Work Smart Live Smart with Beverly Beuermann-King

April celebrates Conflict Awareness Month.

Celebrates sounds like a funny word to use when we are talking about conflict, but there are benefits to conflict including:

Becoming aware of issues within your team

Encouraging change in the way things are done

Stimulating creativity and bonding as you work to solve the conflict

And Promoting decision-making.

Conflict becomes difficult to manage when personalities hinder the process.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Conflict Awareness Month:

Understanding why some team members become more difficult or negative, and when they are more likely to act that way, can prevent that build up of tension from happening, that may prevent the team from productively solving the conflict.

So why are people difficult?

For some, negative attitudes and behaviours are expressed when they are stressed out and just don’t have the energy to use better communication skills, judgment and manners.

Our goal is to stop rewarding these irritating behaviours. To do this, we must understand what employees expect to gain from being so difficult. Some want to feel more in control. Some want to feel important and listened to, and some want to avoid outright conflict, but will act out their annoyance or disagreement through other negative behaviours. By finding the strategies to meet their needs and lower their stress, they may be better able to focus on solving the conflict.

The difficulty behind these attitudes and behaviours is that they are highly “toxic.” It is important that we practise good self-care so that our stress doesn’t add more negativity to the situation.

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

As wellness leaders and wellness cheerleaders know, it is often not a lack of information that our team’s face.  It is about finding a stronger motivation to fight the no’s and the excuses.

Look for example at your smoking cessation programs.  I would venture to say that almost everyone who smokes know that it is harming them in one way or the other.  It is not until someone has a clear mental picture as to what the benefits are or how they see their life without smoking, that they can even hope to be successful. 

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Physical Wellness Month:

Help people to have a picture in their head of what life will look like when they have achieved their wellness goal. 

 So, my picture, is to be able to still run a successful business and to have the creativity and motivation to keep trying new things.  It is to be teaching karate to young boys and girls when I am older.  I want to be that cool grandma that goes on the roller coaster rides and can walk along the beach. I want to be in my gardens, and I want to stay living in my two-story house.  I want to be sure-footed and not afraid to go out and about.  I want my back to be straight and my eyes looking forward, not hunched and looking at the ground.  So I try to walk at least a couple of times every week, sometimes, complaining the whole way.  I go to karate class as often as I can. I throw the frisbee in the snow, because even though it’s only the dog getting exercise, I am taking in the benefits of the light that will positively impact my mood and energy.

There are so many wellness programs that you could host at your workplace. How are those programs going to help your team be who they picture themselves being? 

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

I remember date night…That was before hockey and weekends at the rink. That was before school projects and helping out with math homework.  And that was before going to bed before 9:00 was a matter of survival.  With today’s chaotic pace, it is easy to take your partner for granted.

When we first fall in love, everything is excitingly-new. But, as the novelty factor starts to wane, we settle into more of a routine. That’s when excitement can be replaced by boredom.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Research shows that couples can regain that excitement in their relationship by trying something new together.  Experiencing new things triggers the release of two brain chemicals, dopamine and norepinephrine — the same ones released when you’re newly in love.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Couple Appreciation Month:

Start going on dates again.

Plan a road trip to nowhere.

Go for a walk in the park and hold hands the entire time.

Cook a special dinner together just for the two of you.

Leave a quick note on the mirror, their gym bag, or their briefcase/purse to make them smile.

Take a minute to think about how much more enjoyable they make your life, and then tell them.

These are my suggestions, but I am sure that there are things that you did before that you would like to do again or new things that you would like to try with your partner.  So go ahead – what’s stopping you? (nothing should be stopping you!)  Nothing can be more important then ensuring that your relationship stays rock solid.

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

I had no idea. There will be nearly 9,000 new cases of Testicular Cancer diagnosed during this year and more than 300 young men will die from the disease because they didn’t catch it in time. That is more deaths than women in this age group who will die of breast cancer.)

Testicular Cancer is the most common cancer in men ages 15-40, that time when we don’t want to admit the possibility of illness.  However, if detected early, it is among the easiest to cure.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Testicular Cancer Awareness Week:

You are never too young or too old to do a self-exam.  Teach young boys just like we do teen girls to do a self-exam.  It should not be embarrassing, and it does save lives.

Know the risk factors:

Age: Most testicular cancers occur between the ages of 15 and 40.

The main risk factor for testicular cancer are undescended testicle(s).

A family history of testicular cancer increases the risk.

Race and ethnicity: The risk of testicular cancer among white American men is about five times that of African-American men and more than double that of Asian-American men.

Talk about it. Private parts are private, but knowing how to detect an illness early is just as essential as the ‘birds and the bees’.

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

Today we fight the perils of FDS: Fun Deficiency Syndrome on this National Fun Day

Today is also Wet Monday.  A tradition that was grew out of splashing holy water to a university wide water fight.  Now, that sounds like fun!

It is also National Deep Dish Pizza Day – how about squishing some dough and making your own pizzas. That could be fun and probably not too messy!

Cheap, But Fun Things To Do

A lack of money shouldn’t mean a lack of fun.  There are lots of fun things to do that don’t require any money at all.  Play dress up or make-believe with your kids.  Go and ride your bike.  Take a walk at the beach or along a nature trail and see what spring has to offer.  Play catch or Frisbee with your dog.

Fun can take place at work as well.  This is also Laugh At Work Week – so check out our posting on this celebration for things that you can do at work.

When we are having fun we forget ourselves.  Fun includes happiness, amusement, exhilaration, laughter and joy.  However, we lose our sense of fun as we age if we do not nourish it regularly.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Fun Day:

Do something fun today – anything – but don’t let the day pass without having some fun!

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