July 24 2014 Summer is sure flying by quickly! Have you had a chance to have some time away from the daily routine of work yet this summer or are you like me and still looking forward to some R & R in the near future? July is almost over so as we look forward to the “dog days of summer” in August, let’ s have some fun…. According to the web-site, “Days of the Year – The Ultimate Resource for Worldwide Events, Festivals, Funny, Weird and Wonderful Days of the Year”, August has some pretty interesting days dedicated to some pretty bizarre and abstract themes – some days have more than one special theme dedicated to them! Why not have some fun and celebrate some of the themes in your office – or at home - it’s summer - relax and enjoy a laugh or two – you may find out some interesting things about your family members, friends and/or your coworkers! Check it out here….” http://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/2014/08/ and enjoy! for example….DID YOU KNOW…. August is Golf Month? ….and that…. Friday August 1 st is “Raspberry cream pie day”? Tuesday August 12 th is “Middle child day”? Friday August 15 th is “Relaxation day”? Friday August 22 nd is “Hug your boss day”? Friday August 29 th is “More herbs, less salt day”? TIME to get serious….. I have an ANNOUNCEMENT! What is the biggest barrier to providing employee health and wellness events in your workplace? If you said “money” and a little extra funding would help get employees in your workplace more active … a Physical Activity Grant Opportunity is coming your way in the next week or so! Gather your Wellness Committee members together and start Brainstorming some great ideas – the announcement, grant details and application to apply for one of 10 grants will arrive separate from these e-updates in a Health at Work 4 All! email from me by July 31st! I am really looking forward to hearing your ideas and working with you on this pilot project!
Transcript
July 24 2014
Summer is sure flying by quickly!
Have you had a chance to have some time away from the daily routine of work yet this summer or
are you like me and still looking forward to some R & R in the near future?
July is almost over so as we look forward to the “dog days of summer” in August, let’s have some
fun….
According to the web-site, “Days of the Year – The Ultimate Resource for Worldwide Events,
Festivals, Funny, Weird and Wonderful Days of the Year”,
August has some pretty interesting days dedicated to some pretty bizarre and abstract themes –
some days have more than one special theme dedicated to them!
Why not have some fun and celebrate some of the themes in your office – or at home - it’s summer -
relax and enjoy a laugh or two – you may find out some interesting things about
your family members, friends and/or your coworkers! Check it out here….”
http://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/2014/08/ and enjoy!
for example….DID YOU KNOW….
August is Golf Month? ….and that….
Friday August 1st is “Raspberry cream pie day”?
Tuesday August 12th is “Middle child day”?
Friday August 15th is “Relaxation day”?
Friday August 22nd is “Hug your boss day”?
Friday August 29th is “More herbs, less salt day”?
TIME to get serious…..
I have an ANNOUNCEMENT! What is the biggest barrier to providing employee health and wellness events in your workplace?
If you said “money” and a little extra funding would help get employees in your workplace more active
…
a Physical Activity Grant Opportunity is coming your way in the next week or so!
Gather your Wellness Committee members together and start Brainstorming some great ideas – the
announcement, grant details and application to apply
for one of 10 grants will arrive separate from these e-updates in a Health at Work 4 All! email from
me by July 31st!
I am really looking forward to hearing your ideas and working with you on this pilot project!
The Power of the Pause from: Olsher.S (2013). "What is it you what? discover the one amazing thing you were born to do.” Wiley & Sons, Hoboken: NJ
"When faced with adversity - such as missing a bus that makes you late for work or having a heated exchange with a friend - how do you normally react? Do you immediately let the incident take full control of your mind, body, and spirit? Is your day pretty much over from that point forward? Our reactions are often similar to how we step over the crack in the sidewalk. They happen swiftly, without thought, and with no regard for what we might be stepping into on the other side. How different would your life be if your first response to an upsetting event was simply a pause - a long, thoughtful pause comparable in size to the Grand Canyon.
It's within the pause that you can quiet your emotions, gather your thoughts, and rationally consider the situation and the best way to respond to it." (p. 87)
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CENTER www.leadershipcenter.osu.edu
If You Want to Be a Positive Leader Ades, E. (2013). The positivity handbook
Be able to build AWARENESS. Be 100% RESPONSIBLE. IDENTIFY the purpose and value in every experience. ENGAGE! People are so much bigger and greater than they appear.
How do you demonstrate positive leadership?
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY LEADERSHIP CENTER www.leadershipcenter.osu.edu
How to take this break Make or buy play dough and place it in a break room or common area. Encourage team members to make their own creation or add to one for funny results.
Why this counts - Relaxing Taking time away from your desk to relax and enjoy a game or creative activity is a great, productive way of releasing stress and having some much-needed workplace fun.
