Live a three-dimensional life that balances work
with physical, mental, and spiritual health.
At 34 years old, I foresee working at least another 30
years. If I'm going to get through this career healthy
and happy, I'm going to need to take care of myself.
It's much easier to start good habits when we're
young than to try to correct bad ones when we're
older, so now is a good time to develop the courage
to start making choices that sustain our well-being.
I find that getting some exercise on my lunch break
can bring me more vigor and clarity in my afternoon
work hours. When I feel overwhelmed by deadlines,
interruptions, and having 20 tabs open on my web
browser, I take a 10-minute break to meditate to help
restore my concentration and confidence. I try to stay
in shape so I can enjoy the great outdoors and play
with my one-year-old son, Shepard, without pulling a
muscle or hurting my back. I also spend a lot of my free
time listening to, creating, and learning about music
because it is an activity I can always continue exploring
and reaching new ground without any real pressure
or specific goal in mind, which is a nice contrast from
work commitments and everyday life pressures.
As I write this, I'm on paternity leave and enjoying
extra time with my wife and our young son. We
take Shepard to the Berkeley Forest School Forest
Explorers program, where he is "forest bathing"
with us and other families. We also walk a couple
of hours a day around Oakland's residential streets.
This time is precious and having it makes me feel
really good about my career with the City.
Preparing kids in Oakland for Arbor Day tree planting.
www.urban-forestry.com 17
