SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton: Consider Prioritizing Work-Life Balance In The New Year

Press release from SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton:

December 3, 2021

With the New Year just weeks away, many people are looking forward to a clean slate and setting new goals and intentions for 2022. While New Year’s resolutions can be a great way to start healthier habits, many people lose sight of their goals by mid-February. This year, SSM Health Family Medicine physician Dr. Heather Schmidt is encouraging people to set realistic and well-rounded goals that are attainable and don’t cause added stress.

“I think what we've all learned during the pandemic is that we have to re-evaluate what are our true priorities? What are the things that really matter?” Schmidt said. “How do we be more intentional about reaching those goals?”

Typically, the most common New Year’s resolutions are efforts to lose weight and exercise more. Dr. Schmidt said broad goals can be harder to achieve. Instead, she challenges people to set new intentions, rather than resolutions and ensure your intentions are specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and time-based, or “SMART.”

“What that means is instead of saying, ‘I'm going to be healthy in 2022’ or ‘I'm going to lose weight in 2022,’ be very specific about what you're going to do to track your progress over time,” said Schmidt, who also is SSM Health’s system director of healthy work and well-being .

For example, if your intention is to exercise more, Schmidt advises planning out how many times you will aim to exercise each week and for how long – tracking your progress along the way. The more specific, the better.

If you’re looking for a new intention for 2022 that doesn’t revolve around weight loss or exercise, Schmidt recommends trying to spend more time with family and friends and creating a better work/life balance.

“When we don't have that balance between work and home, we can't recharge and rejuvenate,” Schmidt said. “Those hobbies and interests outside of the job are really important, so make sure you figure out a way to do that.”

Schmidt also recommends making sleep a priority in the new year. During the winter, it can be easy to experience additional stress and burnout. Going to bed and waking up around the same time each day and putting electronics away at least an hour before bed allows your body to get a more substantial and restful night of sleep.

No matter what your intention looks like for next year, Schmidt challenges everyone to set goals that can lead to a happier and healthier life.

This press release was produced by SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.