Work Smart Live Smart with Beverly Beuermann-King

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

It’s 3 o’clock in the afternoon, you are irritated, your head is fuzzy and your eyes are having trouble focusing. You would love to find a corner and go to sleep, but there is no time. How about a coffee or a chocolate bar?

Most of us instinctively reach for sweets or caffeine to give relief from the morning sluggishness or afternoon slump. We use sweets as a way of helping ourselves through stressful times. Those strategies might help, temporarily, but there is a downside to these methods. Poor eating strategies affect our brain chemistry and cause fatigue, apathy, apprehension, edginess and the blues.

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

Avoid The Sugar Blues

Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner. Smaller balance meals are preferable to large meals

Use exercise or stretching to increase energy and lift the ‘fog’

Include fish in your weekly diet as the essential fatty acids they contain increase energy and improve mood

Don’t confuse thirst with hunger. Drinking a cool glass of water can boost energy in the middle of the afternoon slump

Have healthy snacks readily available. Plan ahead and keep them in desk drawers, lockers or even in the glove box of your car

We have all heard the saying ‘We are what we eat’, but most of us connect this with the body’s physical reactions. Our brain is just as dependent on the food that we consume.

Healthy food choices help us avoid the erratic blood sugar levels and associated mood swings. Plan your snacks ahead of time and avoid the sugar blues.

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

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

Part of spring cleaning is tackling your cupboards and drawers.  Well how about that medicine cupboard? Do You Know About Medication Safety?

I know that mine had been neglected when I found a jar of Vicks medicated rub from when I was a kid.  Yes, that was a long time ago and yes, it was about time that it was thrown out.  I have no idea if that stuff ever goes bad, but I probably should have thrown it out years ago.  I have carted it from my bedroom, to my residence room, to my first apartment, and then from one home to the next with my family.

Medication errors are said to affect at least 1.5 million Canadians per year according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.  And those mistakes can be disastrous.

Medication safety isn’t just about an expiry date.  It’s about safe storage.  Knowing what medications may interact with other medications, food and supplements. It’s about telling your doctor about any side effects you may have had from previous prescriptions and what supplements or over-the-counter medications you may be taking.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Medication Safety Week:

Check your prescriptions periodically for expiration dates

Don’t share medicines with friends or family

Dispose of medications properly. Most pharmacies will take your old drugs for proper disposal. Avoid putting them in trashcans or into the toilet

Remember that the term “natural” does not necessarily mean “safe”.  Treat all supplements and herbal remedies with the same respect as you would any prescribed medications

 Make Sure That Your Family Stays Safe And Healthy

Want to find more strategies to coping with stress, check out 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.

So Here are today’s Hot 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

According to American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine the accident risk is two to six times higher for those suffering from sleep apnea than it is for regular drivers. Everyday, car crashes are caused by drivers with sleep apnea falling asleep at the wheel.

I grew up with people who snored.  I thought that everyone did.  And I thought, like most people, that it was no big deal.  However, people with untreated sleep apnea are more likely to have motor vehicle crashes, hypertension, heart attacks, irregular heart beat stroke, depression, impotence and diabetes.

Do You Think You May Have Sleep Apnea?

Are you often very sleepy throughout the day?

Do others tell you that you snore or have short pauses in your breathing while you sleep?

Are you known to choke, gasp, or hold your breath while asleep?

Do you think you get a full night’s sleep most nights but still wake up tired?

Are you overweight?

The Public Health Agency of Canada found that 26%of Canadian adults aged 18 years and older are estimated to be at high risk for having sleep apnea and only 5% of people at high risk have been tested for the condition.

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

If in doubt, get it checked out.  Go to see your doctor and ask for a referral to a sleep clinic.

Decrease your risk. You can control your diet and weight, how much you exercise, how you use alcohol and caffeine and whether you smoke.  All of these can lower your risk for sleep apnea.

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.

“I am in Control Day” is a call to action.  It is your chance to get things in order and under control.

We humans have a powerful need to control the world around us.  In the same respect, not being in control, creates an enormous amount of stress.  As we evolved, being in control of our environment increased our chance of survival. It gave us a sense of certainty, completion, understanding, and predictability.

