Body, Mind, & Spirit Articles

Article / Updated 01-25-2023

Bluetooth technology and the wide array of smartphone apps make customizing strategies to aid in improving day-to-day functions with hearing loss a whole lot easier. Working with Bluetooth and hearing aids Bluetooth is amazing wireless connection technology. It is a short-range wireless connection platform that allows data transfer or connections between two or more electronic devices over ultra-high frequency radio waves that don’t interfere with other signals. Thousands of companies across the globe, including hearing aid manufacturers, have agreed on Bluetooth as the standard in wireless connection and have teamed up to form a special interest group that manages the technology, fosters Bluetooth tech advances, and maintains high security standards. Bluetooth allows hearing aids to directly connect to other devices, including smartphones and tablets, to stream clear audio such as music or phone calls. Many hearing aid companies now offer smartphone apps that connect to hearing aids via Bluetooth and allow the user to control hearing aid settings such as volume and programs or check on the hearing aid battery life. Most hearing aids connect to smartphones by making sure Bluetooth is activated on the smartphone and then turning the hearing aid off and back on. This prompts the two devices to pair. After the first connection, the devices will remember one another and automatically pair. Consult your hearing aid user manual, contact a tech savvy friend, or ask your hearing care professional when in doubt. Some hearing aids require a streamer (see “Streaming all your devices" below) to connect to other devices via Bluetooth. This is usually worn around the neck or kept in a pocket. But this is becoming increasingly rare as modern technology allows for a direct connection. Check product labels or speak with a hearing professional for how hearing aids connect to Bluetooth if you want to avoid using an extra device. Navigating smartphone apps You can find many, many smartphone apps for hearing loss — some free, some not — and it can be difficult to distinguish the good from the not-so-good. There are two main categories specific to enhancing your hearing: Apps to amplify sounds in your environment just like a handheld amplifier Apps to customize sound you listen to through your smartphone, such as when you take calls or stream music, so that it is tailored to your hearing But how do you know whether an app is going to be reliable? Here are some tips: Look for apps that are popular and have lots of downloads. Read reviews and comments by users. Download apps only from official app stores. Look at apps that have a history of regularly updating. Pay attention to permissions the app asks for on your phone; predatory apps may ask for permission to access unnecessary information (like an app to amplify sound requesting access to your photos or contacts). Hearing aid accessories Hearing aid accessories can be the difference between doing okay and thriving with hearing aids. Many companies offer a lineup of complementary accessories that can boost your experience with hearing aids and improve listening in certain situations. Every company has a different specific name for these products, but there are four common types: a remote control, a remote microphone, a TV connector, and a streamer. Using a remote control A remote control acts as a handheld operations center for your hearing aids. It allows you to discretely control your hearing aids without needing to locate and press any buttons on the hearing aids themselves. This can be especially useful for adults with stiff, numb, or arthritic fingers. With a remote control you can: Adjust the volume or mute the hearing aids. Change the programs to match the situation you’re in. Manage connections to other streaming devices. Trying out a remote microphone A remote microphone is a stand-alone or portable microphone that transmits a direct signal to hearing aids from a distance. Remote microphones excel in helping with hearing in difficult listening environments from noise or overcoming distance issues. Hearing aids can mute or dampen any other sounds around you while focusing only on the remote microphone to substantially improve clarity. Remote microphones are one of our favorite accessories and something we recommend to almost every hearing aid user who has trouble with hearing aids in noisy situations. We compare the remote microphone for those with extra trouble with speech in noise to using snow tires for driving in cold weather areas: It’s a must-have accessory! There are two main styles of remote microphone: one-on-one remote mic and group setting remote mic. One-on-one remote mic The most common style is a portable personal microphone for focused conversation when you’re only interested in hearing one specific person speak at a time. The person speaking can hold it, wear it around their neck, or clip it to their shirt or jacket lapel. The sound from the microphone is channeled directly into your hearing aid. Let’s go through some examples of when the remote microphone comes in handy: If you are at a noisy restaurant for dinner, you can have the person you’re dining with wear the remote microphone so that you receive a more direct signal of their voice with less background noise. In some social settings with lots of noise, like a large gathering or at a bar, we tend to move from conversation to conversation. You can bring the one-on-one remote microphone and either hold it yourself near the person (see the figure below) or ask the person you’re speaking with to hold to it for a boosted signal. Lectures can be difficult if you’re forced to sit far away from the speaker. Even if the venue has a sound system, it can still be difficult to understand the speaker depending on the acoustics as well as the quality and placement of the speakers. You can either place the remote microphone on the podium or request the speaker wear it to give you a direct signal (see the figure below). The range on remote microphones varies from roughly 30 to 90 feet depending on the manufacturer. If you’re in a small group setting with the one-on-one remote mic, like a noisy restaurant with a group of three, you can try placing the microphone on the table between your dining companions or ask them to pass it back and forth as needed. It’s an extra step but will make for a smoother and more enjoyable conversation for everyone. Group setting remote mic A newer version of the remote microphone is a table remote microphone that is specially designed for group conversations. This product sits on a table and uses a combination of advanced signal processing and special microphones called beamformers to identify and focus on anyone speaking at the table and transmit that signal directly to your hearing aids. The table remote microphone is a great option when in a restaurant or at home with multiple people or for use at work meetings around a conference table (see the figure below). At the publication of this book, this is a newer product and is only available through a few hearing aid manufacturers, but the initial popularity among patients suggests it’s going to quickly become a widely offered product. Connecting to the TV The TV connector serves a very specific role of transmitting the audio signal from any home audio device, namely TVs and stereos, directly to your hearing aids (see the figure below). Simply plug the TV connector into the audio port on your TV or stereo to connect to your hearing aids. This can make listening to TV much more enjoyable with a direct and sometimes clearer signal compared to using your hearing aids alone. Many companies now offer the capability for the TV connector to stream to multiple sets of hearing aids if you are watching TV with a friend or family member! Streaming all your devices Technology is rapidly evolving, and some hearing aids can directly connect to smartphones and other accessories mentioned in this section. However, some hearing aids will require a streamer (see the figure below) to act as an intermediary transmitter to allow hearing aids to connect to other products. The streamer is usually worn on a lanyard around a hearing aid user’s neck or kept in their pocket. For some hearing aid manufacturers, the streamer and remote control are combined into a single product to make your life easier. Make sure you do a little research first to find out if your hearing aids require a streamer to connect to accessories and your smartphone. When purchasing hearing aid accessories, make sure they are compatible with your hearing aids. At the time of this book, most hearing aids are only compatible with accessories made by the same manufacturer. Even within a single manufacturer, new generation technology does not always work with older technology. You can always ask your hearing care professional to help you navigate the accessories market.

