Editor’s Note
By Kristen Wilson, PT, DPT
I’m writing this Editor’s letter sitting next to my 8-year-old who is currently working on his spelling homework, while my 12-year-old fires questions from the computer in the other room and my 10-year-old whistles a tune that resembles nothing like a song.
It’s no wonder it has taken me five drafts and over an hour to get started. But having already missed my deadline, I’m resolved to finish this tonight. You might wonder why I don’t move to the basement or sequester myself in my bedroom where I can at least put two thoughts together undisturbed. Truthfully, if efficiency was the main priority right now, I would. But it’s Wednesday, one of only three nights of the week I am home in the evening after school, and being available is a priority in my relationship with my kids. While hectic, this is our chance to connect and spend time together, which pays pleasurable dividends in the long run.
Life tugs in many directions for the average business owner with priorities changing by the minute. One second life needs you to triage a sick employee, the next it calls for you to check math homework, make dinner, and create a budget. It can feel overwhelming to find balance in the chaos that comes with small business management, however, those who have been “in the field” for a while typically point to one source of strength to assist with managing their stress: relationships. Having a supportive network—regardless of whether it’s a partner, spouse, friends, children, mentors, or pets—fosters an enhanced sense of well-being and helps to reduce the powerful effects of cortisol by boosting the bonding neurochemical, oxytocin.
Consider this month’s issue on Connection your dose of metaphorical oxytocin! Chock full of ways to improve your relationships with your team and community, you’re bound to leave this issue warm, fuzzy, and full of tactical strategies. Jordann Mullenax highlights great tips in the article “Strategic Onboarding” while Katherine Clauhs sheds some light, with the help of the Impact board, on opportunities for great events in “The Ins and Outs of Team Building.” From every angle, this issue explores how relationships and connection will help improve both you and your business. Connecting with others is a mainstay at PPS and this issue reinforces our need to establish and maintain rich relationships both in our personal and professional lives. I am grateful for the many people in my life whose encouragement allows me to thrive in the challenging landscape of private practice ownership, and as a result, feel confident that the future will be bright. So whether your support comes from a fellow PPS member, a needy second-grader, a lifelong best pal, or a furry friend, cherish those connections and know you are making yourself a better person as a result.
