Work Smart Live Smart with Beverly Beuermann-King

EP 597 – What Is Burnout?

Being burned out and being stressed out are not the same thing. Many of us can tell when we are stressed out, but often, we cannot tell if we are burned out.

Burnout may be the result of unrelenting stress, but it isn’t the same as too much stress. Stress is often about too many pressures that need to be dealt with.  Burnout is about feeling empty, lacking in motivation, and beyond caring. Employees experiencing burnout often don’t see any hope of positive change in their situations.

Burnout may occur over a short period of time or take several years to manifest.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Combatting Burnout and Celebrating Mental Health Week:

First:

Slow Down. Take a break. Cut back whatever commitments and activities you can. Give yourself time to rest, reflect, and heal.

Change What You Can. 

Maintain Balance.

Talk to a Professional.

And Make A Plan. Part of the problem with burnout is the lack of control that’s associated with it.

Burnout can be a serious consequence of an unbalanced life and of an environment where the individual experiences little control and high demands. Leaders can help by ensuring a clearer understanding of what their job is and is not, providing as much control as possible, ensuring that demands are realistic and by recognizing the employee’s contributions and achievements.

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 596 – Revise Your Work Schedule For Greater Satisfaction

Are you a 9 to 5er or are you a night shifter?

Or do you work from home?

Whatever your schedule, the key is making it and your life work together in harmony.

It is not about work life balance, but about life satisfaction. Are you satisfied with all of the different aspects of your life?

Are you spending the right mix of time and energy on each area so that you are feeling fulfilled and complete? If not, it may be time to look over your commitments, including your work schedule and deciding if it needs to be tweaked.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Revise Your Work Schedule Month:

This month reflect on how to best achieve balance between your job, your commitments, and free time.

Now is the time to take a hard look at the time we’re actually spending in each of these areas of our life and truly evaluating how satisfied we are with them.

We have the ability to work from more places, more times of the day, using more devices than we ever have before. The key is to take control of our time and make active choices about how we spend that time.

I am not suggesting that you quit your job, but maybe a small tweak to when you start, when you leave or when you shut your technology off for the night, may have a big impact on your life satisfaction and energy. Something to consider.

Remember, If you like the tips in this briefing, please leave me a review on amazon or in your #alexa app.

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

EP 595 – Fantastic Foot

I wish that I was one of those people with fantastic feet.  I love the look of feet in sandals and high heel shoes.  They are stylish and fun.

My feet are not stylish or fun.  They are crooked and bony.  I inherited my feet from my mother’s side of the family, who have a long history of foot problems.  My feet are painful and I am just in my 50’s.  There are days that I can barely walk after delivering a presentation.  I don’t wear high heels and instead I settle for my orthotics.  I must admit that I am barefoot more often than not when I am at home and always when I am on the dojo floor. This is when they don’t hurt.

As we age, our feet become more important to our mobility and overall health and happiness.

Did you know…

That when you walk, the forces borne by your feet are about one and one half times your body weight? And that 75% of us will experience foot health problems of varying degrees of severity at one time or another in our lives

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Foot Health Month:

Keep your blood circulating to your feet. A daily exercise routine contributes to a healthy body and mind.  Walking is an ideal form of exercise. Try putting your feet up when you are sitting or lying down, or getting a gentle foot massage.

And because my feet are not beautiful, they might as well be funny:

What was the foot surgeon’s favorite Olympic event’     Arch-ery

and finally…

Why didn’t the children like their mother’s foot jokes?   They were too corny

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

EP 594 – How To Be A Healthy Night-Shift Worker

“Night shift can kill the body.”

Today is the day that we celebrate National Night-Shift Worker Day and the introduction of the 24-hour society.

One repercussion of the nightshift work schedule is that a typical night shift worker sleeps one or two hours less per day than a day worker and often has less deep and REM sleep.

Shift Work Maladaption Syndrome is where shift work is leaving the worker so sleepy that they fear for their safety on the job.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Ensuring Resilience In Our Night-Shift Workers:

As a leader, it is important to educate employees on what shift work entails and provide annual screening for shift-related illnesses.

Promote and educate on healthy lifestyle strategies.

Organize mandatory stretch breaks especially during the dangerous hours.

As a Night Shift-Worker:

Understand the hazards and consequences of shift work.

Pay attention to sleep strategies and avoid going into sleep debt.