Article / Updated 01-24-2023

Modern hearing aids are sleek, and many styles are nearly invisible. This is a far cry from early hearing aids that required body-worn accessories (to visualize that, imagine something like the old Discman CD player worn on your belt with wires attached to headphones). It’s also a far cry from the mental image many people have when they picture hearing aids as large and bulky pieces of plastic that stick out from behind the ear connected to huge earpieces sitting in your ear canal. Hearing aids come in several different shapes and sizes to customize the fit to the wearer. This article covers the broad-style categories but always remember that other variants exist and different manufacturers use different names. Generally, there are two main styles of hearing aids: behind-the-ear and in-the-ear. Each has some subtypes. A good hearing aid fit is important to prevent that buzzing sound that is known as feedback. This happens when the amplified sound coming out of the hearing aid speaker is picked up again by the hearing aid microphone and reamplified. Behind-the-ear hearing aids Behind-the-ear hearing aids, often known as BTEs, are the most common style of hearing aid. It sits behind the ear — hence, the name — while a tube runs to the front of the ear where it connects to either an earmold or dome in the wearer’s ear canal, as shown in the figure below. While earmolds are custom made to fit a wearer’s ear, domes are premade mushroom-shaped silicone pieces that come variety of sizes and designs to find the best fit for the wearer’s ear canal. BTEs have evolved into several subtypes, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Earmolds require a custom impression of your ear canal. There are at-home, do-it-yourself earmold impression kits, but we recommend you use these with caution. Improper use can leave silicone material in the ear which requires a professional to remove. When in doubt, see a hearing care professional to make your earmold impressions. Traditional BTEs The traditional BTE (see the figure below) houses all the components of the hearing aid (the microphone, amplifier, processor, and speaker) in a single space that sits behind the ear. It is connected to a custom earmold using flexible, medical-grade plastic tubing. The BTE is a fairly rugged product that provides ample space for more powerful hardware, which can accommodate the needs of any degree of hearing loss. There are even “power” models for profound hearing loss. While the traditional BTE is the most versatile of hearing aid design, it has not always been perceived as the most discrete, so engineers have come up with newer versions of the BTE: slim tube and receiver-in-the-canal BTEs. Slim tube style BTEs Like the traditional BTE, the slim tube BTE (see the figure below) also houses all the components of the hearing aid behind the ear, but it uses much smaller tubing for a more discrete look. Rather than using a larger custom earmold that fills up the ear, slim tube BTEs use a dome or smaller custom earmold that sits deeper in the ear canal. The smaller size limits the slim tube style to mild to moderate hearing losses. In some cases, the slim tube style can work for severe hearing loss, but it is pushing the boundaries of this style’s capabilities. Receiver-in-the-canal style BTEs With a newer receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) BTE (see the figure below), the receiver or speaker sits in the dome or small earmold in the wearer’s ear canal and is connected to the body of the hearing aid behind the ear via a wire. This means that the signal output is being delivered right into the wearer’s ear rather than having to travel through tubing from the hearing aid body sitting behind the ear. This style may result in a clearer, crisper signal and can reduce feedback. Its design is smaller and more discrete. The major drawback to this style is that the receiver and wire are delicate and require regular maintenance and a gentle touch to avoid becoming damaged easily. Open and closed styles Slim tube and RIC styles often use domes rather than custom earmolds for the part that sits in the ear canal. These domes can be open or closed fit, which refers to whether the domes have holes in them (open fit) or not (closed fit). People with milder, high-frequency hearing losses can use open fit domes, which allow for more natural sound to enter the ear canal and allow for the ear canal to breathe. Conversely, closed fit domes are used for more moderate or severe hearing loss as they block outside sound and amplify low-frequency sounds. Open domes help prevent the occlusion effect — that is, when your ears feel plugged up and your voice sounds louder to you with an echo-like quality. You might also refer to this sound quality as “hollow” or “booming.” This happens because when we move our jaw to speak or chew, we create vibrations in the ear canal. When the ear canal is completely blocked with a hearing aid or earmold, those vibrations can’t escape and result in the occlusion effect. People who have better low-frequency hearing and use closed domes, earmolds, or ITE-style hearing aids are more likely to report experiencing the occlusion effect. Should you run into this issue, check with your hearing professional. Fun fact: You can simulate the occlusion effect by repeating words and sentences aloud with and without your fingers plugging up your ear canal (alright, maybe not that fun). In-the-ear hearing aids With in-the-ear hearing aids, also known as ITEs, the entire device sits in the wearer’s ear (see the figure below). These devices are custom made and require an earmold impression to be sent to a manufacturer. Popular smaller variants of the ITE are referred to as completely-in-the-canal (CIC; see the figure below). These styles are even smaller and, as the name implies, sit deeper in the ear canal. In fact, the CIC is essentially invisible and so small it requires an attached removal handle to get it in and out of the ear canal. The primary purpose of the CIC is cosmetic. A major drawback is that the small size comes at the expense of power. These small hearing aids are intended for mild hearing loss and cannot address the needs of more moderate or severe loss. The size of the CIC also limits the features available; CICs often can’t use advanced technology features like directionality. Some users who choose these styles become disappointed in their hearing aids and believe them to be ineffective when, in reality, these people have been fit with a hearing aid that is inappropriate for their level of hearing loss or hearing needs. ITEs are a great option when the user has problems inserting and manipulating behind-the-ear–style hearing aids due to numbness in their fingers or arthritis. The custom shape of the ITE makes it somewhat easier to slip into the ear. Pros and cons of hearing aid styles Picking the right hearing aid for you requires checking out the pros and cons of each style of hearing aid. Take a look at the table below to see which style may be the one for you. Hearing Aid Styles Pros and Cons Type Used For Pros Cons Traditional behind-the-ear All degrees of hearing loss from mild to profound Extremely versatile device with widest range of available features Relatively larger in size and most visible to the eye Slim tube behind-the-ear Mild to moderate hearing loss with some flexibility to fit severe hearing loss depending on the specific device Less visible than traditional BTE and can use open domes for more natural sound Requires enough dexterity to manipulate smaller size than traditional BTE and doesn’t meet the needs of most severe and profound hearing losses Receiver in the canal behind-the-ear Mild to moderate hearing loss Smallest BTE, clear sound from placement of speaker in the ear Most fragile BTE In-the-ear Mild to severe hearing loss Custom fit that is easiest to use when wearer has limited dexterity Smaller size may limit a few features Completely in-the-canal Mild hearing loss Nearly invisible Small size limits power and features like directionality

