Work Smart Live Smart with Beverly Beuermann-King

TIP 1941 - Find a mentor. Be a mentor.

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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?

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1940 – How To Make Your Dreams Come True

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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.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1939 - What You Need To Stay Safe

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I have been taking karate for quite a few years now.  I’m a second-degree black belt, so not quite a beginner.  It takes lots of hard practice to get this far…yet I am pretty sure that I would still have a great deal of trouble using it against an attacker, especially one with any size behind them.

Early in my university years and again when I was working within a college, I took a couple of basic self-defence courses.  They did two things. They enhanced my awareness of the dangers and gave me ideas for options that I could use.  They were definitely worthwhile.

Fear is powerful.  And so it should be.  Fear keeps us on our toes.  It warns us to not be in dangerous situations.  Even the best karate move is not to be there when the attack comes in.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Personal Self-Defense Month

Consider your answers to these questions.

Do you know what to do if someone grabs you? If not, you may need to take a course on basic self-defence strategies

Are you aware of your surroundings? Don’t become complacent, even in familiar situations.

Are you confident in yourself and do you carry yourself in a confident way? Learn how to walk with confidence. This can be the difference of a potential attacker thinking that you are an easy target and them moving on to the next person.

Take your personal safety seriously.  Be prepared.  Be Aware.  Look like you know what you are doing.

Want to find more strategies to coping with stress? Check out my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1938 – Wear Your Milk Moustache Today!

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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.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1937 – Becoming a Fit Family

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Are you and your family spending too much time as couch potatoes?

Although this is Family Fit Lifestyle Month, healthy habits should be a lifelong journey. I recently asked my sons what life lessons they have they learned from me (risky question but I wanted to know). I was proud to hear some of things that they said. Both of them said that one of the important lessons was around eating right and exercising often. They said that it has helped them to be good athletes and to feel good. (So all that harping around eating their lunch and working hard at practise has paid off after all). They saw me involved in fitness activities even when I was not naturally good at them. And they saw me having fun anyways.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Family Fit Lifestyle Month:

Reward participation in fitness activities. Be each other’s cheerleader.

Have fun. Fitness shouldn’t be boring or feel like drudgery. If it does that you haven’t found the right activities. Some of us prefer activities that we can do alone. Some of us need the watchful eye of a coach. Others prefer team settings. Fitness activities should be something that we look forward to.

This year, set a few goals for creating a healthier family.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1936 – Are You Thankful

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“What do you say?”  “Thank you”

As parents, we probably said this a lot, as we taught our children to be thankful for the gifts that they received or when others did nice things for them.

Are You Thankful?

I think as adults we sometimes forget to be thankful.  We often focus on the difficulties and on the things that are not going right and sometimes we lose sight of the things that are going well and the blessings that we have received.

A line of wisdom goes…You cannot welcome more abundance into your life until you have said thanks to the universe for all that you have. January is the month of new beginnings.  Let’s kick it off by being truly thankful. 

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Thank You Month:

Make a list of all that you are thankful for in your work and personal life.  Be specific.  True blessings are the things in your life that resonate importance and touch your core.

Know that when we are full of thanks, we radiate this to the people around us and we impact them in a positive way.

Hang out with people who are truly thankful.  It is contagious, and you will feel energized, and inspired.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1935 - Thank God It’s Monday

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Having trouble returning to work on Mondays? Feel like you never really left? Struggling with the blahs’?

Studies show that happiness at work may be the most important success factor for a modern workplace and that happy companies make more money!

Your happiness at work is your responsibility. Not your boss’s, not your co-workers’ and not society’s. It’s Yours. However, if you are a boss or leader it is your responsibility to set a culture where it’s easy to be happy at work.

Happiness at work doesn’t only come from the policies, strategies, plans or values. It comes from being able to do great work with great people.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

So Here are today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Thank God It’s Monday:

Decide to say, “Thank God it’s Monday”. Make sure that you set the intention to be grateful for the fact that you have a job and grateful for the fact that you get to demonstrate your talents to the world through your work.

