How Many Times Am I Going To Reach For That Stapler Before I Get Smart
- Nicole Pfeffer Crombie, MOT Occupational Therapist
 

I recently started a new job and came into a wonderful work environment with tons of equipment/supplies for me to use.  I decide to rearrange everything to make it my own. 

After one day of working at “my new work space”, I changed everything back to the way it was.  It made sense why the records were placed in the second drawer of the filing cabinet.  It was easier to access the second drawer from my desk (sitting down) rather than the first drawer where I would have to stand up and down numerous times throughout the day.  It became tiring and exhausting.

Take a look at your work space.   I bet you could rearrange a few things to make life easier for you.  For example:

·         Place  items that you use most beside you.  You would be surprised at how many things you use several times per day that are not within your reach.

·         Place items that you do not use regularly the farthest from you (i.e., in a closet or storage space).  Do you really need the coffee maker on your desk?

·         Throw away things that you do not use.   I used to feel that I was going to need it the next day and then I would kick myself for throwing it out in the first place.  I cleared out the clutter in that bottom drawer and haven’t wanted or needed that old travel-sized bottle of hand lotion ever since.

·         If you have work shelves, place items that are used most on the shelves closest to you and items that are not used on higher and lower shelves.

·         Alphabetize your files or organize according to groupings.  I have all of my files organized according to the workplace or the building I will be in on that day.

These tips can help improve your well-being at work and also increase your productivity.  If you do not waste time looking for everyday/simple items, you will have more time to work  productively.  Replacing many of the items to their original spot and making a few new areas of designation really helped me to focus on my job and my productivity in the long run.   After all, a stress free, clutter free workspace can translate to a stress free, clutter free mind returning more results and better outcomes for you and your company! 
 

If someone told you that you could create a revolution that would impact the lives of every person you work with would you believe them? Today I tell you that YOU can be the start of something wonderful at your workplace that will not only change your life but that of your friends and coworkers – create a culture of health!

Amazing things happen when people band together at the workplace to create a culture of health. At one of the workplace health centers operated by my company a pharmacist had an idea one day to start a weight loss program. Like many Americans, she had been struggling with losing weight and many of the people around her at work were overweight and their health was suffering as a result. She talked about this with some clinical colleagues – a physician, and 2 nurses and they developed a workplace health promotion and weight loss program called Choose to Lose where employees met weekly to learn about weight management and healthier living, support one another and create a culture of health within their workplace.

The results after just 6 months were astounding including:

·         Average weight loss of  9.95 pounds

·         Weight loss of those who attended over half of the weekly meetings averaged almost 21 pounds

·         Blood work for diabetics and people with high cholesterol reaching normal/optimal levels

·         Lowered Blood pressure

·         Fewer medications needed for chronic health conditions

This program started with just one person with an idea about making a difference and because of this one person, 64 people are now healthier and have a better chance at living longer, fuller, and happier lives.

The employees at this worksite were particularly fortunate that they had a workplace health center to come to with clinical guidance through their journey toward better health but even if you do not have a workplace health center YOU can make a difference at your workplace. Talk to management about starting a workplace wellness group, get together with your colleagues 3 days a week for a 30 minute walk during lunch and then share a healthy, low-calorie lunch together. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. If you have a cafeteria or vending machines at your workplace ask for healthier choices. Use the preventative health benefits offered by your company – get a flu shot, enroll in smoking cessation, health coaching programs and encourage your coworkers to do the same. Support one another!

After all, you spend about half of your waking hours at work so why not make them count toward improving your health. Bring your co-workers along on your journey and you will start a culture of health at your workplace that will make living a healthy life easier and more enjoyable.

Please, Thank Me!   - Lizzie Linton, Wellness Author

        Opening up an email from my boss recently, I wondered anxiously.  I remembered I had emailed him earlier in the day with some information. I clicked on the mail and here’s what I found:

“Thanks, and things are going well because
 of hard working people like you.”

       Okay, I know it was only a sentence but the power that one sentence held was overwhelming.  Lately, I had been feeling a bit sluggish and not as productive as I usually am.  My ability to stick to my health and wellness plan was a bit wobbly.  My boss had not even seen me in weeks.  I wondered, “Could he know?”  I decided not to waste energy on that and receive the complement.  It was just the thing I needed to get me back to first taking care of myself, then after putting those things right, show up to work with vigor.

       As we journey along in our pursuit of living healthy, we often do the obvious things like exercise, eat right, and take time for ourselves.  So often we do not stop to take in or hand out positive reinforcement through our words.  We just hustle along in our endeavors, not thinking about how we can enforce our mental wellness. Whether we are the boss, the employee, or somewhere in-between, we all need to hear something positive with regularity.

       Part of my wellness plan is to give my self permission to feel my feelings.  As I do this, I sometimes allow myself to feel the negative and forget to stop to experience the positive.   I allow others to bring me down.  I start taking less care of me and begin to pull in negative thoughts.  This experience made me think of ways to bring in the positive.

·        Write it down or print it out.  When someone says something nice about your work, it is important to keep those words in a place where you can see it when you feel negative.

·        A phrase will do.  If you hear, “good job” in the office hallway, make it your plan to “tally it.”  Keep a small chart of the positive phrases you hear.  Refer back to them when needed.

“”Thank” others.  If you need to hear something positive make it your goal to say positive words to others.  You will feel better and you will gain some extra compliments to feel and keep with you.

Lizzie Linton.  Lizzie is an academic professional currently seeking her masters in her professional field of reading education.  She enjoys all aspects of reading and education.  Lizzie recently started creative writing.  The theme of wellness continually appears as the subject matter.  She enjoys writing and promoting overall wellness in the lives of those around her.  Blog:  Bipolar Journey http://bipolarjourney.com

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