Article / Updated 01-20-2023

Hearing loss is about clarity not volume. Most people think of hearing loss as simply turning down the volume on a TV, which makes all sounds quieter. But hearing loss is more like turning down the volume on only specific frequencies or pitches of sound so while some sounds are quieter others are just as loud. Many people aren’t a very good judge of their own hearing. In fact, most people tend to believe their hearing is better than it actually is, according to research from our own team at Johns Hopkins University. Why are we such bad judges of our own ability to hear? Barely noticeable changes One answer is that hearing loss happens gradually and slowly over time. The snail-like pace at which our hearing declines may make it difficult to notice any changes. Early signs of hearing loss may be situational. We might miss a word here and there over dinner in a noisy restaurant or have trouble following a conversation with someone soft-spoken. It is easy to shrug off the seemingly isolated early incidents. Everyone else is mumbling! For most people, hearing loss affects their ability to hear high frequencies (whistling or birds chirping) while leaving the ability to hear low frequencies (animal grunts or thunder) relatively untouched. But not all sounds fit neatly into low or high frequencies. Speech has sounds from several frequencies. In fact, a single word can represent multiple frequencies. For example, the word “show” includes “sh” (high-frequency) and “ow” (low-frequency). With the most common types of hearing loss, the “sh” would be difficult to hear while “ow” would be perfectly audible. This results in a phenomenon where you would hear someone talking, but what they’re saying isn’t clear. This is why a common phrase among those with hearing loss is “I can hear you but you’re mumbling!” Hearing some sounds but not others affects clarity, which isn’t always something people think of when they think of hearing loss. Hence, sometimes it’s hard to make that leap to suspecting hearing loss. Compensating until you can’t Our brain plays a big role in making it tough to recognize hearing loss, especially when it first starts. Generally, our brains are great at their job of processing incoming information and can often still make sense of unclear speech. The brain does this by using contextual information like the general topic of conversation to fill in the blanks. This means that as we develop hearing loss, our brains initially do a pretty good job of making up for any hearing loss. But compensating for hearing loss requires a lot of extra energy and effort from our brains. Over time, our hearing tends to worsen and our brain’s ability to compensate lessens until it actually starts to slow down as well from the fatigue of keeping up with all the unclear sound. Don’t know what you’re missing Our brains are good at noticing new auditory information and ignoring common and mundane sound. Think about being in your own home versus visiting a place for the first time. In our own homes, we tend to ignore familiar sounds — the humming of appliances, creaking floorboards, or squeaking doors. But in a new place, our brains are on high alert, and we notice every single new sound. The same concept goes for common environmental sounds when we aren’t specifically listening for them: traffic noise from other cars while driving or chirping birds while walking through the park. When we aren’t specifically listening for a sound, it often becomes forgotten background noise. This makes it difficult to realize what we miss when we have hearing loss. Has your hearing declined? Given how difficult it is for us to judge our own hearing ability, consider having a conversation with those close to you to help you identify any hearing loss. Your hearing loss can impact them, too. In many situations, it is a spouse, child, companion, or other frequent communication partner who first detects signs of hearing loss — from little things like noticing you turn the TV up louder to feeling isolated from you because conversation has become more difficult. The perceptions of those around you is a great way to gauge your own hearing. It is also often helpful to look for clues in how hearing may be affecting your day-to-day life. Consider, for example, any changes in your social activity, communication patterns, and regular activities to help identify any hearing loss. You may be subconsciously avoiding situations or even altering the way you engage with people because of difficulty