Work Smart Live Smart with Beverly Beuermann-King

Bell Let's Talk Day Interview With Dan Pollard 105.5 Hits FM

Stigma around mental health issues hurt. It causes isolation, lost productivity, and prevents people from reaching out for support.

Supportive Conversations are the key to ensuring that no one is left feeling hopeless, helpless, and with no one to turn to during their struggles. 

Check out this interview today on the importance of supportive conversations.

#BellLetsTalkDay #mentalhealth #mentalillness #anxiety #depression #stigma #guilt #happyatwork #socialconnectedness

EP 494 – Let’s Talk

Mental illness is a very common form of human pain and suffering. One of the biggest hurdles for anyone suffering from mental illness is overcoming the stigma attached to it. This stigma brings about isolation and prevents people from getting the help that they need.

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Let’s Talk Day:

Language matters. Watch the words that you use that may colour the way we see mental health issues.

Simple kindness can make a world of a difference. Whether it be a smile, being a good listener or an invitation for a chat over coffee, these simple acts of kindness can let someone know you’re there for them.

Break the Silence. Two out of three people suffer in silence, fearing judgement and rejection. Being open to a conversation is the first step towards eliminating the stigma.

When it comes to mental illness, education is key. Having the right tools, knowing the right words to use and understanding how to correctly speak with someone experiencing a mental illness can make all the difference.

You are not alone. There are resources available to help you to feel more competent in providing this support. Check out my on-line courses at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

EP 493 – Crumudgeon

According to the Dictionary a curmudgeon can refer to a mood or someone’s whole personality.

Curmudgeons Day is a day to celebrate the cranky people in our lives or a day to allow the cranky person in us to have a day out in the sunshine. It is also a celebration of WC Field who prided himself on being a real crumdgeon.

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Curmudgeon’s Day:

Take stock of what usually brings about your crumdgeonly side. Knowing this can help you to develop strategies to not bring that mood to your workplace.

Sometimes it is okay to allow yourself a day to be cranky. Doing so can help you to move past these feelings and start to see the world in a more positive light.

Don’t let the crankiness of someone else bring you down. Find ways to buffer yourself against their negativity. Try to show them kindness. Buy a cup of coffee for that co-worker who never seems to have a good day.  Maybe, an act of kindness can change that person’s whole world.

Discover how to take small steps towards a healthier, happier, less-stressed you by visiting my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

EP 492 – Bubble Wrap Day

Bubble Wrap has always been great for cushioning fragile items during shipping.

I don’t know what it is about bubble wrap, but like a lot of people, when I’m around it, I have to pop it.

We all know it's fun to pop, and it makes a great stress reliever. However, did you know that bubble wrap started off as wallpaper and then green-house wall insulation’ Thankfully, these uses didn’t take off and in the end, IBM began using Bubble Wrap to protect delicate electronics from damage during transit.

It wasn’t long after that people began to see the fun in popping their bubble wrap.

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day:

For some carrying a smooth-surfaced stone serves to produce a calming effect. Keeping your hands busy with little projects like needlework can also be relaxing. Popping a sheet of Bubble Wrap might work in the same way.

A survey by Sealed Air Corporation, found that one minute spent popping Bubble Wrap relieves as much stress as a 33-minute massage.

We love the instant gratification. So the next time you are stressed out, anxious, or frustrated, reach for your bubble wrap and start popping.

Looking for resources to build your resiliency? Check out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com

EP 491 – Connecting With Your Spouse

Have you ever been in a good mood, and then one conversation with your spouse can turn your mood around?
Research shows that moods and emotions are highly contagious.

We can literally catch each others’ emotions like viruses, a phenomenon known as emotional contagion.

I love my spouse and hopefully, if you have one, you can say that too.

However, the mood I bring to the home and that he brings home affects our conversations and connections with each other.

Research has found that wives were not affected significantly by their spouse’s stress. Husbands, however, experienced lower marital satisfaction when their wives reported higher stress.

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Spouse’s Day:

Self-awareness is the first step toward bringing moods under control so that they don’t continually impact your relationships.