Smile – it is contagious. Just as negativity is contagious, so is being optimistic, fun and happy.

How you show up in life and at work, matters! If you are just going through the motions, you will be shortchanging yourself and depleting your happiness.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1934 – You Need To Get Over It

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Do you hold a grudge?

January is the month of new resolutions.  It is also the month to Get Over It.  Whatever ‘It’ is. 

‘It’ can be very destructive emotionally and physically.  It is not to say that feeling hurt or angry is bad, but holding on to hurt and anger for a long time is.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Get Over It Month:

Weigh the risks.  Holding a grudge takes energy and has a negative impact on your health.  It can keep you awake at night. It can cause excessive dread and worry and negatively impact your digestion.  It can bring about Depression.  Weigh out the risks of hanging on to that grudge or negative emotion and see if it really is worth the energy.

Learn to accept what is.  You may not hear an apology.  The person may never admit their mistake but that shouldn’t be the goal in trying to get over something.

Often hearing someone say sorry doesn’t make us feel better.  Only you can change your perspective and focus, so start today and Get Over It.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1933 – Life Requires Change

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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.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1932 – How To Deal With Your Difficult Customers

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Negative attitudes and behaviours are usually expressed when our customers are stressed out or they just don’t have the energy to use better communication skills, judgment and manners.

Being stressed out is chronic in today’s society. We often have too much to do, too many decisions to make and are usually running behind schedule. The difficulty behind the negative attitudes and behaviours is that they are highly “toxic” to our staff.

Dealing with difficult customers can make us feel grouchy, out-of-control and can rattle staff to the point where they may quit.

It takes a lot of energy to be positive, to keep things in perspective and to actively fend off this toxic effect. As the leader, there are several steps that you can take to ensure that your staff can effectively handle the best and the worst in these customers.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

So here are Today’s Tips For Reducing The Impact Of Negative Attitudes and Celebrating Thank You To Your Customer Day:

1. Discuss the types of customers that you may encounter ahead of time. What are some of the common complaints that your staff may face’ Share past experiences and horror stories with each other and prepare answers and solutions ahead of time.
2. Teach your staff how to keep their composure, be assertive and know exactly what it is they want to communicate.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1931 – Someday We’ll Laugh About This

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

Humour is an attitude focused on generating positive feelings in yourself and for others. It is an active state and a choice that we make.

One other advantage of maintaining a sense of humour and being able to freely laugh is that it provides us with a powerful sense of perspective and ability to build relationships with those around us.

Humour and creativity originate from a lively imagination and the ability to recognize and to appreciate the incongruities of life.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Your Resiliency and Celebrating Some Day We'll Laugh About This Week:

Our ability to look at the funny side of life can be developed with practice.

• Post a ‘Murphy’s Law of our Workplace’
• Develop a Humour First-Aid Kit and fill it with your favourite jokes, clippings, and stories
• Make up a humourous response to ‘How are you doing’’

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.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1930 - Everyone Needs More Sleep

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I must have been sleeping. I missed the Festival of Sleep this morning. The celebration is an opportunity to sleep in, snooze, doze, nap, and catch 40 winks. However, I did doze off and I did go to bed early last night, so I guess that I unknowingly celebrated it anyway.

The Festival of Sleep reminds us that we all could use a little more sleep. Before the light bulb was invented, we use to get on average 10 hours of sleep. Now many of us are lucky to get 6.5 hours of sleep per night. Yet, we know that we need 7-9 hours per night just to stay healthy.

In fact, I think that we should celebrate the Festival of Sleep for two solid weeks – The week between Christmas and New Years and then the week after New Years. What a great way to end an old year and start a new year.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating The National Festival Of Sleep:

Obvious tip alert – Go to sleep.