hearing. Take a minute to ask yourself some of the following questions to get a better feel for whether you may have some hearing loss: Are you asking others to repeat things more often? In follow-up, do you find others saying things like “Never mind, I’ll tell you later” when you ask them to repeat something? This may be a sign that others have begun to notice your hearing difficulties. Are you having trouble following conversations in meetings? Do you find yourself believing many other people mumble too much? Do you have difficulty hearing people when you aren’t looking directly at them when they speak or when they turn away from you during conversation? Have you felt embarrassed to contribute to conversations because you’re unsure of the topic? Do you feel excluded at dinner or other group conversations or unable to keep up? Do you have any difficulty hearing small children? (People with hearing loss often find children’s voices, which are higher pitched, difficult to understand.) Do you turn up the volume on electronics such as the television? Do you avoid talking on the telephone because it’s fatiguing and hard to make out what the other person says? Do others around you complain that the TV is too loud? Do you find yourself avoiding restaurants or social gatherings more than you used to because they’re too noisy? Do you find yourself more tired than usual when engaging in conversation? Are you avoiding activities you used to regularly participate in, such as attending concerts, plays, meetings, or religious services? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it’s a good idea to get your hearing tested. Read on to find out more. When to get your hearing tested Hearing loss is very common and more than half of all adults over the age of 60 experience hearing loss. It may be a good idea to schedule a hearing test when you turn 60 if you notice any of the signs of hearing loss mentioned above, whichever comes first. Screening, testing, and diagnostics You may see the terms hearing screening or hearing testing thrown around and sometimes you’ll see the term diagnostic hearing test versus self-guided hearing test. Here’s what these mean: Hearing screening refers to any assessment or task that helps identify whether or not you likely have some hearing loss but offers little details. Hearing screenings vary in how they’re performed and could be anything from whether you can hear someone whisper in your ear to a task where you have to identify numbers spoken in the presence of background noise. Hearing testing refers to pure-tone audiometry tests (see Chapter 7) that provides sufficient detail to describe your hearing in each ear using either the hearing number or categories like mild, moderate, severe, or profound. Self-guided hearing testing refers to hearing testing that is performed by you without the help of a professional, such as on a smartphone. Diagnostic hearing testing refers to a full battery of tests performed by a hearing professional, usually an audiologist, for the purpose of diagnosing hearing loss. Establishing a baseline A baseline hearing test simply refers to your first diagnostic hearing test, the results of which become the baseline or reference point for future hearing tests to keep track of any changes in hearing. The baseline test also helps hearing professionals create a custom plan for you based on patterns in changes in your hearing over time. We recommend establishing a baseline as soon as you suspect hearing loss or at least by the time you turn 60, even if you’re not particularly concerned with your hearing at the moment. Making the appointment Here are the details you need to know to make an appointment: Insurance, including Medicare, usually covers at least one diagnostic hearing test a year when ordered by a physician (check with your provider when in doubt). An audiologist will usually perform the diagnostic hearing test. Request a referral from your primary care provider (if required by your insurance company). Search online for a local audiologist near you that accepts your insurance or use websites like HearingTracker.com, which maintains a directory of audiologists from across the country with patient reviews. Curious about testing your own hearing? Try one of numerous smartphone- or web-based hearing tests and screeners such as Mimi Hearing or SonicCloud, which are free and can be found in your smartphone app store. You could also try the AARP at-home hearing screener found at nationalhearingtest.org (free for AARP members!).