Make an effort to enter into a conversation in an upbeat frame of mind.  Change your routines if you are irritated by the rush-hour traffic.

Watch your body language. Research has shown that when people are trying to “read” someone’s mood they rely heavily on that person’s body language for cues. So make sure your posture, gestures, and facial expressions send the right signals.

Be proactive about managing your moods. Learn a few stress-management techniques that may help you avoid negative moods altogether. Mood lifters may also include talking to a funny friend, listening to music, or going for a walk.

Take care of your health. Bad moods can have physical causes, including hunger, fatigue, and pain. Build your resiliency to buffer yourself against these.

Remember that emotions are contagious and your relationships are precious.

If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line resiliency test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

EP 490 – Opposites

Did you ever play ‘Opposites’ in school? Any time you were asked a question you had to give the opposite answer. You wore your clothes the opposite way around, and you ate your lunch in the opposite order.

Opposite day is a day to have fun and be silly. Especially as you kick it back up into high gear after summer vacations. Some celebrate Opposite Day a month after Christmas, other’s today…the idea is just to add some fun to your life.

Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Opposite Day:

Adults can get in on this silly holiday.

Try having dinner for breakfast and breakfast for dinner.

Eat, write and use your mouse with your non-dominate hand.

If you are the super achiever, ask for help.

If you are a procrastinator, try getting the tough stuff done first.

Flip that button-down shirt around and wear opposite coloured socks and shoes.

Just be sure to let your family, friends and colleagues know that you are celebrating Opposite Day. Otherwise, it could get very confusing for everyone around you.

Have a great day. Sorry, I mean hello, how are you?

If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line resiliency test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

EP 489 – Belly Laugh For Health

Author CW Metcalfe, writes that Humour can help you thrive in change, remain creative under pressure, work more effectively, play more enthusiastically, and stay healthier in the process.

It has been shown that a big old belly laugh, reduces physical and emotional tension for as long as 45 minutes. The heartier, the more relaxing it is and the longer the positive effect.

A good belly laugh can stimulate your internal organs, increase your circulation, raise the level of oxygen in the blood and boost the immune system. A group of researchers found that laughing boisterously 100 times a day will give you the same impact as 10 minutes of rowing or 15 minutes on an exercise bike.

Studies show that those who are able to laugh at work are more productive and less distracted than their humourless counterparts.

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Belly Laugh Day:

Find funny friends and co-workers who can make you laugh.

Develop a Humour First-Aid Kit and fill it with your favourite jokes, clippings, and stories

Watch funny TV programs, movies and videos

Being able to laugh about our situation and ourselves helps us to release the tension, regain our perspective, accept that which we cannot change and experience joy. Not only that, but, it also gives us the physical energy and mental resilience needed to survive.

Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In

EP 488 – Sugary Sweet

Could you go with out eating refined sugar for even one day?

Eating well and maintaining energy throughout the day can be a difficult feat in today’s busy workplaces.  When we are time pressured, we tend to make poor nutritional choices.  Often, we skip lunch and grab for a soft drink, cup of caffeine or an energy drink to keep us going. 

These poor food choices can promote obesity, illness and negatively impact productivity. 

Companies are looking for simple ways to promote health and support healthier nutrition. 

Some are adding vending machines that have more healthy choices and others have taken a harsher stance and eliminated the “pop and chip” machines altogether. 

Some company cafeterias have added a premium fee to “fast food” items or subsidized healthy meals and snacks. 

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Sugar Awareness Week:

Examining the nutritional needs and habits of your employees, makes good business sense.  When designing your workplace wellness program, look for ways to educate, support behaviour changes and promote a healthier environment. 

The results may not just be reduced waist sizes and decreased benefits usage, but more engaged and productive employees.

Looking for resources to build your healthy workplace? Check out my top 10 tips under Resources and Courses at worksmartlivesmart.com

EP 487 – Sticks and Stones

Words Hurt. Name Calling is a form of Emotional Abuse.

Many of us have worked for or with someone who was emotionally abusive. According to research from  Employment Law Alliance, 45% of us reported being abused in the office.

People who are the target of emotional abuse are made to feel insignificant and incapable.

