Every now and again, a random email speaks to you.

I arrived back home in Virginia after two weeks of 25-hours-a-day non-stop politics at the Democratic and Republican National Conventions. While the kiddos were well-cared for by hubby, I found the laundry situation overwhelming, the mail piled high, and many household questions that needed answering, such as, Can my son PLEASE start pre-school without the no-tread tennis shoes you require and not being potty-trained?

My email was also embarrassingly untended to. While piling through my In-box, I came across a question that seemed to be speaking to me directly:

"Are your personal matters getting in the way at work?" Of course they are.  I'm a living, breathing human.

Have you or colleagues of yours shown up for work recently even though under the weather or dealing with a family problem? the email asks. Are you kidding? My boss is hacking up a lung next door, our office manager is juggling child care while her husband straddles a job and a graduate school program, and I'm sleepwalking. But of course we're here. Have you read about the economy?

I was about to send this letter into the cyberspace circular file when I noticed a new word: "presenteeism."

Hm. This word, apparently, describes employees who are at work, but really aren't. They're sick, they're distracted, they're preoccupied with some other personal chaos. A survey conducted by CIGNA says that 61% of U.S. workers have reported for duty while ill or dealing with a personal crisis.

Really? Only 61%? Aren't we all in the midst of some sort of individual drama, big or small?

What I really needed that email to do was give me some advice. Now. Advice I could use THIS MOMENT. So I poked around and found that the head of CIGNA's health solutions unit, Dr. Jodi Aronson Prohofsky, a behavioral health expert, did indeed have some thoughts to offer. If you're like me and head straight to any kind of magazine article that whiffs of  ways to get your life in order,  you may have heard a few these tips before. But I think in this day and age when being present anywhere at any time is a uphill battle, it does us all good to be reminded.

Staying Focused:

1. Make a list to gain control.  Writing “to do” items down on paper and prioritizing them helps you gain a sense of control.  With a dozen things clamoring for your attention during any given day, you’ll notice that some items on your list can wait.  Focus on the things that really matter and save the others for when you’ve got more time.

2. Manage your time and take breaks.  Once you have your list, try to maximize break times.  If you still have difficulty, talk to your manager about flexible work schedules so that you can handle your personal issues during normal business hours and still balance a full work schedule.

3. Stay active.  There’s no better stress buster than exercise.  Physical activity strengthens the body, invigorates the mind, and puts you in a better mood to face your challenges.

4. Eat well.  While emotional stress can take its toll on the body, physical ailments can also take their toll emotionally.  What you eat affects how you feel, so be sure to eat things that are good for you.

5. Recognize the mind-body connection.  Our bodies often respond to stress with physical symptoms such as high blood pressure, grinding teeth, insomnia, headaches, backaches, and digestive problems.   If you feel stressed for too long, it can result in physical illness and disease.  Ask for help.  Talk to your family physician or a behavioral health professional immediately to discuss these symptoms.

6. Get enough sleep.  While there are no hard and fast rules about how much sleep a person should have, the body typically requires about eight hours.  If your sleep isn’t restful or if it’s interrupted with bouts of insomnia, you may need to speak to your family physician or behavioral health professional.  It’s common for stress to interrupt sleep.

7. Make time for fun.   We all recognize that play is essential to the healthy development of children, but we sometimes forget that it’s just as important for adults.  Stepping outside the normal demands of the day to do something you enjoy helps maintain balance and perspective.


I find about the only time I'm fully present is during my yoga class. Yoga is all about being present, using "mindfulness and compassion," according to my yoga teacher last night,  to connect with your own personal source of strength. (It also helps relieve stress, stretch out tight muscles, and provides one heck of a workout in my humble opinion.) The rhythmic movements really do help focus the mind on just one thing: Going to the next movement. I'm sure such a yoga-like focus can transfer to all aspects of life, I've just not been able to make it happen.

What do you do to stay focused? Please share! I—and many people I know—could use the help.