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-19-2022

Pilates has become one of the most popular fitness systems in the world. The Pilates method works to strengthen the center, lengthen the spine, build muscle tone and increase body awareness and flexibility. This Cheat Sheet summarizes what you need to get started in Pilates and includes lists of exercises, from fundamental to advanced.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-12-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio If you've arrived at burnout, it’s not because you've been lazy; rather, you've been quite busy. And even though you may be exhausted and depleted, the busyness still doesn’t stop. Your sense of depletion and fatigue may permeate every aspect of your life so that the tasks, chores, and routines you used to be able to handle with ease are now overwhelming. Everything seems to drain your energy. You can begin to help yourself with the suggestions that follow.

Article / Updated 12-12-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio The term burnout was first coined by the psychologist Herbert Freudenberger in the 1970s. It is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an “occupational phenomenon” that is “… a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed." In that definition, the WHO says burnout is characterized by three dimensions: Feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion Increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job Reduced professional efficacy The WHO definition goes on to state that “burnout refers specifically to phenomena in the occupational context and should not be applied to describe experiences in other areas of life.” In modern society, however, the line between work and “other areas of life” has sufficiently blurred. These days, it is really unfair to talk concretely about “work-life balance” or to imply that burnout would only arise from your job, if, for example, you are a parent, the primary caregiver for an aging parent, or a volunteer leader of a community organization. I say that burnout arises out of your attempts to fulfill your obligations of any kind. Indeed, burnout is not exclusive to work. It is a stress-related issue, and you can, therefore, arrive at burnout as a result of the cumulative effect of stress from too many obligations in any area of your life. What burnout is not Putting aside this little shift to looking at all of your obligations as potential sources of burnout, it can be valuable to focus on figuring out what burnout is and also what it is not, so you can invest your time and attention in addressing the larger challenge itself and not waste your effort on “Band-Aid fixes.” What I’m suggesting here is the equivalent of “work smarter, not harder,” and getting a better sense of what you are trying to improve or correct will help you be more effective in reducing burnout and increasing satisfaction in your life. Taking pain medication to address the symptoms of a shoulder injury can certainly help dull the pain, but appreciating that the pain comes from a broken bone will go a lot further toward long-term relief of the pain. Appreciating the source of burnout versus the symptoms can help you be more effective. You can see in the WHO definition that the term “burnout” addresses a syndrome that results from chronic stress from your obligations. It’s worthwhile to unpack those two terms a bit further to appreciate both the depth and the seriousness of burnout and begin to highlight some ways to reduce it in your life. A syndrome is defined as a group of symptoms that consistently occur together or a condition characterized by a set of associated symptoms, traits, or distinctive features. Because these traits or symptoms occur in a kind of cluster of unpleasantness, chasing after one or the other of them is not likely to address the true underlying cause, even if relieving one of them could feel good in the moment. Considering the extent of the feelings Many people today feel distraught, overwhelmed, and anxious as a result of managing through the COVID-19 pandemic and financial and global uncertainty. You may be one of them. Are you tired and worried, but still have time and energy to enjoy your life; do you feel more or less satisfied at work and feel rejuvenated after a good weekend getaway (that you can afford)? Or are you are feeling profoundly exhausted? It feels like there isn’t enough time in the day to meet all of your obligations. Perhaps your mother is unwell and requires frequent doctor’s visits or around-the-clock care, your new boss is extremely demanding and unforgiving, and you feel more and more like a failure and not good enough. Your body aches, you worry about getting COVID-19, and you can’t remember when you had a full night’s sleep. You want a break but don’t see one in sight as your family relies on your income. Will a night out with friends help? Maybe a mani-pedi or a massage? The real question is whether quick fixes can actually address your deep feelings of exhaustion or cynical attitude in any meaningful way. They may help you feel somewhat better … for a while, but in the end, you’re likely to find (or you’ve already found) that these are drops in a bucket that is far bigger than a single act can fill. This isn’t an argument for not doing these things, but just a way of saying that a complex challenge like burnout calls for a broader approach if you really want to turn the tide. Burnout isn’t like a headache or a sore muscle that can be treated with a pill or a massage. It isn’t something that happens because you have a rough day, nor is it having to do a difficult thing as part of your obligations (even if it is distasteful or downright degrading). Rather, it’s more complex and a reflection of something more chronic and insidious that requires deeper care and support. What makes burnout so complex The other key word in the WHO definition is chronic. A chronic syndrome is one that has persisted for a long time or constantly recurs and is hard to eradicate. What this term chronic suggests is that there are no quick fixes to a problem that has been something like a constant (and difficult) companion to you for a while. It’s been around for so long, in fact, that it has graced you with myriad health issues that may have driven you to seek medical care — when you can get there — and when you can’t, to popping pills or self-medicating with food or alcohol. It’s important to note one more aspect of the WHO definition before moving on. It states that burnout “is not classified as a medical condition.” The significance of this statement is that there is no clear treatment for it, and it is considered a factor “… influencing health status or contact with health services.” In practical terms, this brings up two important points: Burnout may very well drive you to the doctor (who may or may not recognize your complaints as burnout or know exactly how to treat it) It has very real physical health consequences, nonetheless, well beyond the specific symptoms you may experience. The medical consequences of burnout are huge and widespread. Note, however, that they are symptoms and add to the complexity of burnout, but they do not constitute burnout in of themselves. Here’s a helpful table to differentiate bad feelings or bad days from true burnout. Not Burnout Burnout You have a bad day. Every day is a bad day. Caring about things feels hard. Caring about your life feels like a total waste of energy. You’re tired. You’re exhausted all the time. You have some dull or difficult tasks to do routinely. The majority of your day is consumed with mind-numbingly dull or overwhelming tasks. You wonder if you’re making a difference. You feel like nothing you do makes a difference and nobody appreciates what you do. You have doubts and are sometimes pessimistic. You (or your colleagues) find you to be cynical and a “Debbie Downer.”

