Work Smart Live Smart with Beverly Beuermann-King

Listen to today's podcast...

Though everyone may want something unique from their job, there are some common things that employees want their job to provide.

Employees want to gain a sense of confidence, competence and control.

What motivates employees is having interesting work that challenges them, along with increased responsibility, autonomy, and recognition for a job well done. These motivating factors fill our need for growth and achievement, and bring about long-term happiness and fulfillment.

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

Successful leaders build confidence, competence and control by treating their employees with respect and by giving positive recognition for performance and dedication.

Successful leaders focus on building two-way trust within the organization.

When employees feel that they are trusted and respected, they will share issues openly and are more productive and creative. They are more likely to develop meaningful relationships and take pride in contributing their skills and abilities. All of this increases overall confidence, competence and control.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

Electrific. I have no idea what this word means, but isn’t it a great word’  When I hear it, I think of great, terrific, electrifying, bubbly, energizing…..

How can you be electrific?

Often, we find ourselves just going through the motions.  Days run into each other.  Life can become boring and stagnant.

If we don’t purposefully attack each day, we can become anything but electrific.

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

Share a smile with those around you.  Greet your family the way you wish to be greeted

Do something fun – just because

Say thank you to your co-workers, to your boss, to your spouse

Think of something positive to say to each person that you connect with today

Get plenty of sleep so that the energy you have bubbles out from you

Wear something bright to pick you up from the winter blahs

Do your best to be electrific 🙂

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

Listen to today's podcast...

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.” Seneca

World Kindness Day gives us a chance to reach to others and show them that they are not alone, and the world is not as gloomy as it is often made out to be.

Numerous scientific studies show that acts of kindness result in significant health benefits. Performing kind acts can help reverse feelings of depression, decrease feelings of hostility and isolation, decrease intensity and the awareness of physical pain, and increase sense of self-worth, happiness, and optimism.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Building Resiliency and Celebrating Random Acts Of Kindness Week:

Think of those that are closest to you and take a moment to connect with them…phone your grandmother, mother, father, uncle…nothing is more personal than a visit or a phone call so that they can hear your voice. Let them know how much they mean to you.

Leave a love note for your spouse. Let them know that you still hold them in your heart.

Make a donation to a charity on behalf of a love one. You are letting your love one know that you are thinking of them and you are helping out a worthy cause at the same time.

Send an appreciation note to a colleague. Many of us receive little or no appreciation at work. Let’s change this and help increase the engagement of each other.

Being kind to another doesn’t have to cost us anything other than the energy to think of something.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

CEO Jeff Bezos admitted that he reads in his bathtub. He took a one-gallon Ziploc bag, and put his e-reader inside it. Book in hand…safe and sound.

An interesting way to combine two popular stress-relieving pastimes. I am not sure that I am co-ordinated enough to master this even with a Ziploc bag.

Bathtubs are the picture-perfect scene to the end of a hard day for many people. I have trouble sitting in a tub. I don’t find it very relaxing and my mind usually wanders off to what else needs to be done.

Part of the S-O-S Principle that I developed involves finding strategies that get your mind off of the stressful situation. The key is to find something that works for you.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Read In The Tub Day:

If you have trouble slowing down to relax, ask yourself why. Are you too caught up in what needs to be done next’ Keep the superhuman syndrome in check – we need to take time to take care of ourselves.

If the bathtub or a good book doesn’t do it for you, find something else that does. Find something that changes the speed, changes your focus and helps to renew your energy.

If you are still willing to try the book and bathtub combo to relax, start with a magazine or book that doesn’t matter if it gets wet.

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

Listen to today's podcast...

With many of us today riding on the roller coaster of life, it is incredibly important to have activities that help to slow the pace, regulate our rhythm in life and add a sense of fun. Hobbies can provide many hours of relief from stress and worry.  A hobby can boost creativity, self esteem, passion, pleasure and accomplishments. Hobbies have no deadlines, no rules and no pressure to be successful.

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

Adopt a hobby that you can have fun at and that you look forward to doing. You don’t have to be great or perfect – you don’t even have to be good. The most important part is enjoying it just because.

Here are a couple of my favourites:

Gardening can be a great stress reliever for many reasons, including getting you into the sunshine and fresh air and creating more beautiful surroundings to come home to.

Whether you take pictures of your friends, family, or nature, photography can be a great hobby. Seeing the world through the lens of a camera may help you to see things from an entirely different perspective.

Reading opens a window to the world; giving us a vision of things we never dreamed possible. When you curl up with a good book, you put the rest of the world at bay.

Want to make sure that you don’t miss out on any of my weekly postings?
Follow Work Smart Live Smart on FaceBook

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

Accept Yourself. Accept Your Body. Celebrate Yourself. Celebrate Your Body.