Shift work is a lifestyle and in order to minimize stress and build resiliency, the worker and their family must ensure that they follow a healthy schedule, focus on their sleep strategies, and ensure that they have support from those around them.

Looking for Tips To Promote Mental Health Week In Your Workplace, visit worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab for my Top 10 Tips.

EP 593 – Celebrating Our Mental Health

A friend of mine, had been promoted over the years, rewarded for her achievements and was a solid employee.  During a major corporate transition she was given a new department that needed a lot of help in restructuring.  She worked hard through long days, with little progress. And the results were devastating for her health to the point where she had to leave.

What could have been different?  Her supervisors should have seen that the new role was unrealistic for one person to handle. They should have noticed the excessive overtime. They should have spotted the impact it was having on her health. And they should have worked with her before she felt that she had no choice but to leave, or feel like a failure.

We know that engaged employees help our companies to be more creative, productive and successful. Disengaged or stressed out employees cost our companies in job turnover, disability and lowered productivity.  Yet, some employers still look at their employees as being a commodity.

Ensuring that your teams work in a healthy environment is a priority.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating the start of Mental Health Week:

Start a conversation. What are the sources of stress within your teams-personally and professionally? If you are not sure – ASK!  What impact is it having?

Benchmark this information. How much is this costing in absenteeism, turnover, lowered productivity, healthcare costs?

Decide what programs would help reduce this impact on the individual and the company

Looking for Tips To Promote Mental Health Week In Your Workplace? Visit worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab for my Top 10 Tips.

EP 592 – Super Heros In PJ’s

‘What superhero reduces greenhouse gas emissions by more than 20 per cent, overcomes gridlock faster than a speeding train, and leaps over distraction barriers in a single bound?

Hint: Often seen wearing pajamas while on the job…It’s not a bird. Nor a solar plane…It’s the Telecommuter!

So, here I sit in my pj`s working at my computer.  No stress spent on deciding what to wear to the office.

I appreciate the flexible work arrangements that I have.  It strengthens my resiliency while running a successful business.  Some days I work all day and into the evening.  On other days, I may find myself helping out a family member or pulling the weeds from my gardens.  This flexibility gives me the balance that I want and need.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Flexible Work Arrangements Week:

Companies that aim to provide a flexible working options encourage a healthy work-life balance, build resiliency and retain key workers. Develop a flex work policy that outlines what best practices they are expected to adhere to.

As an employee, if you are interested in flexible work arrangements, consider how this might positively or negatively impact your job, your family, your employer, your team members.

There are many adjustments that need to be made both by the employer and by the employee to make flexible work arrangements work.  Good communication and problem-solving skills are the foundation to working out any kinks.

So here`s to all superheroes working in their pj`s – May it be a productive day!

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

EP 591 – Are Our Children Dealing With Depression

It is hard to understand how a child can experience depression. 

As caregivers and parents, we need to remind ourselves, that while a child’s problems may seem minor to us, they can be overwhelming to them. Your first warning signs will probably be changes in behaviour that may suggest a troubled and unhappy state of mind.

If a student becomes depressed, they are unlikely to talk about it. Very likely, a depressed child will think that no one else feels the same way and that no one will understand their problems. Often a depressed child will feel that they are disliked.

Clinical Depression is more than just the ‘blues’. It is a “biochemical disorder where a person feels very sad for an extended period of time and where this state interferes with their everyday life.” Depression affects about 3% of our children, 8% of adolescents and 10% of adults. Stress can act as a ‘trigger’ for Depression.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Mental Health Week and Childhood Depression Awareness Day:

Be aware of the signs and symptoms of Depression. As an employer, hold awareness sessions for your employees.

Provide support and understanding.

Be aware of the signs of suicidal thoughts – Suicide is one of the top killers of our youth.

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.

EP 590 – Melanoma Monday

Love this advice…If your shadow is shorter than you are, you should seek the shade.

Do you annually check your skin?  Wear your sunscreen faithfully?  Do you go and see your doctor for regular check ups?

If so, you are helping to ensure that you prevent skin cancer or at least ensure that you catch it in its early stages.

The spring is an easy time to forget to use your sunscreen. It is essential that we protect ourselves and our kids and know the early signs of Melanoma, that way we can all be safe in the sun. 

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Melanoma Monday…and Being Safe In The Sun

Check it out.  Melanoma can be found anywhere on the body, but it is most common on the legs, back, head and neck. Do an annual scan to check for changes.

