Health and Human Services Professional Development

How Your Career Path and Everyday Habits Influence Longevity by   Jill Bowers   on   August 2, 2013   National Geographic writer and explorer, Dan Buettner, and colleagues (from National Geographic and The Institute on Aging) examined 4 geographic locations (“blue zones”) in which individuals live longer than they do in the United States. They found these individuals had some things in common in (eating habits, outlook, exercise, and more – see infographic for more): This information reveals the importance of healthy choices and balance in your life….and hopefully you have chosen a career path that gives you a sense of purpose and makes you happy. For more information, see Dan Buettner’s Ted Talk, “How To Live To Be 100+” here: blob:https://embed.ted.com/e7ba03a4-05ca-4280-a89e-21da733b5e9f *Originally posted on the Career Skillet website (Permission granted by Jill Bowers).

The Importance of Self-Care by   Elissa Mitchell   on   January 19, 2014 In today’s busy, do-it-all world, many of us are overburdened with responsibilities and never-ending to do lists. In an attempt to be the best student/friend/partner/employee/etc., we often forget the most important thing – taking care of ourselves. Whether you’re completing your internship, your final year(s) of college, or on the job market, stress is inevitable. Good self-care is important, especially in the often stressful field of human services. Taking time out to relax and care for yourself is important and makes you more capable of caring for others. There are many ways to do this and you need to find what works best for you. Taking a walk, talking with friends, exercising, or simply taking a nap are all important aspects of self-care. I encourage you to take a  Self-Care Assessment  to see how you’re doing. Think about ways to lower the stress in your life ( http://stress.about...

End of the Semester Stress and Self-Care by   Jill Bowers   on   November 26, 2014   It’s that time of the semester…final exams, papers, projects, grades, and graduation. In addition to stress associated with school, many students are coping with emotions associated with holidays or gloomy/winter seasonal affect. International students, or those that live far away from family, may be especially at-risk for exhausted financial or emotional resources as they try to get home or figure out plans for winter break. And, many of you simply put so much pressure on yourselves as academic or organizational leaders that you forget or don’t take the time to take care of yourself in the way that your body and mind needs. Self-care can enhance your ability to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression. It can help you to have better cognitive focus and give you more energy. Engaging in self-care can also improve your mood, and some forms of self-care can aid in the develop...

   Eat Oats for Breakfast and Get a Move On!         By Shaun Hurdelbrink and Natasha Co le Before college, eating healthy and staying physically active was a straightforward, stable routine for me. Cereal in the morning, PB&J for lunch, cross-country or swimming as exercise, then a well-balanced dinner made by mom or dad. College, however, was a whole new lifestyle and it became challenging to eat the healthy foods I wanted to and stay active. Many college students tend to face similar situations and gain weight over the course of their first few years on campus. According to NRC Research Press, “about 70% [of 131 college students studied] gained weight, averaging 11.7 ± 9.1 lbs.”1 Despite the great variation in the study’s results, there was nonetheless an upward trend in bodyweight and BMI throughout college students.                       However, there are s...