PRIDELY ~ Lehigh Valley

Work-Life Balance Is a Cycle, Not an Achievement

Despite the resounding evidence that working long hours can be harmful to both employees and employers, many professionals still struggle to over come their assumptions — and their deeply-ingrained habits — around work hours. What does it take to free yourself from these unhealthy patterns and reach a more sustainable, rewarding work-life balance?

Pause and denormalize. Take a step back and ask yourself: What is currently causing me stress, unbalance, or dissatisfaction? How are these circumstances affecting how I perform and engage with my job? How are they impacting my personal life? What am I prioritizing? What am I sacrificing? What is getting lost? Only after you take a mental pause and acknowledge these factors can you begin to tackle them.

Pay attention to your emotions. A rational understanding of the decisions and priorities driving your life is important, but equally important is emotional reflexivity — that is, the capacity to recognize how a situation is making you feel. Awareness of your emotional state is essential in order to determine the changes you want to make in your work and in your life.

Consider your alternatives.

Before jumping into solutions, first reflect on the aspects of your work and life that could be different in order to better align with your priorities. Are there components of your job that you would like to see changed? How much time would you like to spend with your family, or on hobbies? Improving your situation takes time and experimentation.

Implement changes.

Finally, once you’ve recognized your priorities and carefully considered the options that could help you improve, it’s time to take action. That can mean a “public” change — something that explicitly shifts your colleagues’ expecta tions, such as taking on a new role that’s designed to be less time-demanding or allows for a compressed-week model — or a “private” change, in which you informally change your work patterns, without necessarily attempting to change your colleagues’ expectations.

Importantly, the five steps outlined are not a one-time activity, but rather a cycle of continuous re-evaluation and improvement. For people to make real changes in their lives, they must continuously remember to pause, connect with their emotions, rethink their priorities, evaluate alternatives, and imple ment changes — throughout their personal and professional lives.

HBR.ORG

Restaurants

Grille 3501

Sophisticated restaurant serving Asian, French & Mediterranean cuisine in a cozy, modern setting.

3501 Broadway, Allentown, PA 18104

Phone: (610) 706-0100 | Web: grille3501.com

Union & Finch

Bright, cozy setting for seasonal American bistro fare amid woodheavy decor & an old-fashioned bar.

1528 W. Union St. Allentown, PA 18102

Phone: (610) 432-1522 | Web: unionandfinch.com

Lazeez Fresh Mediterranean Grill

Modest counter-serve eatery offering Middle Eastern fare including kebabs, shawarma & falafel.

4666 Broadway, Allentown, PA 18104

Phone: (610) 351-6897 | Web: lazeezgrill.com

Have

Send in a recommendation for your fa vorite restaurant to be added to our list. Be sure to mention why you think they are worthy of being featured and include a link to their website.

The Shelby

Elevated New American fare & cocktails featured in a stylish, artlined space with large windows.

707 N Krocks Rd, Allentown, PA 18106

Henry’s Salt of the Sea

Quaint, French-inspired seafood restaurant with a full bar also offering steak & chicken entrees.

1926 West Allen Street Allentown, PA 18104

Youell’s Oyster House

Veteran eatery offering its sea food menu in a remodeled space that includes a rooftop garden.

2249 Walnut St, Allentown, PA 18104

Aladdin

Long-running BYOB outfit serving Middle Eastern eats in an eclectic space with belly dancing nights.

651 Union Blvd, Allentown, PA 18109

Damascus

Humble, BYOB Middle Eastern spot fixing up kebabs, andwiches, vegetarian dishes & other bites. 449 N 2nd St, Allentown, PA 18102

Copperhead Grille

Spacious bar & eatery offering American pub fare, with gameday drinks & wings deals. 1731 Airport Rd, Allentown, PA 18109

Angelo’s Restaurant

Hearty breakfast, plus burgers, gyros & other lunch fare offered in a simple, relaxed diner. 14 N 4th St, Easton, PA 18042

El Paisano Taqueria

Tiny mom-&-pop restaurant doling out classic Mexican eats from burritos to quesadillas. 22 E Union Blvd, Bethlehem, PA 18018

feb Valentine’s Day at the Museum

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at the Allentown Art Museum. Love-inspired art tours, Valentine’s Day-themed activities, music, and cocktails and decorative chocolates demonstrations. Learn more at mcall.com.

