Vol. 2 Issue 2
If
you are working and postponing recreation and leisure activities until you
can retire, consider fitting in some of these activities now.
It might help you live longer and improve your mental health. A recent study of 107 sets of senior twins has shown that
those who participated in leisure activities in early and middle adulthood had a
reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease. In
the study, risk was reduced regardless of education level or degree of physical
exercise. Another earlier study by
the Harvard School of Public Health in 1999 showed that seniors who had an
active social life lived longer. What
it means: Social and leisure activities may be as important to long-term
physical and mental health as physical exercise!
Source: Journal of Gerontology Series, Psychological
Sciences and Social Sciences B: 58:P.249-255.
Are
you "low carbing" to lose weight?
If so, you don't have to wonder how many grams of carbohydrates are in
your food anymore. A free web
resource, www.carbohydrate-counter.org
(This link requires Internet Access) helps
dieters find the carbohydrate content in thousands of foods —
even by brand name! Use it to pick
low-carb foods for a low-carbohydrate diet.
It also is useful for diabetics who need to watch carbohydrate levels.
(Before dieting, always consult your doctor.)
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Companies
brand their products with attributes like quality, service, safety,
security, and dependability.
You can do the same with your reputation.
Think of coworkers you know who are regarded highly for returning calls
promptly, finishing work early, remaining calm in a crisis, or always having a
smile for those they meet.
They've been branded.
What positive features or characteristics of your work style do you want
others to think of when your name comes to mind? Take advantage of the natural
way all of us process and sort information and make it work for you.
Think of yourself as a branded product, decide what sets you apart from
others, and make whatever you do carry that unique and special attribute others
will soon remember.
Take precautions in cold weather, especially if you are traveling to
temperate countries during the winter. OSHA's
Cold Stress Card (free at 1-800-321-OSHA) provides guidance on how to combat and
prevent many cold-weather injuries. Certain medications can increase the risk of cold-weather
injuries. So can health conditions
that affect circulatory health. Talk
to your doctor to learn more. One
good tip: When trying to warm up, choose a sports beverage. Warm it, put it in an insulated container, and have it on
hand. Avoid coffee, soda, hot
chocolate, and especially alcohol.
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As
a younger worker, you are 80 percent more likely to be injured on the job,
and that injury is more likely to come in the first six months of your
employment. That's a key message in
the latest report from the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health. Many developmental factors
contribute to the risk young workers face.
How to reduce your risk:
1.
Deal effectively with personal issues and conflicts in your life that can
distract you on the job and increase risk of injury
—
home and parent issues, socializing, that new car, etc.
Remember the EAP as a source of help for confidential problem solving.
2.
Use safety equipment and avoid shortcuts.
Young workers have a natural sense of invincibility.
This is normal, but you can be led to believe that you are not likely to
get killed or injured. The opposite
is true.
3.
Whenever available, participate in company training on using equipment or
machinery. Don't miss training and
safety workshops. Inexperience
and lack of training equal increased risk.
4.
Don't shy away from asking questions about safety issues. The younger you are, the harder it is to be assertive and ask
for the proper safety equipment to perform a task.
5.
If in doubt about how to perform a task or how to
handle a piece of equipment, ask. Unwillingness
to ask questions can place you at risk of injury.
Do
you believe that your life is the result of decisions you have made, and
that almost nothing has happened to you by chance? Or do you believe that
outside influences have determined your fate? This is called one's "locus
of control." Locus of control is learned when growing up, and serves as a
starting point in our struggle to solve tough life problems.
Although most of us have a balance between these two views, examining
one's locus of control and making a shift toward one view over the other can
often help you quickly spot tough solutions to difficult problems.
Still stumped? Ask the EAP!
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Q:
My daycare provider comes to my house late so I can't leave for work
on time.
My supervisor has known this for two years.
Today, he referred me to the EAP after we argued about my coming to work
late.
Is the referral retaliation?
A:
Although the referral followed your argument, it can't be retaliation.
There is nothing revengeful or punitive about an EAP referral.
In fact it is the opposite — a
supportive attempt to help you and possibly avoid an adverse action to stop your
tardiness. Apparently your
supervisor has tried to be lenient with your situation, but can't continue.
You naturally feel upset after such a long period of accommodation.
The EAP can help you examine possible strategies for resolving the
daycare issue and your arrival time.
A 26-year
veteran used his own money to build a monument of thanks to J. M. Smucker
Company. The company of jam and jelly fame (and 115 other products) is
No. 1 on Fortune magazine's list of the best companies to work for this year.
The untold story about Smucker is that employees have successfully adopted
management’s philosophy for how to treat their coworkers: Listen with your
full attention, look for the good in others, have a sense of humor, and say
thank you for a job well done. The
result — a company with exceptionally high morale.
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