Article / Updated 12-12-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio Rosary beads help Catholics count their prayers. More importantly, Catholics pray the rosary as a means of entreaty to ask God for a special favor, such as helping a loved one recover from an illness, or to thank God for blessings received — a new baby, a new job, a new moon. On the crucifix, make the sign of the cross and then pray the Apostles’ Creed. I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son, Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified; died, and was buried. He descended into Hell; the third day He arose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen. On the next large bead, say the Our Father. Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen. On the following three small beads, pray three Hail Marys. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen. On the chain, pray the Glory Be. Glory be to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. On the large bead, meditate on the first mystery and pray the Our Father. You pray mysteries for each of the five sections (decades) of the rosary according to the day of the week: Mondays and Saturdays: The Joyful Mysteries remind the faithful of Christ’s birth: The Annunciation (Luke 1:26–38); The Visitation (Luke 1:39–56); The Nativity (Luke 2:1–21); The Presentation (Luke 2:22–38); The Finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple (Luke 2:41–52) Tuesdays and Fridays: The Sorrowful Mysteries recall Jesus’ passion and death: The Agony of Jesus in the Garden (Matthew 26:36–56); The Scourging at the Pillar (Matthew 27:26); The Crowning with Thorns (Matthew 27:27–31); The Carrying of the Cross (Matthew 27:32); The Crucifixion (Matthew 27:33–56). Wednesdays and Sundays: The Glorious Mysteries focus on the resurrection of Jesus and the glories of heaven: The Resurrection (John 20:1–29); The Ascension (Luke 24:36–53); The Descent of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–41); The Assumption of Mary, the Mother of God, into heaven; The Coronation of Mary in heaven. Thursdays: Pope John Paul II added The Mysteries of Light, also known as the Luminous Mysteries, in 2002: The Baptism in the River Jordan (Matthew 3:13–16); The Wedding Feast at Cana (John 2:1–11); The Preaching of the coming of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14–15); The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1–8); The Institution of the Holy Eucharist (Matthew 26). Skip the centerpiece medallion, and on the ten beads after that, pray a Hail Mary on each bead; on the chain, pray a Glory Be. Although a decade is 10, these 12 prayers form a decade of the rosary. Many Catholics add the Fatima Prayer after the Glory Be and before the next Our Father: O My Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell and lead all souls to heaven, especially those in most need of Thy mercy. Amen. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 four more times to finish the next four decades. At the end of your Rosary, say the Hail Holy Queen. Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of mercy, our life, our sweetness, and our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve, to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning and weeping in this valley of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy toward us; and after this our exile show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus, O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal salvation; grant we beseech Thee, that meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-08-2022

Practicing proper etiquette means knowing the mechanics of dining, the correct amount to tip for a service, giving a gift graciously, and traveling with ease while exercising good manners.