Fact #1 Eating Disorders affect people of all gender, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic class, ability, race, and ethnic background.

Fact #2 Eating disorders are not choices, but seriously biologically influenced mental illnesses and need to be treated as life threatening conditions

Fact #3 You can’t tell by looking at someone whether they have an eating disorder.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Bringing Awareness To Eating Disorder Week:

Whether you're a parent concerned for a child, a friend or someone who just wants to make a difference, there are many ways to shine a spotlight on eating disorders to help those in need and celebrate people who have made a recovery.

Find ways to show your support. US News & World Report recommends:

Be honest: Tell the person you're concerned about his or her health.

Be sincere: Compliment the person on their intrinsic qualities – like their ability to make people laugh or their ability to work as a team player.

Be caring, but firm: Let them know that you care and want to help in the recovery process.

For more tips on how to Promote Mental Illness Awareness check out my website at worksmartlivesmart.com under the Resources and Courses tab

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

They are free, easy to give and receive.

They make people happy.

They make you happy.

If you are having one of those days, you can shift your attention from all the things going wrong in your day and put it on making someone else’s day a little sunnier by paying them a compliment.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Pay A Compliment Day:

Celebrating today is so easy to do.

All you have to do is find something nice to say about someone and say it to them!

If they are not around tell others how great that person is.

Watch how they light up when they hear the compliment.

What a difference you will make in their life and your own.

We all have a desire to be acknowledged. When someone else notices even the slightest thing about us, it can boost our self-esteem, motivation and happiness.

Small acts of kindness go a long way these days.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

A study found that 20% of workers felt that their employer didn’t care about them. Imagine what that would look like in your organization. What impact do you think that this would have on productivity and engagement?

Quality leaders are aware of the value of recognition. During Leadership Week, I encourage supervisors, managers, directors and the C-Suite to look closely at the relationship that they have with their employees. A poor relationship – one in which employees feel powerless, uninformed, disrespected, used and stressed – will lead to high rates of heart and cardiovascular problems, anxiety, depression, and alcohol and drug use. It can also leave the company with higher rates of absenteeism, lowered productivity, higher rates of job turnover and more difficulty in attracting and retaining high quality workers.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating International Leadership Week:

Quality relationships take time to develop. They require that leaders allow for participation in decision-making, provide information and support on stress, develop support strategies between team members and that the leader ensure the proper resources are available to get the job done.

Challenge yourself to evaluate your leadership skills. Would your team consider you a quality leader?

Want to check out more health and wellness related celebrations?
Visit my wellness calendars under the resources and courses tab at worksmartlivesmart.com

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

Have you ever looked at those websites that compare your real age to your chronological age?

I did and I was pleased to see that it covered a variety of areas related to positive stress management and resiliency. It also had some interesting questions regarding heart health.

Cardiovascular diseases continue to be a major threat to women's health.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Building Resiliency and Celebrating Women’s Heart Week:

It is imperative that women learn the warning signs and symptoms of heart disease and stroke, see a doctor regularly, and learn their family history. Making a commitment to your health isn’t something you have to do alone either, so grab a friend or a family member and become accountability partners.

Nutrition and exercise essential.

But also consider the impact of being positive, being able to relax, using a sense of humour, being organized, being involved in hobbies/community, having a spiritual side, and striving to be a continuous learner.

Our heart pumps life through our body, so ensure that you are pumping your heart full of life.

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

Listen to today's podcast...

Have you just about had it? If you live in Canada or in the northern hemisphere, winter has worn out its welcome. The cold temperatures and the gusting winds along with the shorter days, have made many of us cranky, tired, and ready to say enough is enough.

One survey reported that winter is bad for our health, appearance and our sex life. Others claimed they had less energy, struggled to wake up and had sore and achy joints and muscles.

Cheer up. We are at the half way point of winter and thankfully from now on, we will start to notice the longer days, and the temperatures hopefully rising.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency
So Here are today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating the Half Way Point of Winter:

Brighten up. Buy some flowers for your office desk or kitchen table. The perk of colour can help to brighten your mood.

Turn up the beach music. Music can flip the switch from negative to positive, hopefully giving you enough of a jump start to begin to turn things around.

Start Sniffing. Our human olfactory system is intricately tied to our emotional control centre. Essential oils from plants can reduce stress, promote relaxation and enhance cognitive function. Our sense of smell is also connected to our memory. Does suntan lotion remind you of your family vacation’ Does the smell of oranges, make you think of the tropics’ If so, light a candle, grab your essential oils or look for foods that make you think of sunshine and summer.

Want to find more strategies to coping with stress, check out my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

Listen to today's podcast...

Listen to today's podcast...

Have you found that when your plate is overloaded with work and family responsibilities, or when you are in a professional, financial, or relationship crisis, your self-care tends to fly out the window?