Visit your doctor regularly and make sure that they do a body scan too.

Be safe in the sun.  Enjoy the spring, summer and fall sunshine, but cover up and use your sunscreen.

Cancer changes lives, impacts families and hinders workplace productivity. Employees coming back to work after cancer treatments describe a variety of challenges that employers may not be aware of/or consider in their return-to-work accommodations. As a leader, look for ways to educate on prevention and look for ways to successfully support a team member who has been impacted.

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 589 – Making Lemonade

Do you know where pink lemons come from?

Two 12 year-olds were left with a sour taste in their mouths after officials shut them down for not having a permit when they started selling lemonade in a dog park to raise cash for new soccer uniforms for their team.

Today we celebrate Lemonade Day.  A day which is designed to introduce children to having their own business. I still remember when my boys decided that they were going to sell lemonade at the end of the street when we held a garage sale at their great grandpa’s.  

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

It is May and the weather is getting nicer, but we are not able to set up a lemonade stand…not yet.

What we can do though is talk to our children about what type of business they would run if they could or what kind of business do they think they could run now. The idea is to have a conversation around what would be involved, who their customers might be, and how would they let their customers know that they were open for business.

Fun Fact….

The Greeks were the first to make pink lemonade. They made this so that while the adults were having wine at celebrations, the children would also have a special treat. When the Greeks dyed the lemonade pink by adding wine, the common myth in the community was that this drink was made from pink lemons that grew in a forest that no man could enter and come out alive. They made the children believe that these magical pink lemons were brought back by a noble king. Now there is marketing

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 588 - Reduce Your Stress By Correcting Your Posture

Gone are the days that some well-meaning teacher would take their knuckle and drive it into the middle of your back and tell you to sit up straight.

The Chiropractic Association has found that even young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previous generations. Though a major cause of back and neck pain is kids and their backpacks, it is also our overall poor posture.

Hours of computer slouching, hunching over while texting and laying around as a couch potato have serious repercussions on our posture. 

The good news: there are easy things people can do to Reduce Your Stress By Correcting Your Posture.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Correct Posture Month:

Practice the wall stand.

Back up to a wall so your heels, buttocks, shoulders and head all lightly touch the wall while you keep everything level, relaxed and aligned– and take 3 slow breaths, feeling your body’s best posture.

Shoes matter.

For women, there is no such thing as a good high heel for your posture. Trade in the stilettos for a shoe that gives you the proper support.

It is critical to understand that the body impacts the mind. Standing up straight and walking tall will help you to think and feel better. Reduce Your Stress By Correcting Your Posture and remaining calm, more relaxed, and more physically and mentally healthy.

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

EP 587 – Don’t Get Caught With Your Pants Down

Have you seen the videos?

Someone doing a zoom meeting and they get caught wearing no pants, just their jockies.

Today is the unofficial holiday – No Pants Day.

And prior to this business disruption, it wouldn’t cross my mind that wearing no pants would be widely celebrated…but here we are and the joke and often asked question is…who isn’t wearing pants on this call?

We have the zoom mullet. All business up top and no pants on the bottom.

So just in case this may not be for you, Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating No Pants Day:

• Though the idea of today is about wearing no pants in public and to pretend like it is nothing out of the normal, I’m not sure I am a fan

 

• I do love my PJs and I often wear them all day long…and even more so in these days of zoom calls and working from home. The idea is comfort rules. I am spending way less time on getting ready for work and more time on being creative and getting things done.

 

Remember:  Use your best judgment in celebrating today, you don’t want to be remembered as that person who got caught wearing no pants.

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

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

 

EP 586– To Tell The Truth

Today we encourage honesty and straightforward communication in politics, relationships, consumer relations and education.

Most of us have told a few lies. Lying can bail us out of awkward situations. Spare the feelings of others. Preserve or strengthen alliances. Enhance social standing. Keep us out of trouble. Even save our lives.

In today’s world of so many false truths, it is even more essential to build relationships based on honest and clear communication.

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

Practice telling the truth. Studies have shown that human children begin practicing deception as early as six months of age through such attention-getting gambits as fake crying or laughter. Try answering questions honestly all day today and see where the difficulties lie for you.

Be more transparent. Honesty goes a long way in building solid relationships. Leaders get ahead by making the right choices and showing that they are trustworthy. This builds trust, which is essential for teamwork.

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

EP 585 - Screen Free: Will You Accept The Challenge?

