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When you make a commitment to routine massage therapy sessions, you’re committing to a lifestyle that is focused on overall health and wellness. To make sure that you’re getting the best massage every time, Inner Focus Massage suggests adopting the following top ten tips to enhance your massage therapy experience.

Tip No. 1: Set a Goal – Identifying what you want to get out of your massage – relaxation versus rehabilitation – before your session can make a big difference in having a satisfying experience.

Tip No. 2: Experience Counts – If you haven’t found your favorite therapist yet, do some research by reading reviews and calling the local studios in your area to find the best therapist to meet your needs.

Tip No. 3: Speak Up – Communicating with your therapist before your session about how you’re feeling, your medical history and what you expect from the session will help to keep your session focused on your specific goals.

Tip No. 4: Arrive Early – Plan to arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment to give you time to prepare your mind and body for the session.

Tip No. 5: Leave Your Electronics Behind – Getting a massage is one of the few places where you can, and are encouraged, to push distractions aside. Clear your mind by leaving your phone and electronic devices in your car or at home so you can literally unplug during your session.

Tip No. 6: Hydrate Appropriately – It’s important to drink plenty of water before and after your appointment.

Tip No. 7: Remember to Breathe – Relaxing long breaths from your abdomen doesn’t just help you relax mentally during your session, but it also helps your muscles relax as your therapist works out your body’s stiffness and tightness.

Tip No. 8: Provide Feedback – Your massage session should be tailored to your specific needs so make sure to tell your therapist throughout your massage whether he/she is focusing on your tight areas and providing the right amount of pressure.

Tip No. 9: Find Your Comfort Zone – Whether you prefer a heated table, dim lights or a particular kind of music, everything about your massage should be focused on making you feel good and comfortable.

Tip No. 10: Have a Buffer Zone – Schedule extra time after your massage to relax and recuperate your mind and body before you head back into the hustle and bustle of life.

The best way to find a massage therapist you like is to try several. Make sure Jodi at Inner Focus Massage is on your list. Call with questions or to make an appointment 701-238-8257 or look through her website: InnerFocusMassage.com

Doing what you’re supposed to, when you’re supposed to sounds pretty straightforward, doesn’t it? However, the majority of Americans today struggle with the simple tasks of staying focused, keeping on task and finishing projects on time.

As soon as you start putting things off, running your life by the seat of your pants, and getting sidetracked by less important priorities, you can quickly become overwhelmed and forced to dive into the deep end of procrastination. To keep from drowning in the waves of falling behind, playing catch up and missing deadlines, you have to grab onto the life preserver known as planning ahead to cruise toward a life with less stress, reduced distractions and more organization.

Become a List Maker

It’s easy to put off things you don’t enjoy and let time get away from you as you’re pulled in different directions at work, home and school. The simple act of writing things down can be a great tool for clearing your mind, organizing your thoughts and keeping you moving forward toward accomplishing your goals. Prioritizing the items on your list also can help you pinpoint what tasks need to be completed first and which ones can wait until later in the day or week. By having a continually evolving list, you minimize the risk of having things slip through the cracks and falling into the vicious cycle of procrastination.

Break It Down

As workforces continue to shrink and responsibilities at work and at home continue to grow, you can quickly find yourself with too much on your plate and no direction on where to start. When a big project seems too daunting at first sight, break down each of the main tasks into smaller, actionable items that are quicker and easier to achieve. By concentrating on fulfilling each small task that will ultimately lead to successfully completing the larger project, you can better manage your time and focus your energies on accomplishing something. This approach also helps reduce the temptation to delay starting large personal or professional undertakings.

Schedule Downtime

In a society where there is an overwhelming tendency to over-schedule and over-commit, you can very quickly become overwhelmed and stressed out about how you are going to finish everything on your to-do list. To minimize the urge of procrastinating when your calendar becomes too much to handle, take a step back, slim down your commitments and simplify what has to be done. Also, make it a point to include personal downtime in your regular routine to give your mind a chance to take a break, revive and rejuvenate.

Minimize Distractions

With text message, e-mail and social media alerts ring-ding-dinging from your phone and television, video games, hobbies and friends and family members constantly fighting for your attention, it can be a miracle to get anything done during the day. To minimize procrastination and the stress that it can cause, you have to manage the many daily distractions in your life so you can concentrate on what really matters to you. Turn off your electronics during meetings and project work times.  Take a break from updating your every move on your social media sites.  And reserve special time for hobbies, family and friends. Make every minute count by planning ahead of your distractions so you can give the task at hand your full undivided attention.
    
Master the Art of Creating a Master Plan

The key to creating a master plan that works in both the short term and long term is to include as many details as possible for each element in your plan and to communicate your schedule to everyone in the family. When everyone in a household is on the same page and knows what to expect in the upcoming days and weeks, you can more effectively manage busy schedules. To keep your master schedule from causing undo stress, though, it is important to build some flexibility into the grand scheme of things so you can adjust and accommodate for inevitable changes and spontaneous opportunities that can pop up in life.

