Sustainable Health: How to Keep Work-Related Anxiety at Bay

Julie Starr • March 15, 2023



Work-related anxiety has become increasingly prevalent in today’s fast-paced, high-pressure work environments. It can have detrimental effects on both the physical and mental well-being of employees and can sabotage even the most well-planned careers . That’s why it’s essential to acquire sustainable health techniques to alleviate workplace anxiety and promote a more balanced lifestyle. In this blog post, we will provide practical and effective strategies to help reduce your anxiety levels and improve your overall experiences at work.

Practice Mindfulness and Meditation

 

Engaging in mindfulness exercises and meditation is a proven way to reduce stress and anxiety. These practices help you focus on the present moment, removing yourself from negative thoughts and feelings. Consider techniques such as focused breathing or progressive relaxation to incorporate mindfulness into your workday. Even a few minutes dedicated to being present and disconnecting from work stressors can drastically improve your mood and decrease anxiety.

 

Create a Supportive Work Environment

Sharing your feelings and concerns with trusted colleagues and supervisors can alleviate anxiety. Open communication channels and maintain rapport with coworkers, fostering an environment where employees are comfortable discussing their struggles. Build a support network of colleagues who understand and relate to your experiences so that you can help one another through difficult times.

Prioritize Time Management

Often, workplace anxiety stems from feeling overwhelmed by numerous tasks that seemingly never stop piling up. Developing efficient time management skills and setting realistic priorities can alleviate much of this stress. Break larger projects into smaller, manageable tasks, and allocate time to complete them. Try using a planner or digital task list to keep track of your responsibilities and deadlines. By managing your workload and staying organized, you will feel more in control and less anxious at work.

Set Boundaries and Learn to Say No

Remain clear on your limits and communicate them assertively to your coworkers and supervisors. Overextending yourself can lead to burnout and increased anxiety. Prioritize your mental health and set boundaries for your work and personal life. If you are unable to take on additional tasks, let your supervisor know and explain your current workload. Learning to say no is an essential skill that fosters a sustainable and healthy work life.

Foster a Healthy Lifestyle Outside of Work

A well-rounded, healthy lifestyle contributes significantly to reducing anxiety. Establish a routine that includes exercise, a balanced diet, and sufficient sleep. Physical activity and sleeping and eating well can boost your energy levels and help alleviate stress. Also trying calming activities such as yoga, meditation, and using CBD will help to keep you centered too. And remember to carve out time for hobbies and socializing, as these activities can act as valuable outlets from work-related stressors.

Sustaining Your Health and Embracing More Balance

By employing the strategies outlined in this blog post, you can actively take control of your work-related anxiety and pave the way for a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. Remember that sustainable health is an ongoing process that requires cultivation and attention. By practicing the steps above, you will be well-equipped to ward off work-related anxiety and flourish in your career.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.