MAR Parade of Shamrocks

Downtown Bethlehem will be awash in green as Celtic Cultural Alliance hosts the Annual Celtic Classic Parade of Shamrocks. Details at discoverlehighvalley.com

may Bethlehem Bach Festival

Celebrate the Annual Bethlehem Bach Festival, presented by the prestigious Bach Choir of Bethlehem. Over the course of the two weekends, visitors can enjoy performances, lectures, dinners, and more. Don’t miss this chance to witness impressive performances by a world-renowned choir. Learn more at discoverlehighvalley.com.

Jul PrideDay

Celebrate Independence Day at The Sayre Mansion on July 4th! Enjoy a Gourmet Picnic Dinner, Lawn Games such Cornhole, Giant Jenga and Quoits, Premium View of the Fireworks and Live Music. Details at mcall. com.

A Date With Mother Nature

Even in this back-to-business season, nature outings beckon to supply the recharge you crave. Here, pros show you how to master the day trip and be back at your doorstep with weekend time to spare.

“Find rivers, lakes, beaches, or waterfront parks to explore for the perfect mix of activities,” says Diana Lee

“The AnyFinder app is a great tool to find beaches using its filter, and AllTrails has search options if you’re looking for a walk near water,” says Mikayla Wujec, a National Geographic Explorer

“We typically use the Gaia GPS app for mapping our trails and finding new locations,” says Shequeita Frazier

How Food

Affects The Brain

The power of what we eat to influence our mental faculties has been to known to science since the mid-90’s. It was around that time that researchers discovered that brain cells could actually grow and that a key factor in that growth was a person’s diet.

What you eat helps generate healthy neurons with bushes of dendrites or nerve receptors. The right foods also help to keep the brain flexible. You also need premium fuel to energize the brain; though its weight is just two percent of your total body weight, it requires twenty percent of your energy reserves. The right foods also help the brain to manufacture chemicals known as continued on page 19

AUG Musikfest

Musikfest is an American music festival that is held annually in Bethlehem since 1984. It is the nation’s largest non-gated free music festival. The festival begins on the first Friday in August, and ends on Sunday ten days later. Details at bethlehempa.org.

sep

Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival

The Celtic Classic Highland Games & Festival is a yearly celebration of Celtic culture in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The festival has five stages that feature Celtic artists, pipe bands, and Irish dancers from all over. You can also shop from vendors selling various authentic Celtic merchandise. The festival also features the U.S. National Highland Games Championship, which you will not want to miss. Discover more at celticfest.org.

oct Oktoberfest

ocated at the SteelStacks in Bethlehem, Oktoberfest is the go-to festival for authentic German food, Beirgartens, live music, wiener dog races, and more! At the festival, you can sample beer from Biergartens, such as Hofbrau, Samuel Adams, Dogfish Head, Penn Beverage, and Yeungling. For German food, you can find brats, strudel, waffles, and pierogies at various vendors. Learn more at discoverlehighvalley.com.

nov

Christkindlmarkt

Christkindlmarkt, presented by Univest Financial®, is a one-of-a-kind family event that celebrates the spirit of the season in Bethlehem, Pa. Learn more at christmascity.org.

BRADBURY-SULLIVAN LGBT COMMUNITY CENTER

We produce world-class, life-enriching LGBTQ+ culture and community-building programs. We develop leading-edge LGBTQ+ health programs. We offer LGBTQ+ youth programs every day after school.

BRADBURYSULLIVANCENTER.ORG | 610.347.9988

LEHIGH VALLEY HEALTH NETWORK

Sometimes it helps to speak with someone who understands where you are coming from. For patients who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or ques tioning (LGBTQ+), you can find supportive care at Lehigh Valley Health Network.

LVHN.ORG | 888-843-4564

LEHIGH VALLEY TRANSGENDER RENAISSANCE

We are a Non-Profit Support Group with a Mission to Improve the Lives of Transgen der Individuals and Their Families by Providing Social Opportunities, Peer Support, Education, Resources, and Outreach Focused on the Needs of the Transgender Community.

RENAISSANCELV.ORG

GREATER LEHIGH VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The LGBTQ Business Council is a partnership of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce celebrating the diversity and inclusivity of regional businesses.

LEHIGHVALLEYCHAMBER.ORG

neurotransmitters.

Their job is to relay messages from the brain around the body.

Antioxidants keep the brain clean by reducing the effect of oxidation on brain cells. Essential fatty acids (EFAs) help to protect cell membranes, transmit messages, reduce inflammation, and supports the reduction of neurons.

The brain is 78 percent water, so keeping well hydrated is clearly essential to optimum cerebral performance.

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