If you wait until the last minute to plan or if you become married to your planner, you can forget things, miss the joy of living in the moment and ultimately create more stress in your life than you need. Plan ahead to minimize stress and procrastination but plan well so that you can enjoy the fruits of your labor and focus on celebrating your life accomplishments.

With all the pressures of the fast-paced we all live, many of us forget to make time for ourselves. If you feel like “you” are being left out because of the daily grind, seriously consider making an appointment with Jodi at Inner Focus Massage for some real “me time.” Jodi will find those stress points and give you a chance to relax and recharge. Call with questions of to set up an appointment at 701-238-8257. Check out her website too: InnerFocusMassage.com

Stress, headaches and neck or back pain are all pretty common ailments for which people turn to massage to experience mental and physical relief. But beyond these common conditions, massage also can play a big part in remedying many other daily ailments and injuries that you may have never thought of.

Take a look at the following four types of conditions that massage can help treat that may not be so commonly known, and you may gain a new appreciation for how massage can positively affect the health and wellness of your mind and body.  

Post-Operation Recovery
Surgery can certainly take a toll on your body, both during the actual procedure as well as throughout the recovery process.   Massage can speed up recovery times and help prevent later pain that may not have anything to do with the actual incisions and procedures during the surgery, 

In the instance of knee surgery, it’s important to get your quadriceps, hamstrings, thigh muscles and lower leg muscles all worked on by a massage therapist after the procedure because all of those muscles cross the knee and attach within the kneecap area. When you have surgery some of those muscles can get injured -– surgeons cut through some and the ones they don’t cut compensate for the ones that were. Using soft tissue movements, stretching and working on the muscles around the joints, massage therapists can help complement your recovery strategy so you’re back to what you love doing in no time. 

Digestive Discomfort
There are so many over-the-counter medicines that people use to help with the pain caused from digestive issues.  But usually these medicines just mask the pain, rather than treat the problem. For most people, they think their digestive issues are something they will have to learn to live with and they can’t do anything to relieve the pain. But massage can be an effective remedy for many of the common digestive problems that Americans suffer from on a daily basis. 

A lot of the most common digestive conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), constipation and indigestion involve cramping, bloating and stomach pain. Getting abdominal massage can help get your digestive system moving and flowing in a non-invasive and non-medical approach. 

Body Image Issues
Body image can be a sensitive issue and not something that a lot of people are comfortable talking about. But, men and women struggle on a daily basis with feeling comfortable with their bodies, liking how they look and being content with their physical appearance.

Research has shown that receiving healthy therapeutic touch like massage can help you become more accepting about how you look and let go of the negative feelings you may have about yourself. 

Staying Connected with Society
Even though in today’s society you can be connected with thousands of people across the country and the world through social media and technology, you can still feel isolated and alone if you lack face-to-face, verbal communication. This can be especially true with elderly people who may be partially home bound and don’t get out into the community as often as they used to.

Whether you suffer from some of the conditions that massage is most commonly known for such as headaches, neck pains and back pains, or you can relate more to the conditions discussed above, regular massage is a great remedy for establishing and maintaining overall health and wellness. For a truly therapeutic massage, call Jodi at Inner Focus Massage at 701-238-8257.

There’s no question that running is an incredible exercise for both your mind and your body. However, running can be pretty tough on your body. Here are some running recovery tips that will help you prepare for and recover from your run.  

Recovery Begins Before Your Run 
Eat light and healthy. Try something that your body can quickly absorb. Bananas, a spoonful of peanut butter or dried fruit are all good options. 

Hydrate! It is crucial to drink fluids, specifically water, to avoid any dehydration during your run. If you are on a run that’s longer than 10k you might bring water along. Hydration will help you avoid leg cramps. 

Don’t over stretch. I know, it seems funny, but gentle stretches and exercises are easier on your cold muscles than intense stretching. Try ankle rolls, hip rotations, and knee circles to stretch. 

After Your Run 
You’ll want to make sure to cool down after each run. Try a 3 to 5-minute jog, followed by intense stretching. This helps flush out the lactic acid in your legs.

It is good to take a warm bath or soak in a hot tub after a run. If you can’t find a bath or a hot tub, try taking a warm shower. This will help relax your muscles back to their regular shape. 

“Leg drains” will drain the blood from your legs so that fresh blood can be pumped, improving circulation. If you are unfamiliar with leg drains — simply lay down on the floor and place your legs vertically on a wall for 3 or 4 minutes. 

Taking advantage of regular therapeutic massages from Inner Focus Massage can also help improve your recovery as well as improve your running. Massage helps improve circulation, elongate muscles and relieve muscle tightness, ultimately helping your overall health and wellness and improving your performance. For questions oir to make an appointment, call Jodi at 701-238-8257.

Being a mom is one of the most precious, rewarding and challenging jobs on the market. When you sign up to become a mom, everyone tells you the best baby equipment to buy, the best pediatrician to contact and the best preschools to start wait-listing your child on before they’re even born. What most forget to share, though, is the need for a mother to become a master juggler in order to survive the adventure of motherhood.

