Being Active at Work, Better Angels, Workplace Friendships

Being Active at Work (0:00:00) For most of us that work, we do a lot of sitting during the day. We sit in our cars, we sit at our desks, and we park as close as we can to our office so that we don’t have to walk too far. While it isn’t life-threatening in any way, sitting for long periods of time can be bad for our health. If you have an apple watch, then it probably tells you to stand at least once every hourto help you stay active. But for those of us who don’t have one... what can we do stay active while at work or at home? Here to answer this question and share her tips for physical activity throughout the day is Amber Worthen, a registered dietician and personal trainer.  Better Angels (0:13:19) I think one of the most frustrating things in the world is discussing politics, especially with people we disagree with. A recent survey showed that over 80% of both Democrats and Republicans agreed that “people of the opposite political party are VERY unfavorable.” Republicans and Democrats don’t even agree on what issues should be top priorities for the nation. It feels like the divide between political parties is deeper than ever. Having conversations about political beliefs shouldn’t be taboo. We want to be able to connect with people even when we disagree with them. So, we invited Emily Taylor, conflict coach and certified mediator, to talk about how her nonprofit Better Angels Alliance is helping to overcome aggressive polarization. Workplace Friendships (0:35:01) Whether you work long hours or part-time, you probably spend almost as much time with your coworkers as you do your own family. Developing friendships with these people can be a good way to make your job more enjoyable. In fact, a survey done in 2014 shows that people are three times more likely to say that they enjoy their jobs when they have friends in the workplace. So what are these work friendships supposed to look like? Today we are talking with Dr. Jessica Methot, an associate professor of Human Resource Management at Rutgers University, about coworker conversations.