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Bringing Awareness To No Name Calling Week:

There is a thin line between joking around and causing harm to each other in the office. Nicknames are bound to pop up in the office. But once the name calling is unwanted and based on gender, sexuality, or ability, it's no longer a friendly exchange.

If we are bullied, we might think it's because we are not a good worker, or perhaps not a good person. In other words, we start to believe what the bully is saying about us. We start to blame ourselves.

Don't give in to the lie.

Document your experience. If you don't keep track of what is happening, then, in the eyes of the law, it didn't happen.

One of the bully's tactics will be to isolate you from fellow workers. Keep your relationships with co-workers as strong as you can.

Let them know what is going on and let them know that you need support during this time.

Looking for resources to build your healthy workplace? Check out my top 10 tips under Resources and Courses at worksmartlivesmart.com

EP 486 – Hows Your Memory

1-519-527…….

I use to be able to remember my friends birthdays, their phone numbers and the good times that we had together. Now, I find myself forgetting even my family’s birth dates, their phone numbers and who I met yesterday.

I blame it on aging, but in reality, it is not really so much about aging, as it is about being so busy that I don’t take the time to file the information away.

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency Celebrating Good Memory Day:

A good memory is nurtured by a healthy, common sense lifestyle. This requires a healthy body, mind and spirit.

Participate in activities that stimulate your brain, such as reading, crossword puzzles, playing cards, and other mental exercises.

Be social. Maintaining a network of friends will increase your overall level of brain stimulation.

Exercise daily. Physical activity significantly lessens the chance of cardiovascular complications that could cause dementia.

Manage stress through techniques such as relaxation, meditation and yoga.

Finally, Find a healthy work-life balance. Learn to slow down and be in the moment.

One of our biggest fears as we age is losing our memory. By taking care of ourselves and by learning to slow the chaos down, we allow our brains to access our memories more effectively and efficiently.

By The Way…Good Memory Day was two days ago!

If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In

EP 485– Are You Feeling Blue

It is Blue Monday….the most depressing day of the year.

The date was calculated by using many factors, including: weather conditions, debt level, time since Christmas, time since failing our new year’s resolutions, low motivational levels and feeling of a need to take action.

This isn’t a scientifically true formula, but it does point out several things that we already know.  Our stress levels are impacted by many things such as negative weather conditions, lack of finances, unrealistic expectations and unmet goals.  If all of these things come to a head at the same time, it certainly can make for a stressful or depressing time in our life.

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Blue Monday:

Get outside. Go for a walk.  Even if it is a snowy, winter’s day, the benefits of getting a light break, beat staying indoors and moping around.

Turn today into a celebration.  Plan special activities at work or going out with friends. 

Start planning a vacation.  Even just looking at beautiful vacation pictures has a positive impact on our mood.

Know though, that sometimes, it is okay to indulge in the blues.  Wrap up in a cozy blanket, turn on that sappy movie, and let all of your emotions flow out.

If you think that you have moved beyond the blues, talk to your doctor.  Seasonal Affective Disorders and Depression are serious and can spiral out of control quickly.  The sooner you do, the better.

Discover how to take small steps towards a healthier, happier, less-stressed you by visiting my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

EP 484– The Hunt For Happiness

Happiness, for some can seem like an elusive dream and for others it is a constant reality. The difference is a mindset that looks for the best in a given situation.

If we spend our time waiting for life to be perfect…the children are polite and well behaved…there is enough money in our savings account and retirement fund…the renovations are finished…we have the right job…we have the best partner… we may be waiting for a very long time and we may be disappointed that happiness doesn’t seem to come our way.

True happiness is not putting a smile on our face and saying that everything is great, but it is problem solving the difficult situations and looking for the things in our life that are going well. In the workshops that I deliver, we talk about looking for the awesome. What are the cools things that are around us everyday that often we miss because we spend too much of our time looking for the things that are not quite right’

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Hunt For Happiness Week:

Look for the awesome

Be thankful for the things that are true blessings in your life

And understand that you have the final say in your own happiness

Discover how to take small steps towards a healthier, happier, less-stressed you by visiting my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

EP 483 – Life Balance

It is a gorgeous July morning. I have finished watering my newly planted grass seed and now it is time to focus on my business. I am finally feeling like my life is in balance.