Article / Updated 12-08-2022

To do well at your job requires a combination of many qualities and skills. You must have a strong work ethic, be trainable, and have basic problem-solving skills. Throughout your life thus far, you have been working to build the foundation needed to be successful in the workforce. You have most likely received the training you need from your schooling, extra-curricular activities, volunteer work, work experiences, and guidance from parents, teachers, and mentors. Hard skills versus soft skills Skills that employers want vary from job to job, but they all include some form of soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills relate to how you work, and hard skills relate to what you know. Through a combination of soft skills and hard skills, you will find the right mix to be successful on the job! Hard skills Hard skills are technical skills that you learn in the classroom, in professional trainings, in online courses, in certification programs, or on the job. These skills are related to a particular field, and they require specific knowledge in that subject area. Hard skills are easier to define than soft skills because they can be tested; you can either speak a second language fluently or you can’t. Another example of a hard skill is if you want to be an architect, you must be able to understand and apply the technical skills of building and construction. You hope the bridge you drive across every day has been designed and built by an architect with the hard skills required to make the bridge safe and durable. The following are some examples of hard skills: Computer skills Data analysis Scientific expertise Writing Geometry Photo editing Graphic design Social media management HTML, JavaScript, and other programming languages Software use, such as Microsoft Office, Google Office Suite, Salesforce Foreign languages Patient care Accounting Scheduling All of these hard skills are pretty specific. Some skills are transferrable to different careers, but to land the job you want, you need to know the specific hard skills required for that position. Usually, you can find the degree requirements, licenses, and hard skills needed for a position listed in the job description. Check out the table below to see what level of higher education or training you need to meet your career goals. College degree levels Degree Type Years Required Example Associate Degree Two to three years Associate of Science (AS) Bachelor’s Degree Four or more years Bachelor of Arts (BA) Master’s Degree Bachelor’s degree plus two to three years Master of Education (MEd) Doctoral Degree Master’s degree plus four years or more Doctor of Philosophy in Systems and Engineering Management (PhD) Keep in mind that you do not have to attend college to have a successful career, but a high school diploma is a necessity. If college is not required, be ready for on-the-job training, apprenticeships, or program certifications for many job positions. For example, you do not need a college degree to become a certified electrician, but you must complete an apprenticeship that includes 8,000 to 10,000 hours (approximately four to five years) of on-the-job training, plus testing to receive your license or certification. If you do not have a certain hard skill, no worries; sign up for some college classes or community programs to perfect your skills. Also, many places provide on-the-job training to make sure you know the hard skills needed to be a part of their teams. Soft skills Job performance is a big deal. It’s what employers use to gauge raises, bonuses, advancement, and job security. Soft skills are a large part of your performance. Soft skills are personality traits that affect how you interact with others and have their roots in your behavior, attitudes, and values. Soft skills are just as important, if not more so, as the hard skills or qualifications that you need for a job. Many people end up underperforming in a job not because they couldn’t do the work, but because they couldn’t get along with others. Here are some valuable soft skills that can be helpful in any job: Time management: Can you consistently come to work, get there on time, and finish projects by the deadline? Multitasking: Can you handle multiple expectations and tasks at a time? Attention to detail: Can you pinpoint technical errors? Can you focus on the task at hand for hours at a time? Innovation: Can you come up with new ideas? Can you think outside the box? Are you proud of yourself and your ideas? Problem-solving: If you get in a bind, can you figure out a solution on your own? Emotional maturity: Can you control your emotions in stressful situations? Can you act appropriately and professionally in the workplace? Dedication: If you say you will do something, will you actually do it? Do you follow through on job assignments? Duty: Do you understand that you are required to meet the obligations of the job if you want to keep the job? Enthusiasm: Are you excited and positive in your approach to your work? Honesty: Can you be trusted with sensitive information and be honest about your mistakes? Leadership: Can you help set a direction and guide other people to the right place? Collaboration: Can you be respectful of others’ opinions and ideas on your team? Do you work well with others? Overall, employers are looking for good human beings. Are you reliable, can you be trusted, and can you communicate effectively? If you can show impressive soft skills, you will go far within an industry and could quite possibly move up the ranks. While it’s important to be qualified with the hard skills needed for a job, some employers might choose someone with more advanced soft skills because they can be trained in the hard skills. Soft skills can be sharpened by asking for feedback from others. From the list above, are there some soft skills you need to develop further? If you neglect your soft skills, you could be the cause of conflict in the workplace. Don’t put your career at risk.