Could you unplug your TV for 7 days? How about that PS4?

What role does screen time play in your daily life?  Entertainer, pacifier, babysitter, time filler and/or a distraction?

Many parents are concerned about the amount of time their children spend with screens. And with good reason! Research shows that screen time gets in the way of activities known to be good for young children, however kids who spend less time with screens fall asleep faster, sleep longer, eat healthier, and get more exercise.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency During Screen Free Week:

Turn your living room into a place for family interaction and play by arranging the furniture so the TV is not the focus of the room.

Take a break from your smartphone and other screens during periods of the day and model good screen time behaviour.

TV and screen time is not all bad.  It becomes a negative when we let it take over our lives.

We grow accustom to the silence of watching TV and it allows us to avoid communication with those around us. It separates us from those we love, even when we are in the same room. It can taint our perspective and the way we see the world as it is full of negative images.  During Screen Free Week, challenge yourself.  Move outside of your comfort zone and focus on being creative, an active participant and connected to those around you.

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

EP 584 – Tick Tock

Tick tock. Tick tock. Can you hear your biological clock ticking away?  I am pretty sure that I can, though, I am certainly not looking at having anymore children!

So What Does Your Biological Clock Tell You?

Our biological clock does so much more than tell us the perfect time to get pregnant. In fact, both men and women and the young and old are subject to the influence of the biological clocks that we all have.

Circadian rhythms are controlled by “clock genes” that carry the genetic instructions to produce proteins. These instructions control everything from when we sleep and rest, body temperature, heart activity, hormone secretion, blood pressure, oxygen consumption, and metabolism. They may even influence our mood, particularly in the form of wintertime depression known as seasonal affective disorder.

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

Celebrate – whatever age you are, or whatever life stage you are in.

Sleep is essential to our mental and physical health.  Clock genes normally keep us awake during the day and asleep at night.  But when a clock gene mutates, it can disrupt the normal sleep cycle. Sunlight, air travel and even the seasons can disrupt our Circadian Rhythms and the quality and quantity of sleep that we get.

So avoid night light. When possible, avoid bright and outdoor light close to bedtime and keep your surroundings as dark as possible at night. Cover the lights of your alarm clock, so that you are not tempted to look at it or have its glow disrupt your sleep.

Avoid eating or exercising too close to bedtime. Also watch out for caffeine and nicotine, both of which are stimulants.

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

EP 583– Stress Decreases Your Chances Of Conceiving

In our early adult years we spent so much effort on prevention, who knew that conception could be so difficult, or that Stress Decreases Your Chances Of Conceiving.

For more than a couple of years my husband and I tried to conceive a child.  At that time we never heard that Stress Decreases Your Chances Of Conceiving. We endured months and months of taking temperatures, doctor visits, disappointments, crying, trying new medications, testing of all kinds and grieving.  It was a horrible roller-coaster ride.  We were not alone in our struggles. Infertility rates in Canada are increasing with roughly 1 in 6 couples experiencing fertility issues.

While we were going through this struggle, we told very few people, especially our families. 

Stress grew as the months passed.

Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency Increasing Your Chances of Conceiving and Celebrating Infertility Awareness Week:

Find Ways To Relax. I know that you may hate hearing this, but it is one thing that you can do.

Be Nutrition Wise. Our nutrition impacts the way in which our bodies function, both efficiently and effectively.

Aim For Emotional Balance. Watch out for negative emotions such as anger, guilt, or resentment, which many women may feel at some point in their journeys to conceive.

Laugh More. Laughter can take the edge off of a stressful day.

Take Advantage of Support and Counselling.

Keep the Romance Alive While Trying to Conceive.

If you know someone who is experiencing fertility issues, let them know that you understand how difficult this is for them and that you are there to listen to their frustrations, their fears, and their disappointments.

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

EP 582– Green Is For Life

Green is the symbol for life.  Appropriately, the green ribbon is the symbol of how we can save lives.

Over 4000 Canadians are awaiting a transplant and unfortunately more than 200 Canadians died last year waiting transplant.  

I believe that many of us want to donate, but life gets in the way and we forget to sign our donor’s card and have the discussion with our loved ones.   If you are okay with donating, take the opportunity during this awareness week to sign your card and discuss it with your family. Someone may be counting on you.

Here are some things I didn’t know…

Living donors can provide a kidney or part of their liver as well as bone marrow.

Between 80-95 per cent of patients are doing well one year after their transplant.