If you’re struggling with keeping all of life’s balls in the air, try incorporating the following four motherhood juggling techniques to not only overcome the challenges of motherhood, but establish the groundwork for a rewarding journey.

Make the Family Calendar a Priority
One of the biggest challenges of being a mother is juggling family, school, extracurricular activities and work commitments for everyone in the family.

Eliminate the Guilt Factor
Moms can be the worst offenders of feeling guilty for not doing enough for everyone, not reacting the best to every situation and not being able to solve everyone’s problems or ailments.

In order to successfully juggle all of the obligations of motherhood, it’s important to release the guilt factor from your mind and body by focusing on healthy and positive thoughts that can carry you to a more stress-free and pleasant mind space.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Many moms feel like they have to be Wonder Woman and shoulder all of the responsibility of the family by themselves. However, having a great support system — a spouse, relatives, friends or a mixture of all three — can make a huge difference in successfully juggling your life and your family’s.

Asking for help doesn’t mean that you’re inferior or less of a mother. Instead, it means that you are a master juggler and understand the importance of the age-old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.”

Make Mommy (Me) Time Mandatory
If you don’t take time out for yourself, it can really show in the way you interact with your friends, spouse and kids as well as the way you approach your job and personal obligations. When life gets busy, a lot of moms automatically skip out on “Me Time.”

One suggestion for juggling life’s daily stresses is by scheduling personal workout time, relaxation and rejuvenation time, and girlfriend time regularly to not only make them a priority in your life, but to ensure that they happen on a routine basis.  It’s important for moms to regularly schedule Me Time to clear the mind, relax the body and melt stress away.

When the motherhood juggling act is in full swing, it can be easy to get overwhelmed with all of the balls you have in the air. As a mother, it’s important to keep everything in perspective and to remind yourself of these juggling techniques when life gets hectic. And remember, the only item on your calendar that you have control over is Me Time.  So make the most out of your Me Time by taking the time to relax and rejuvenate. Your mind, body and family will appreciate it! A great way to wind down and relax is by getting a massage. Jodi at Inner Focus Massage specializes in women. She’s very experienced and would make certain you have a relaxing, rejuvenating experience. Call her with questions or to set an appointment at 701-238-8257. Also, check out her website by clicking here

Stress, headaches and neck or back pain are all pretty common ailments for which people turn to massage to experience mental and physical relief. But beyond these common conditions, massage also can play a big part in remedying many other daily ailments and injuries that you may have never thought of.

Take a look at the following four types of conditions that massage can help treat that may not be so commonly known, and you may gain a new appreciation for how massage can positively affect the health and wellness of your mind and body.  

Post-Operation Recovery
Surgery can certainly take a toll on your body, both during the actual procedure as well as throughout the recovery process.   Massage can speed up recovery times and help prevent later pain that may not have anything to do with the actual incisions and procedures during the surgery, 

In the instance of knee surgery, it’s important to get your quadriceps, hamstrings, thigh muscles and lower leg muscles all worked on by a massage therapist after the procedure because all of those muscles cross the knee and attach within the kneecap area. When you have surgery some of those muscles can get injured -– surgeons cut through some and the ones they don’t cut compensate for the ones that were. Using soft tissue movements, stretching and working on the muscles around the joints, massage therapists can help complement your recovery strategy so you’re back to what you love doing in no time. 

Digestive Discomfort
There are so many over-the-counter medicines that people use to help with the pain caused from digestive issues.  But usually these medicines just mask the pain, rather than treat the problem. For most people, they think their digestive issues are something they will have to learn to live with and they can’t do anything to relieve the pain. But massage can be an effective remedy for many of the common digestive problems that Americans suffer from on a daily basis. 

A lot of the most common digestive conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), constipation and indigestion involve cramping, bloating and stomach pain. Getting abdominal massage can help get your digestive system moving and flowing in a non-invasive and non-medical approach. 

Body Image Issues
Body image can be a sensitive issue and not something that a lot of people are comfortable talking about. But, men and women struggle on a daily basis with feeling comfortable with their bodies, liking how they look and being content with their physical appearance.

Research has shown that receiving healthy therapeutic touch like massage can help you become more accepting about how you look and let go of the negative feelings you may have about yourself. 

Staying Connected with Society
Even though in today’s society you can be connected with thousands of people across the country and the world through social media and technology, you can still feel isolated and alone if you lack face-to-face, verbal communication. This can be especially true with elderly people who may be partially home bound and don’t get out into the community as often as they used to.

Integrate Massage into Your Life

Whether you suffer from some of the conditions that massage is most commonly known for such as headaches, neck pains and back pains, or you can relate more to the conditions discussed above, regular massage is a great remedy for establishing and maintaining overall health and wellness. Give it a try. Call Jodi at Inner Focus Massage with questions or to set up an appointment. 701-238-8257.