When we can’t completely control something, then we can use trust, routines and rules to help us with a sense of control.  We trust authority figures to keep us safe and make the right decisions.  We can also trust in a ‘higher’ power.  Routines and rules help to keep things more predictable.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating I Am In Control Day:

Take a deep breath and relax. The stress response can be fought by inducing the relaxation response. 

Assess the situation.  Gather the facts.  Sometimes just having all the information about what you are facing can help you to feel more in control.  Be sure that you are not over-exaggerating the situation.

Next, ask yourself what you can do to problem solve the situation? What choices can you make that will help you resolve this?

Focus on the things that you do have control of, even if they are the little things.

 “Remember, we always have choice about the way we live our lives.  We may not be able to control everything and often control is more of an illusion.  But when we give up choosing, we truly are out of control.”

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

This day celebrates those entrepreneurs who had a desire to be their own boss and who went out and made it happen.  They are store owners, manufacturers, producers and service providers.  It is through determination and hard work that their success is possible.

The downside is that they probably sacrificed family time and personal care for this success.

In helping entrepreneurs in dealing with work-related stress issues, one of the key reasons I hear that many started their business, was to have control.  Control over the creative process.  Control over the service that they provided to others.  And most especially – control over themselves – How they worked and when they worked.

Often this control over when they worked and how they worked was quickly given away in an effort to grow their business. They became their own worse boss as they strived for success. 

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day

Some advice if you are the business owner – remember why you started your own business and make sure that you are honouring that reason in the way that you conduct your business.

 Make sure that you are taking care of yourself so that you have the energy to continue to work hard in your business. Take several breaks throughout the day to restore your energy. Eat right. Have a life outside your business.  Stay connected to your family and friends.

The goal is to run a successful business and stay healthy and connected at the same time.

To everyone else: Thank those mom and pop business owners in your community who work hard to keep their business going strong

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

But the little boy said…There are so many colors in the rainbow. So many colors in the morning sun. So many colors in the flower and I see every one.

I love this song by Harry Chapin. 

March is Colour Therapy Month and it reminds me that soon, the snow will leave us and the amazing colours of spring will surface.  These colours make me smile, they pick me up and they put the world back into perspective.

Research has found that colour does impact our mood.  Colour therapy itself, is an energy healing method that has been used for thousands of years.

So Here are today’s Hot Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Colour Therapy Month:

Deep breathing and visualization are powerful strategies that can calm and heal us.  You may want to vary this by using Colour Breathing.  While breathing in and out, the participant visualizes the various colours of the rainbow filling their body and then being released.  Red, orange and yellow come up from the ground through the body, to the top and leave through the ground.  Green is visualized coming in horizontally from the world to fill your body and then leaves out the back, while blue and violet come in from the head, to the toes and back out to the sky.

Here are a couple favourites from the Colour Therapy Month website:

Eat a salad that contains all 7 colors of the rainbow.

Take a color therapy bath.

Mix and drink your favorite colorful cocktail or fruit smoothie.

Create a flower display of all the 7 rainbow colors.

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

Whether out in the field or occupying the leader’s chair, everyone has a stake in reporting incidents of suspected or actual wrongdoing. However, being a whistle-blower feels like a violation of that playground rule not to be a tattletale.

Creating a culture that encourages an individual to raise the red flag when something unethical or illegal is taking place is critical.

So how do you get past the feeling of not wanting to cause trouble for someone else?

It’s by understanding that the consequences of keeping silent can be significant and harmful.

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

Create a culture within your organization that encourages employees to report wrongdoing. Work with your teams to understand that the cost of silence is high. This silence may impact the safety of colleagues or damage the reputation and bottom-line of the organization.

According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, a survey of 195 global leaders located in 15 different countries reported that high ethical and moral standards were the most important leadership trait in the workplace.

Those whose word is their honor and who can be absolutely trusted to be fair, honest, and forthright are more likely to command the respect of those around them.

High ethical and moral standards create a safe and trusting environment in the workplace where employees can thrive. When employees feel that they can depend on and trust their leader, they feel safe and will go the extra mile for the organization.

While leaders have an obligation to set the ethical tone of the organization, it is everyone's ethical behavior that matters.

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