For some of us, self-care is a luxury that we feel we can not afford to indulge in. There is a quote that I like that says, “How thin can I spread myself before I no longer exist’”

Self-renewal is about transforming yourself. It can give you a fresh take on life. You feel better and more able, more competent and more effective. Self-care is like oxygen. It is essential in order to live a balanced and fulfilled life. If grit is what keeps you going, and resilience is what picks you up, self- renewal is what helps you stay energized.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Self-Renewal Day:

Tip #1 Do A Body Scan. As soon as you wake, ask yourself, “Physically, emotionally, or spiritually, what do I really need to focus on today’” Self-renewing activities include looking after your well-being.

Tip #2 Find Your Tribe. “Build your support network,” When we gather together to “tend and befriend,” our body releases more of the stress-reducing hormone, oxytocin. This makes us feel more hopeful, grateful and resilient.

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

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

Have you met any S.O.B’s lately?  I mean the good kind.  The feisty, spirited ones kindly referred to as, Spunky Old Broads.

These are the ladies who live life to the fullest, regardless of their circumstances.  They have learned to push forward, find humour and share their spirit with those around them.

I’ve been fortunate to meet some very Spunky ladies – Liked my mom’s cousin Linda, who makes me laugh every time I see her, Virginia who ran her first marathon at the age of 50 and who shared her message of hope with those who were also dealing with severe depression, and Shelle who travels the world for business and still takes the time to make me laugh and be my mentor.

SOB Month celebrates all women over 50, who believe it is never too late to live your dream, be who you want to be, and create and do whatever you want to do.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Spunky Old Broads Month:

I want to be a spunky old broad.  I’m not there yet.  For me, I take things way too seriously and I fret about the little things.  But I believe that it is never too late to learn something new, try something different and strive for all that life has to offer.  So I am going to remind myself to let go and laugh a little more and maybe one day I will be known as a SOB.

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

Listen to today's podcast...

“Blessed is the person who can have fun while being productive.”

Really, isn’t that what it is all about. Enjoying what you do.

Some people have fun actually doing their jobs. They get a kick out of creating or solving. Some people create fun while they are doing their job by connecting with the people that they work with.

Our research shows that those who have fun at work are more engaged, more productive and are healthier. It is in a company’s best interest then to build more fun into the workplace.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
So here are Today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Fun At Work Day:

Create a special theme for the day – decorate, dress up

Bring food to share – tie it to your theme

Share the jokes of the day – or list the best excuses for the day

Set up team challenges

Any job can be transformed. It is how you look at it and the fun that you build around it.

According to one philosopher, the supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.

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

Listen to today's podcast...

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. 

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
So here are Today’s 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

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

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 curmudgeon.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
So here are Today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Curmudgeon’s Day:

Take stock of what usually brings about your curmudgeonly 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

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

You have one hour to get to the airport, but you find yourself still stressing out about what clothes to pack and where you’ve hidden the sunscreen.

Stop letting the vacation stress get to you, start breathing, and focus on the next step. If you don’t, you’ll be running around like the proverbial ‘chicken with your head cut off’ and it’ll only get worse.

Vacations are to great to restore resiliency. They can be rejuvenating, but they require planning

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
So here are Today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Plan For Vacation Day:

There is no such thing as the perfect vacation, the first step is to pick and choose your activities wisely. Choose activities that meet with your particular goals. Is your upcoming vacation for relaxation, celebration or relationship renewal’

Remember to plan for when you return home. Ease into and out of vacation mode. There is nothing worse than a person returning from their vacation saying they need a vacation from their vacation.

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

Listen to today's podcast...

The Think Tank - The Log Cabin - The Johnny on the Spot - The Oval Office

Toilets are the most amazing invention that most of us just take for granted. 

For some, getting stressed out, can cause bathroom and digestive issues.

Some people experience toilet anxiety. Toilet phobia, is a term used to describe a number of issues related to using the toilet. It is a type of anxiety condition in which the sufferer may experience concerns and fears about:

Being unable to urinate or defecate

Using a public toilet

Being too far from a toilet

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
So here are Today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Thomas Crapper Day:

The experience of toilet anxiety is unique to each individual, and consequently, different treatments will work better for different people.

If your digestive system is acting up it might be an indication to take it easy and try to reduce some stress wherever possible in your life. You can also be mindful of what you're doing, eating, and drinking when you're under pressure to see if that helps.

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

Finally do you know the most popular toilet joke?

What did the toilet say to the other toilet? – You look a little flushed

 

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

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.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
So here are Today’s 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.

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

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.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Here are today’s 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.

#mentalhealth #hr

Listen to today's podcast...

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.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
So here are Today’s 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

#mentalhealth #hr