This was a reflection on life that I had several years ago.  It didn’t mean that my life wasn’t chaotic, but I was feeling satisfied with the time and energy that I was spending on the various aspects of my life.

Sometimes my ‘balance’ lasts for a long time, other times, that balance is fleeting. Balance to me, does not mean equal. Balance means satisfaction.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Life Balance Month:

My First Strategy is the belief that I have a purpose in this world and that this world has a purpose.

Second, is being comfortable with who I am. I am not superhuman. I try my best to take care of myself. My family and my business need me to function.

Third, I enjoy the little things and look for the awesome.  In my reflection above, my day started outside, watering and weeding. For me, this is nature at its most glorious and it helps to ground and center me.

Each day I experience different challenges, but these beliefs keep me satisfied with where I am going. How do you create more satisfaction and balance in your life?

If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency, take my free on-line resiliency test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

EP 482 – It’s Time To Get Organized

How we organize our self can either help or hinder us in the way that we deal with stress. Clutter can add more chaos. But, being too worried that everything is in its place can stop us from being productive and creative as well. Your personal organization should help you to move forward, give you a sense of control over your space and help to decrease the stress that you feel.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Get Organized Month:

Try cleaning off your desk and see if you notice stress relief from being more organized and neater.

Purge periodically – it takes time but gives you more space and you may find that it can trigger your creative juices.

Use baskets to gather project materials together, unread magazines/journals/computer accessories etc

Ensure that you have enough desk area to work comfortably

Don’t touch junk mail more than once – do something with it or throw it in the recycle box

Remember, If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

Don’t forget that you can find more tips for coping with mental health issues, by checking out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com.

EP 481 - Find a mentor. Be a mentor.

A successful mentor is someone who sees how remarkable you can be and constantly holds that image for you.

We all need someone to hold that mirror for us – And we need to be able to hold that mirror for someone else.

Who can you reach out to for that boost and who around you could use that lift?

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Mentoring Month:

Mentoring is a learning relationship where someone more experienced puts time and energy into a less experienced person’s development. Successful mentors know that they need to focus on nurturing the person, not just performance. Since mentees may be reluctant to expose their shortcomings to a superior, the mentor needs to demonstrate it’s safe to do so.

The strongest relationships are based on mutual respect and as a mentor, you don’t just want to be a solution provider.  Discern when it is appropriate to offer a direct answer versus when it’s better to coach a mentee through their question or problem.

As a mentee, clarify your goals: explain to your mentor what you want from your career, and from mentoring.

Strong mentoring programs not only provide support for new hires but also help create an open, inviting culture that emboldens all workers to contribute their ideas for improving the company.

Don’t forget that you can find more tips for coping with mental health issues, by checking out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com

EP 480 – Weedless Wednesday

Smoking is no longer glamourous.  Most people understand the link to major health issues.

Though smoking has lost its ‘public’ appeal, it is still a major issue and addiction within our families and workplaces. Smoking cessation is the focus of many workplace wellness programs because nicotine addiction has a negative impact on absenteeism, productivity and benefits usage. 

Wouldn’t it be great, if we could prevent the up and coming generations from having to face the ‘futility’ of quitting, of being a ‘slave’ to their addiction, or experiencing the devastating impact of their ‘habit’.

Some people wrongly believe that if we continue to raise the price, add more tax or put more disgusting pictures on the packages, that people will stop smoking and choose to live a healthier life.

However, being addicted to something, means that logic is skewed, and the addiction can always be justified or at least continued to exist

So, I go back to my original statement…we have come a long way…but the key to our success is to continue to convince the younger generation that it isn’t worth it. 

Today is Weedless Wednesday. Hopefully future generations will not understand the need for this kind of promotion.

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

EP 479 – Life Requires Change

Everyone hates change.

So many people I know believe that this statement is true.  However, the truth be known, people don’t really hate change, they may just dislike the process of changing. 

