A Note From Dr. Nic

Last weekend I was asked to speak at a women's retreat at Faith Alliance Church in Chilton. I was humbled and honored to be asked...and then incredibly nervous when I realized I'd be talking in front of 50 people twice in a day. While I have regularly given presentations in the past, this group size was a bit intimidating.  

I focused my talk on the Mission Statement of our office, and on the basic tenets of an anti-inflammatory diet, and of maximum aerobic exercise.

If you're interested in any of these topics, let me know! While I found myself enjoying the dynamics of the large group, I also love working in a 1 on 1 setting, and I simply want to help as many people as I can!

Also, if your group or organization is looking for a speaker, consider me! As I said, while nervous at first, I found myself enjoying the entire day and look forward to another opportunity!

Where Does the Time Really Go?

Here’s How Americans Spend Their Most Limited Resource…

Do you ever feel as though a day is just flying by, and that there’s never enough time to get to the things you really love? If you have lots of “must-do” items on your list, time management can be a tough discipline, and it’s easy to feel as though the day just isn’t long enough.

Understanding how people like you spend their time can be a good place to start in getting the most out of your own day.

How do Americans Spend Their Time?

The American Time Use Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is a great place to start to find out more about how your peers are spending their time. This survey collects data on how much time Americans spend on common tasks, such as sleeping, working, relaxing, and engaging in household activities. The survey found that, on average, Americans spend 7.7 hours a day sleeping, 8.7 hours a day working, 1.0 hours eating and drinking, and 2.5 hours on leisure or sports related pursuits.

While this survey is a great way to get an overall picture of how Americans spend their time, it is important to note that it collects information from people 15 and up. Your teenager likely spends more time sleeping and less time working than the average adult. The survey also averages all days of the week, and doesn’t take into account (for example) that many people spend more hours working on Monday than on Saturday.

A time management survey conducted by shopping site Retale.com breaks common activities down by time, age, time of week, gender, and employment status.

While some differences are obvious (an unemployed person spends much less time working than someone employed full time), others are a little more telling. For example, the average American is equally likely to be watching television at 8pm on a weekend as they are on a week day, while people aged 35 to 45 are more likely to stay late at work.

Do You Really Want to Be “Typical”?

There are many, many ways that you can choose to spend your time, but time management surveys show again and again that Americans use up most of their hours on the same few activities: sleeping, working, eating, taking care of the home, and watching TV. How do you stack up?

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One Of These Things Is Not Like The Other.

Disney in Florida. Spring Training in Arizona. All-Inclusive in Mexico or Punta Cana. Munising, Michigan.

One of these things is not like the others. And that would be Munising, Michigan, where the Giebler Kids spent part of their Spring Break. Such is life when I am your father! Who wants warm weather and sunshine and a sandy beach when we can head to da U. P.?

The purpose of the trip was actually to search for "Yooperlites". A ‘Yooperlite’, in short, is a special kind of fluorescent rock that you can find predominantly along the shores of Lake Superior that, as the trademarked name suggests, can glow when subjected to specific lighting conditions. Its actual name is "syenite rock rich with fluorescent sodalite", but when you can reference 'Yooper' and the Upper Peninsula, you do it.

Alas, it's late March and it's been a snowy one up there, and all the beaches where these rocks can be found are covered in several feet of snow, so it was time for Plan B, which would still involve Marquette and Munising, as I had an AirBnB reserved.  

 So, Thursday we skiied at Marquette Mountain under the lights. I had seen this ski resort in the summer while up in Marquette for trail runs, but to experience it in the winter, with my skiing kids, under the lights, was a profound memory. They skiied great (considering the "Midwest Snow") and we laughed and yelled "Whooopdeee!" (the name of our favorite run on the mountain) and took photos. Total Success.

The next morning, we climbed one of my favorite spots in Marquette--Sugarloaf Mountain. Upon arriving at the parking lot, there was a sign reading "Closed for Season. Enter at Your Own Risk."  

Again, when I am your father, you continue past the sign.  

And we were rewarded. The kids loved the hike, the weather was incredible, and upon reaching the top, we stirred up a bald eagle. Again, I just soaked in the moment with my three explorers. As we butt-slid back down the hill, I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

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