Spain has highest donation rate.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Organ and Tissue Donors Awareness Week:

Having “organ donor” noted on your driver’s license or carrying a donor card or provincial health card is not all you have to do to become a donor.

Organ and tissue donation are always discussed with family members prior to the donation. For that reason, it is very important that you discuss your wishes with your family.

Don’t let the busyness of life get in the way of saving a life.

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 581– Shh!

It’s quiet. Well, almost. There is the ticking of the clock, the rattle of the furnace, the birds chirping outside of my window and my computer humming along.

For some this silence is uncomfortable or we feel guilty, so we turn on the TV, though we aren’t really watching. It is important in the chaos of everyday living that we take a few moments and shut out as many sounds of the world and just be. It is here that we can rest, that we can rejuvenate, that we can be creative, and we can reflect.

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

Pay attention to the noise you make and respect your neighbour’s right to peace and quiet.

Turn down the volume two notches on your radios and personal stereo systems with headphones.

Turn down the volume one notch on your television and turn it off during dinner.

Do NOT honk your horn, except in the case of imminent danger.

Replace noisy activities with quiet ones such as taking a walk.

Wear adequate hearing protection if you must be in a noisy environment and if you are concerned, get a hearing screening test done.

Try to observe one minute of no noise everyday.

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 580 – Burning Out The Babysitter

I find it very sad when I see someone who was dedicated and enthusiastic about their job, leaves because of burnout.

This is often the case in the childcare profession. 

Burnout is a state of fatigue, while feeling frustrated, overworked and unappreciated. It combines physical, emotional and mental symptoms. 

Workplace stress and burnout is very high in the childcare profession due to the stress of managing multiple children and their behaviours, the relationships with parents and peers, and often there is a lack of recognition and appreciation for what should be seen as such an important role in our society.

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

As a childcare professional be aware of the problem and recognize the danger signs of burnout, then take care of your health.

Learn long-term and short-term relaxation and stretching strategies.

Be realistic about goals and expectations.  Set limits.

Develop strong communication skills and strategies for dealing with children, parents and peers.

Develop activities that are separate from work.

As a parent whose child is looked after by a childcare professional:

Remember that parenting isn`t easy at the best of times, neither is looking after someone else`s child.  Not everything will be perfect or dealt with exactly as you would like it to be.

Let go of minor annoyances and deal appropriately and respectfully with those issues that must be addressed.

My children are many years out of their daycare setting, but they still have warm feelings for their childcare providers when they see them in person or when we look at pictures from the past.  So to Sara, Kelly, Julie, and Darlene – many thanks for taking good care of my boys.

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

EP 579 – I’m A Princess

I want to be a princess. Not the entitled kind, but the kind who works at being secure, confident, and powerful.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Princess Week with me:

One site listed 10 Qualities of a Healthy Princess Mentality

A princess is humble. She doesn’t try to overtly call attention to herself. Her poise and confidence may draw attention, but she doesn’t go out of her way to get people to notice her.

A princess knows her self worth. She sets boundaries and doesn’t let others walk all over her.

After a princess has taken care of her personal needs, she helps those around her.

A princess is a leader. She carries herself with authority.

A princess has an opinion and can voice it on a subject with both strength and tact, not with judgment and force. I am working on the judgement issue.

So to all the other princesses out there, have a wonderful week!

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

EP 578 – Mother Earth

I am very glad that the snow is gone and that my flowers are trying hard to poke their heads up to the sun.  A few years ago we celebrated Earth Day while we were on vacation. My boys were looking forward to the release of the Disney production of Earth, while we were at Disney.  It inspired them to do our annual clean up of the roadside where we live. They learned that each of us can do a little and we can all have an impact.

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

Be a Smart shopper. Buy what you need, not what you want. Consider renting and borrowing things that are seldom needed

Walk, cycle, car pool and use public transportation

Choose local foods that are in season and support local food producers

Wash full loads of clothes in cold water and hang to air dry

For summer air conditioning, set your thermostat to 24°C or 25°C

For winter heating, set your thermostat to 19°C or 20°C

Take short showers instead of baths

Don’t discard. Donate, reuse and recycle items before throwing them into the trash

Earth Day isn’t about a single action you can do to support a healthier environment. Instead, Earth Day is seen by many as a day to renew a personal commitment to support a healthier environment. Though my family and I have a long way to go, every little bit helps as we move to live more responsibly with the environment.

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