Watch for those things that interfere or prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. If you are like the majority (65%) of the population who do not get the right kind or length of sleep, you need to find the right strategies to get a good night sleep. Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time. Keep your room cool. Block outside noises. Watch the kinds of foods that you eat prior to bedtime. Don’t exercise right before bed.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1929 - Transform Your Thinking

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The pressure is on! Too much to do. No time to think. Be productive. Do more. Uncertain economy. Climate change. Make the right decision. Make it now.

Your thoughts create your emotional and physical state. How you think and react at any given time determines the decisions or actions you take. Successful people realize that by transforming their thinking that they can master the essential skills for thriving in these turbulent times.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Transform Your Thinking Month:

Look at the decisions that you have made in the past. Have they been the best ones that you could have or should have made? If not, evaluate how you made those decisions and see if there is something that you need to work on.

Do you have enough tools in your strategy tool belt to deal with the issues and challenges you are facing? Using the S-O-S Principle can help ensure that you deal with issues, stay healthy and are supported during stressful times.

For more information on coping with mental health issues, sign up for one of my on-line courses at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1928 - New Years Resolution Week

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“This year, I am going to earn my CSP.” That is what I said several years ago at this time. And thankfully, I can say that after many hours of sweating it through, I received my Certified Speaking Professional designation in San Diego, California July 2007.

For many of us, New Year’s Resolution Week is a time to reflect on the changes that we want and need, and in doing so we compile a list of resolutions. Unfortunately if our resolutions happen not to work out as we had hoped, we tend to put off trying again until the following year.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tip For Building Resiliency and Celebrating New Years Resolutions Week:

Visualize It

Many experts agree that the resolution itself is too often equated with the plan when it is only one part of the overall plan. One tip is to visualize the future.  Identify and visualize what feelings will come about by you achieving your goal. Replay this image regularly. The more details the better!

Everyday is a new challenge to live the way you intend to, according to your passions and purpose. Remember, it takes less effort to stay the same than it does to change. Most goals require stepping outside of your comfort zone and that is why many people give up.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1927 - A Year In Review

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It is almost the last day of the year. This is the day that many news programs offer up a year in review. What happened that was newsworthy? Good, Bad and even the Ugly.

This is a good time of year to do the same for our own personal life.

What was great?
What successes did you achieve?
What challenges did you face?
What didn’t go the way you would have liked.
What lessons did you learn?

All of these questions can help you to put life in perspective and help you to recognize the skills that you have developed that have aided you along the way.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating the New Year ahead:

Reviewing Your Life Allows You to Know Where You Are. If you don’t want to live this upcoming year exactly the same as your last year, you need to take stock of all that has happened. It is only when you stop and reflect, that you are able to find out, if what you do, is getting you the results you want.

Ask yourself the question, What Am I Working Towards?
 If you are serious about living your ideal lifestyle, you must take stock of where you are and where you would like to be.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

 

 

TIP 1926 - Interrupting Interruptions

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On the last working day of the year, the office is quiet and you are prepared to take advantage of it to get caught up on your work.  The phone rings.  You sigh. Another stressful interruption.

According to Fast Company the average office worker is interrupted and taken off task every 11 minutes. Even worse, they say that it takes basically that much time to refocus on the task at hand.  Often, we end up compensating for interruptions by working faster and harder, which results in us experiencing more stress. We get frustrated, impatient, annoyed, angry, defeated.  The key to avoid interruptions at work is to find productive ways to minimize and deal with them and keep our emotions in check.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Dealing With No Interruptions Day:

Plan for interruptions.  Know the type of interruptions that you usually encounter and when they are most likely to occur. 

Limit the opportunities for people to distract you.  If you need time to concentrate on a particular task, block it off in your schedule and let colleagues know that you are not available until a certain time.  Turn off your phone and your email notifiers.  Shut the door.  Book a meeting room just for yourself.