I know that people will only change when the behaviours that they have been using stops getting them the results that they want. 

With the start of the new year, many of us have taken the time to reflect on the past year’s events or our life.  We may have set some goals for the upcoming year based on these reflections.  When we set our goals for the future and aim to be more on purpose with who we want to be, we need to see and feel the past as uncomfortable and realize that life requires change.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Living On Purpose Month:

Know Your Why. To reach your goals, you need to identify the reason for the change in the first place.

Sometimes it helps to write this ‘why’ down and keep it available, because sometimes when we are in the midst of moving forward and the path becomes difficult, we may forget the reason for the change and give up on it, before we get through it.

Remember that change is not bad, and we don’t need to hate it. Whether the change you are making is a New Year’s Resolution or a life change to live more on purpose, always be kind to yourself.

Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In

EP 478 – How To Make Your Dreams Come True

We would all love a magic lamp or a fairy godmother to make our dreams come true.  But in their absence, it is up to us to make our dreams come true.  This requires effort on our part.  Not just wishful thinking, but hard work and intention.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Make Your Dreams Come True Day:

Create your dream list.  Write it down.  Put it into pictures.  Make a Dream Board.  This makes it real and more likely to come true than if your dreams stay locked up inside your head.

Decide what steps or actions you need to take to make these dreams come true. 

Watch out for negative self-talk, and fears that can sabotage you before you even start. 

Bronnie Ware is an Australian nurse who spent several years working in palliative care, recording her patient’s epiphanies.  Here were the top five wishes of those patients:

The wish that they had the courage to live a life true to them self, not the life others expected of them.

The wish that they had not worked so hard.

The wish that they had the courage to express their feelings.

The wish that they had stayed in touch with their friends.

The wish that they had let them self be happier.

 So what are YOU going to do TODAY to move closer to making your dreams a reality?

Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In

EP 477 - Take Back Your Time

Does time just slip away from you?

Take Back Your Time is an initiative to challenge this epidemic of time stress.

Studies show that Time Stress threatens our:

Health. It can lead to fatigue, accidents and injuries.

It can threaten our Relationships. As we find less time for each other, our ability to connect, empathize and communicate is impaired.

Preventing illness, slowing down the aging process and living life to the fullest – these are a few of the reasons that we are craving a healthier, more balanced lifestyle. 

So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Take Back Your Time Week:

Take control of your time by learning how to say no. Say no to things that are outside of your priority. Say no to working late, especially if it is self-imposed.
Say no to extra activities, if you are feeling stretched to thin.
Saying no now, does not mean that it will be a no forever.
When you feel like it is a priority and you have the time to dedicate to the activity without compromising yourself, then it is okay to say yes.

Finally, be realistic with your time. Don’t get caught up in activities that suck away your time, without purposefully scheduling for them. Email, social media and meetings are notorious for eating up more time that we imagine.

Looking for resources to build your healthy workplace? Check out my top 10 tips under Resources and Courses at worksmartlivesmart.com

EP 476 – Wear Your Milk Moustache Today!

Have you worn a milk moustache today? January 11th is milk day, the anniversary of milk being first delivered in glass bottles.

I grew up on a dairy farm. Milk was a part of every meal.  I can still remember my dad skimming the cream off the milk for his cereal and the first time I stayed with my aunt who ‘bought’ her milk from the store, and thinking that it was so watery.  Nothing at all, like what I was used to.

Even after 7000 years of drinking it, milk is still very controversial. Many say we need it for bone growth, but there are those who say we shouldn’t drink it, as it can increase our risk for certain diseases.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Milk Day:

Watch what you drink.  Add more water and milk to your diet as opposed to pop and other sugary drinks. Studies show that kids and adults who drink milk are less likely to consume sugary drinks which add no nutritional value to their diet.

If you are having trouble sleeping, try a cup of warm milk.  The chemicals in milk, along with the warmth of the drink, can help to produce that sleepy feeling.

So to honour my dad and brother, here is a little milk day humour…..

Q: What did the farmer call the cow that had no milk?

A: An udder failure.

Don’t forget that you can find more tips for promoting health, by checking out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com