Ideas for this activity were contributed by Dr. Owen Garrett, Psychologist, Active Insights Health Care; Anne Winters,
Manager, Interior Health; Ashley Nichols, Human Resources Advisor, Coastal Community Credit Union..
Benefits of water
How to take this break Remember the 8 x 8 rule. Eight glasses of eight ounces of water each a day helps keep you hydrated and energized. In warm working environments using a spray bottle mister helps keep you cool and your skin hydrated.
Why this counts - Energizing Lack of water can lead to dehydration and can drain your energy making it harder to focus for the rest of the day. Spraying water on the skin by misting helps to cool the body and increase comfort.
Ideas for this activity were contributed by Sandra Kokorudz, Human Resources Advisor, Engagement & Wellness, Coastal Community Credit Union; Alan Caplan, Inner Odyssey Retreats and Coaching; Ellis Basevitz, PSB Boisjoli LLP; Kate Lekas, Health Enhancement Coordinator, City of Vancouver; Angela Martin, University of Tasmania; Richard Danielson, Laurentian University.
How to take this break Clip and post comic strips or cartoons that your co-workers can laugh at and relate to.
Why this counts - Relaxing In addition to making us feel good, sharing a laugh has a number of health benefits including lowering blood pressure, reducing stress hormones, increasing memory and learning, and improving alertness and creativity.
Ideas for this activity were contributed by Halifax Disability Management Services Office, The Great-West Life Assurance Company
Check in on yourself
How to take this break The Psychology Foundation provides Staying on Top of Your Game™ , an Interactive Wheel to help you assess how you are doing. Answer the questions and see where you may have room for improvement.
Why this counts - Relaxing Stopping to check in on how we are doing is important because it can make us more aware of areas we may need help or support with.
Go to Workplace Strategies for Mental Health for more ideas, tools and resources to help with the prevention, intervention and management of workplace mental health issues.
Ideas for this activity were contributed by Judy Hills, The Psychology Foundation.
Go to Workplace Strategies for Mental Health for more ideas, tools and resources to help with the prevention, intervention and management of workplace mental health issues.
TakeYourBreak activities should be approved by your employer/leader prior to initiating them.
TakeYourBreak activities are provided for general information only and are not intended to be a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your physician or appropriate health care provider with respect to your particular circumstances.
While watching a fireworks show with my family on July 4th it occurred to me that all great fireworks shows end the same way... with a bang.
They save the best and most spectacular displays for their grand finale. You can't help but clap at the end.
Now compare a fireworks show to many lectures, sales presentations and customer service experiences. They often start off strong but instead of ending with a bang, they fizzle.
The sales presentation that has a great hook in the beginning but doesn't leave a lasting impression at the end.
The speech that makes you glad it's over instead of making you want to hear more.
The restaurant server who makes a great first impression but is nowhere to be found when you want to pay the bill and leave.
The teacher who fails to inspire his students to take action at the end of the lesson.
The hotel that welcomes you when you arrive but ignores you when you leave.
The store that has great merchandise but fails to create a memorable experience.
The examples are numerous but the solution is simple. Whatever your job or business add some fireworks to your work.
Think of ways you can create a grand finale and leave a lasting impression. Finish your speech or sales presentation with a bang and give your audience a reason to clap at the end.
Give your customers something positive to talk about as they walk out the door.
Fireworks don't have to occur just on the 4th of July. You can create a fireworks experience every day by finishing strong and making people say "Wow!"
Catch People Doing Something Right – 4 Ways to Build Workplace Morale http://leadingwithtrust.com/2014/06/22/catch-people-doing-something-right-4-ways-to-build-workplace-morale/
Posted on June 22, 2014 by Randy Conley
“Creating a workplace culture that breeds high morale and engagement doesn’t happen by
accident. It requires leadership – wise, empathetic, discerning, thoughtful, strategic, and caring
leadership. And it’s a leadership you can’t fake. It has to flow from the ethos of who you are as
a person…..
….Too many work environments are focused on catching people making mistakes. In a well-
intentioned effort to improve productivity and efficiency, leaders are prone to reduce an
employee’s performance into raw data, metrics, and
Trusted Answers from the Hospital for Sick Children
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Protect Your Family by the Pool As children spend more time outside playing, swimming and enjoying warmer temperatures, it’s important for parents and caregivers to identify and prevent potential risks around water.
Drowning, sometimes called “the quick and silent killer”, is the second leading cause of death for Canadian children. The majority of drowning deaths for children aged 1- 4 occur in pools at home. Children who are drowning rarely call or wave for help because they can’t keep their heads or arms above the water. For these reasons an adult needs to be within arm’s reach at all times when spending time near water.
