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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, A ug us t 4, 20 22 | 6 ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the newspaper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca insidehalton@metroland.com facebook.com/OakvilleBeav @OakvilleBeaver WHO WE ARE VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague Regional General Manager Jason Pehora Director of Content Lee Ann Waterman Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara Managing Editor Karen Miceli Director of Distribution Charlene Hall Circulation Manager Kim Mossman Directors of Advertising Cindi Campbell and Graeme MacIntosh Director Creative Services Katherine Porcheron CONTACT US Oakville Beaver 901 Guelph Line Burlington, ON L7R 3N8 Phone: 905-845-3824 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Advertising: 289-293-0620 Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail kmossman@metroland.com or call 905-631-6095. Letters to the editor Send letters to insidehalton@metroland.com. All letters must be fewer than 320 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Published letters will appear in print and/or online at insidehalton.com OPINION TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT INSIDEHALTON.COM Last summer, I was de- termined to make the most of a relaxing camping trip by catching up on reading. I had a bunch of books about mental health and spent a couple of days on one before noticing some- thing -- I didn't feel all that relaxed. My mind was on work and I hadn't taken that deep, soothing sigh that usually comes when I get into vacation mode. If I wanted to clear my mind and recharge, maybe more of a break from my day-to-day life was in order. A switch to another book confirmed it; I felt much more like I was real- ly on vacation. It got me thinking about the idea of unplugging. We likely associate it with ditching the actual plugs on electronics -- turning off the phone, re- sisting the urge to check emails, etc. Even if we say we'll "just quickly read this one mes- sage," we're drawn away from our focus on relax- ation. We may figure if we're thinking about work any- way, we might as well read some more messages, and before we know it, our time off is anything but. In addition to the devic- es, we should also think about the other plugs that connect us to things from which we need a break. Part of thoroughly un- plugging is identifying each of our personal plugs that may keep us from fully relaxing. For many of us, it starts with giving ourselves per- mission to set boundaries and take time for our- selves. Think too about your mental plugs -- those thoughts, worries and con- cerns that nag at you. If you find them creeping in, re- mind yourself that not ev- erything is urgent and you'll get back to them. Write them down or vi- sualize them being put into a box that you'll close for now and open later. Do a meditation or some deep breathing, laugh with a friend, go for a walk -- whatever helps you clear your mind. When your phone bat- tery is running low, you plug it in. But people aren't electronics, and some- times fully unplugging is just what we need. Melanie McGregor is the communications and advancement specialist at the Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region Branch, which provides mental health/ addiction community sup- port and education. Visit www.halton.cmha.ca for more information and follow @cmhahalton on Twitter. TRUE RELAXATION MEANS FULLY 'UNPLUGGING' GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION TO DETACH FROM WORK, WRITES MELANIE MCGREGOR Recently, the Bank of Canada made a significant increase in interest rates. The reason was its attempt to control inflation. After digesting higher interest rates, the attention shifted to the effect this will have on the real estate market. People purchase a house based on affordabili- ty, and a large part of that depends on mortgage in- terest rates. Inflation is the culprit. Interest rates are just the solution to try to get it un- der control. This recent in- terest rate increase was based on an inflation rate of 7.7 per cent. Now, the challenge of in- flation keeps on growing. The recently released in- flation rate, as of June, is 8.1 per cent over the previ- ous year. The financial planning strategy for many house- holds is shifting to defensive strategies. How can you make ends meet when inter- est rate costs keep rising? Adding fuel to the fire is the underlying effect that inflation has on everyday spending. Things cost more. Add in higher inter- est rates and at some point, personal finances can be- come unmanageable. We are in a fundamen- tally different economic environment. Managing household finances is more challenging, and should be well planned out. Peter Watson is regis- tered with Aligned Capital Partners Inc. (ACPI) to provide investment advice. Investment products are provided by ACPI. ACPI is a member of the Invest- ment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. The opinions expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of ACPI. Only investment-related products and services are offered through Watson Securities of ACPI. Watson provides wealth manage- ment services through Watson Investments. He can be reached at www.watsoninvestment- s.com. WORLD OF PERSONAL FINANCE SPINNING QUICKLY THESE DAYS PETER WATSON Column MELANIE MCGREGOR Column