not.
– Most mothers work. Hard.
– Mothers are always on call.
– If mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy.

Take time to be nurtured

If you’re a mother, you may want to ask for a Mother’s Day gift of your favorite bodywork. Whether it’s therapeutic massage, reflexology, hot stone massage or something else, you can expect relief from tension and pain. But even more important, your bodywork session can be a nurturing and healthful time out.

Sound delightful? An opportunity (for once) to do absolutely nothing? It can be, especially if you follow these tips.

Make the most of your gift

1. Let the people around you know that you need their support while taking time from your responsibilities. For example, child care may need to be covered.

2. Make sure you have time afterward to take it easy (see number one above). Don’t rush off to pick up kids or start dinner. Take a walk, or lie down on your back for a few minutes once you get home. If that turns into a nap, so much the better.

The bodywork experience supports your mental and physical health and, in a very real way, extends to the well-being of your whole family. To make the most of your gift, remember to ask for support to let go of your responsibilities for the time it takes to really benefit.

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida

Prevent injuries with massage

Prevent injuries in the great outdoors
Prepare with massage and warmups

Like so many others, you may feel the need to get out of the house and move. When you go outside, it may be for vigorous activities like gardening, raking leaves, or exercise. Think ahead and prepare. Make sure your muscles are warm. Wear layers and start your activities slowly, gradually stepping up the pace. If you are experiencing muscle tightness, or have injured yourself in the past, schedule massage during the yard work and gardening season.

As you begin your gardening or engaging in your sport, focus on using your body “smarter, not harder.” Switch activities every 30 minutes so you are not using the same muscles for extended periods. Take regular rest breaks and stretch the muscles you’ve been using.

Ramping up your outdoor activities carefully will give your body time to adjust and could prevent soreness and even injury. If you add regular massage to your schedule, it may prevent pain and injuries as well. Massage stretches tight muscles and enhances circulation around the joints. And if you do get sore or injured, research shows massage is effective for back pain.

A clinical trial at the Center for Health Studies, Group Health Seattle, showed massage produced a “substantial and persistent benefit” for low back pain sufferers during the 10-week study. “The magnitude of this effect was quite surprising. Function is not an easy thing to improve in people with chronic back pain,” said Daniel Cherkin, PhD and acting director of the Center.

With warmups and regular massage, your body will be more prepared and less prone to injury when you go outside to bend, reach, twist and run.

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida

Benefits of stress reduction

How reducing stress promotes your health
A positive cascade of benefits

Many studies of massage have shown its ability to decrease stress hormones and calm the nervous system. Dr. Tiffany Field, founder of the Touch Research Institute, University of Miami, has seen massage induce relaxation, resulting in a cascade of physical and emotional effects. All of these effects can bolster your health as well as your ability to cope with stress.

– Increased feeling of well-being. Deep relaxation in addition to improved circulation results in the cleansing of waste products and improved nutrition to your cells. Increased energy, renewed optimism, and a tingling, balanced feeling can be the result.

– Reduced anxiety. Feeling relaxed and calm can make it easier to handle emotional stress and anxiety.

– Reduced insomnia. Pregnant women, menopausal women, seniors, people suffering from fibromyalgia and anyone experiencing stress or pain may find their normal sleep patterns disrupted. Deep relaxation from massage contributes to deeper and more restorative sleep.

– Improved digestion. Excess stress can result in abdominal tension. As it relaxes, massage can indirectly help with the constipation, gas, and heartburn associated with pregnancy, aging, or illness.

– Recovery from surgery. Massage can help reduce anxiety and tension before surgery. Afterward, avoiding the area of surgery, overall massage can help assist the flow of nutrition to cells and the removal of wastes, resulting in faster, more efficient healing.

– Reduced mental fatigue, confusion. Hospital employees reported feeling less confusion after brief chair massage. With improved circulation, the flow of oxygen to the brain is improved, temporarily increasing mental clarity.

Sarah Gaudette
Paradise Therapy
Stress Relieving Tips

Massage & Wellness – Bradenton, Florida