Watch for your own personal interrupters.  A messy desk, hunger, thirst and curiosity all get in our own way of being as productive as we can.  Organize yourself prior to starting your focused time, not during it.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1925 – Write Your Business Plan

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If you are a business owner, you may be looking at the end of the year as the time to review your Business Plan. I don’t enjoy doing this and I find it stressful to sit down and review where I have been and where I would like to grow my business. But I know that this is a necessary task as an entrepreneur.

Writing my business plan greatly improves my chances for success.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

So Here are today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Write A Business Plan Month:

Keep it short. Your business plan should be a tool you use to run and grow your business. If it is too long, it becomes daunting, stressful, and relegated to the bottom of your to do list.

The biggest part of the business plan and the most helpful part of my plan answers the questions of what am I actually selling, how am I solving a problem for my market, and why me and not my competition. Your customers are stressed about something and you are there to solve it.

My customers are leaders who see that stress is negatively impacting the health, productivity and functioning within their team, and they need tools that they and their teams can use to manage their stress, promote positive mental health, and build overall resiliency.

Whether you are a business owner or not, the end of the year is a great time to review where you have been and where you are going. Set your intentions for a bright year ahead and make decisions that take you along this path.

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.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1924 - Are You A Chocoholic?

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I am a chocoholic. I love milk chocolate. Creamy. Rich. Sweet. Delicious. It picks me up when I am down.

Is this wrong?
 Not terribly. We all have comfort foods and mine is chocolate. I don’t eat it everyday. My addiction is quite mild most of the time. But there are days when I just have to give in. I have scavenged the cupboards looking for any type of chocolaty morsel. And when I do indulge, I try to do so with very little guilt, (which isn’t always possible).

It’s About Moderation

Contrary to popular belief, chocolate isn’t its own food group, but treats are not all bad. Moderation is the key. Eating healthy around the treats is also well advised.

But I do like my chocolate and I am always glad that my Christmas stocking, is lovingly filled with….Chocolate. My boys use to wondered why Santa only brought mommy chocolate…I told them, it was because daddy wanted mommy to be happy so he wrote it in his letter to Santa to bring me a stocking full of chocolate. And Santa hasn’t let me down yet.

So hats off to the Mayans and the Aztecs for creating the first chocolaty drink.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Chocolate Day:

I don’t have any, other than to indulge responsibly

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1923 - It’s About Time

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Are you overworked, over-scheduled and just plain stressed out?

There is a quote that says, “Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you don’t let other people spend it for you.”

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating It’s About Time Week:

Schedule downtime. At least once during the day, you should allow yourself the luxury of having a period of time to decompress. The simplest and easiest strategy to use is deep breathing. It can be done by anyone, anywhere and in any circumstance.

Create off-work zones. Determine what times during the day are off-limits for working, including no e-mail, or text messages. By defining these zones such as at meal-time, bed-time and days off, we are creating the space for rejuvenation and connection.

Learn 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.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 1922 - Whiny Whiner

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We can be a nation of entitled whiners.  “It’s too cold.”  “I am the only one around here who does anything.”  “Blah, blah, blah” or should I say “whine, whine, whine.”

Hunger, tiredness, boredom and feeling unwell are factors that can precipitate whining sessions at work, but some colleagues have learned from a very early age that whining gets them the attention that they are seeking.  Whining has become second nature and their predominant way of communicating.  Their behaviour is draining on relationships and it can poison a workplace.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Whiner’s Day:

If you catch yourself whining:

Try moving from an attitude of entitlement to one of gratitude.  It is hard to be whining when focused on the positive and being thankful.

Focus on problem solving.  It is okay to vent, but that venting must be followed by problem solving otherwise it is whining for whining’s sake.

If you are going to confront a whiner:

Understand that they are looking for attention, but give them attention for solving the issue, not for whining about the issue.

Finally, minimize the amount of time that you spend with the whiner.  They will zap your energy if you aren’t careful.

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

#mentalhealth #hr