Article / Updated 12-07-2022

Knowing how much burnout you may be experiencing may begin to give you clues about how to tackle the whole phenomenon of burnout in your life. Shall we see how you fare on the burnout quiz? Note that whatever you score on this quiz, it is not a representation of you being “good” or “bad” but rather a guide to let you know what you may want to focus on or what sort of support you need to become the thriving and happy person you want to be. Discovering just how burned out you feel Take some time to consider the following statements and assign each one a number based upon how well it applies to you, using the following scale: Not At All: 1 point Rarely: 2 points Sometimes: 3 points Often: 4 points Very Often: 5 points Statement Score (1–5) I’ve got a short fuse these days and have a tendency to get irritated or angry quite easily over things that used to not bother me much. I've got no gas in the tank. I feel physically and emotionally drained. When I think about my work, I feel like a “Debbie Downer” in my negative attitude. I wonder how I ended up in this job or role and find myself wishing for something else. I find myself being less kind and sympathetic to other people and their issues than I ought to be. My co-workers and people in my life tend to tick me off more than they used to. I question the purpose and meaning of my work or my profession, longing for another situation or a simpler time. The people I work with and for don’t seem to appreciate or understand me. I would like to be able to talk with others about how I feel, but nobody seems available or interested. I feel that I could be achieving more than I am, but I just can’t seem to do it. I find myself feeling weirdly disconnected from my work and from other people, as if I am going through the motions and not really there. I sometimes feel like my work is a pressure-cooker to succeed, and I’m the meal being cooked! I feel less satisfied with the work I produce or do. I get aggravated with basic aspects of my job or what I am asked to do. I feel that I am unable to do the best job because of politics, bureaucracy, or systems outside of my direct control. I feel more and more like a square peg in a round hole when it comes to my work. I question whether I fit. The amount of work I have to do always seems to come at me faster and heavier than I can manage. I think I would like to do a better job, but the time just isn’t there to do it. I sometimes feel like the tail of the dog, where I get wagged around but don’t get to have a role in determining my own future and activities. I find myself wondering if I’m burned out, and people give me advice for how to feel better. What the results mean … and what they don’t mean When you total up your score, see how it compares to the scale below: 20–40 No obvious signs of burnout. Time to find ways to flourish! 41–50 Burnout seems unlikely, unless you have a few 4s or 5s 51–70 The caution light is on. You could be at risk for burnout. 71–90 Time to take some action (keep reading), as burnout is likely. 91–100 The red lights are flashing, and you need to act now. It is important, first and foremost, not to let this simple, unscientific quiz take on too much importance overall. It’s a great way to get a quick snapshot of your experience from all angles and to get a general sense of your concerns and how intense they are. This quiz definitely is an informal assessment of burnout, and while it may feel as if it gets at the heart of burnout, it is not scientifically validated. It is what psychologists call face valid in that it appears, on the face of it, to capture burnout, but we can’t really say for sure that it truly measures the syndrome of burnout. Use your common sense in interpreting what the results of this quiz means, and if you are seeking a truly rigorous, empirically valid measure of burnout, the Maslach Burnout Inventory is the industry standard for such things. It can be purchased from Mind Garden, its publisher. Nonetheless, your score may be pointing to where you stand when it comes to burnout symptoms, especially when you pay close attention to which statements rated at 4 or 5. Remember to acknowledge that you have already taken a decisive action toward reducing and eliminating burnout in your life. You may find that knowing your relative score on the quiz helps you determine how you may want to proceed. Specifically, the higher your score, the more likely you are to benefit from the book Burnout For Dummies. Burnout first aid While there are no quick fixes when it comes to burnout, despite how much well-meaning advice there is floating around to that effect, there are some things you can do right this moment if you are alarmed about your level of burnout or feeling particularly discouraged or depressed by your apparent predicament. Most importantly, if your burnout feels well beyond your capacity to manage it and you may be clinically depressed or feeling suicidal, reach out for professional help immediately. If you're in immediate crisis, you can dial 9-8-8 for the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is comprised of more than 200 local crisis centers. If you have an employee assistance program at work, do not hesitate to take advantage of that resource, and if you don’t have that resource, seek out local resources for psychological support and treatment above all else. Burnout is serious, and the impact of burnout can be devastating to the person and the people around them. Aside from seeking professional assistance to manage the effects of burnout, there is great wisdom in the advice you often get from others about self-care — not as a “treatment” for burnout or a cure-all, but simply as a way of creating the tiniest bit of space and relief from the most painful aspects of burnout for now. Let go of needing that self-care (a pedicure, a good run in the park, a beer with the guys, or a night of binge-watching mindless TV shows on Netflix) to be the be-all, end-all response to burnout. Take the pressure off that simple act of self-kindness to be your savior and allow it to be a simple distraction and a bit of a reset that can help you clear your head, break a downward spiral, and create just enough headspace to chart a course forward. This moment, however, do consider simply asking yourself a very straightforward question: What do I need? There’s no need to make the answer complicated or lofty (for example, a brand new job, a promotion, or a vacation in Fiji). Instead, ask yourself what you need in this moment. Perhaps it’s just five minutes to simply sit and breathe, or a good hot cup of tea, or a walk in the neighborhood. Even simply peeling your attention off the computer screen for a few minutes may be the answer to the question. Offer yourself whatever you need without expectation that it will make anything change, but only because in this moment, you need it. Let it be unconditional and sweet and without obligation. Savor it while you can and move on. “What do I need?” is the fundamental question of self-compassion, that you can find out more about in chapter 9, but you already have the capacity within yourself to begin giving yourself more of what you need. No special training required. Give it a shot and let it be for now. You may also discover that you aren’t sure what you need, which is okay for now, too. Simply honor yourself and how you feel, and see what comes up for you.