HP Authors

A WELLNESS TRANSFUSION!
Help write THE book on Wellness
In The Workplace.

Sandra Larkin

Maintain-Don’t Gain Over The Holidays
By Kathy Cash, RN, CHPD

Here come the holidays! Office parties, neighborhood get-togethers, and family reunions give us opportunities to reconnect with friends and family. We’ll also be reconnecting with huge meals, gallons of eggnog, piles of cookies, fistfuls of candy, and Mom’s decadent “Death by Chocolate” cake. If you dread holiday temptations, you’re not alone. People can gain 10 pounds between Halloween and New Year. Just maintaining weight is almost like losing 10 pounds. Try these tips on how to maintain… not gain.

At Parties

Thirty minutes before a party eat a healthy snack. It’ll be easier to avoid high calorie foods and will-power destroying sugar “crashes.”
Drink a glass of water for every glass of alcohol. You’ll take in fewer alcohol calories and not be as hungry.
To avoid picking up snacks, carry a glass of water while mingling with party guests.

Don’t deprive yourself. Eat small portions or your favorite foods and skip what you don't really love.

General Tips

Focus on fruits or vegetables for snacks. Avoid meats and cheeses.
Go ahead and bake holiday treats for the family. Just make less. There will be fewer temptations later.
Freeze leftovers, including snacks, in small portions to enjoy over the next weeks instead of all at once.
It’s OK to be obsessed with the bathroom scale. If a few pounds creep on, you’ll be motivated to say “no thanks” at the next party.
Keep a food journal and calculate calories every day. List EVERYTHING… right down to the candy canes.
“Sneak” exercise into your holiday schedule. Do wall push-ups while heating something in the microwave. Do “curls” with grocery bags while carrying them in from the car. Jog in place during the football game half time.
Choose activities to keep everyone moving. Take walks to admire holiday lights. Go caroling. Make a game out of raking leaves or shoveling snow. Create your own contest. Assign points for likely temptations and performing positive activities.
Example: 10 points for avoiding dessert or 20 points for exercising. Reward yourself upon reaching milestones.

The Most Important Tip - Take care of yourself. Getting overwhelmed with the holidays leads to decreased will power and emotional eating. Learn to say “no” and ask for help. Focus on priorities… including yourself. Stay on track with the healthy lifestyles you practice the rest of the year.

Kathy Cash, RN, CHPD. Kathy is a retired Lieutenant Colonel. One of the Air Force’s top Health Promotion Administrators, Kathy went on to design the first Department of Defense prevention program for a Fortune 500 HMO. Now a freelance health/wellness writer and consultant, Kathy lives in Tennessee with husband, Grady. Email cashk@comcast.net.

Am I Sitting In My Seat Correctly?
- Nicole Pfeffer Crombie,
MOT Occupational Therapist

A few weeks ago, I was helping a client with his seat positioning. I had to adjust the desk height as well as get him a new chair because he was too small for the desk and his legs were dangling. As I went back to my own desk and chair, I realized I probably should do a few modifications of my own to make my seating position as optimal as possible. I lowered my seat so that it fit me better and I also placed a cushion on my seat so that it was a little more comfortable.

The difference between an optimal seating system and one that is not is your comfort level as well as your productivity level (not to mention the strain on your back/neck/shoulders/etc.). If you are comfortable seated in your chair, you will be able to complete more work efficiently. In addition, if you are sitting in a comfortable seat, your whole body will thank you in the end.

Here are five tips to keep in mind while you are evaluating your own seat:

Your feet should be flat on the floor (not dangling).

You should not have a gap between your back and the seat.

Your hips and knees should be at about a 90 degree angle with your knees a little bit higher than your hips.

You should have support at the bottom of your back in the seat.

Your seat should be firm and comfortable.

If you find that your seat is giving you difficulties, there are some simple ways you may be able to correct it meaning you do not have to go out and buy a whole new desk and chair. For example, if your feet are dangling, lower your chair or use a small foot rest. If your legs are cramped, heighten your chair. If you have a gap in between your seat and your back, add a cushion of some sort. If you find that you do not have adequate support at the bottom of your back, place a cushion or a rolled up towel behind your lower back. In addition, getting up frequently (approximately once every 45 minutes-1 hour) to stretch or take a short walk can tremendously take the strain and pressure off of your muscles while sitting.

Are you working in an optimal seating position? If you’re not, use some of the points to change your seat to an optimal work station. After all, a comfortable seat lets you work more efficiently and your body will thank you at the end of the day!

Nicole Pfeffer Crombie, MOT. Nicole Pfeffer Crombie is a practicing occupational therapist receiving bachelors degree from Allegheny College in Meadville, PA and her masters degree in occupational therapy from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. She has worked in outpatient pediatric rehab, the school systems, and early
intervention/home care. She currently resides in Charlottesville, VA with her family and works in the school system of Virginia. Her email address is ncrombie@comcast.net

How to Deal With Annoying Co-Workers
- Devin Hakala, MS, LMFT

It starts in the morning as you're getting ready for work. That annoying co-worker creeps into your mind. You think of the voice, the mannerisms, and the details that bother you for several minutes or hours after even brief encounters. You hope you will be able to stay away from The Pest, or that The Pest will be away from work today. You might even think to yourself, Maybe those things won't be annoying to me today… but yes, those things will be annoying today.

Here is an introduction to Annoyance Management. The concept is similar to Anger Management which, by the way, is not learning to hope that you won't ever be angry.

Instead, you learn to manage anger by accepting the certainty that you will get angry, and figure out ways ahead of time to react appropriately.

Accepting that you will be annoyed allows you the opportunity to diffuse annoyance. Predict a situation that is likely to be annoying. Imagine how the conversation will be, how bad The Pest’s breath will be, how much you’ll want to scream “SHUT UP!” at the top of your lungs. Then try one of the following ideas or some of your own, and maintain self-control in an annoying situation:

Show interest in what The Pest is saying. Even if you are told 20 reasons why your clothing doesn't match, ask detailed questions and ask for explanations. Annoying people don't always speak or think rationally, and curiosity and active listening can bring a conversation to a rational level.
Be polite and start productive dialogue. Sometimes annoying co-workers don’t realize they are bothering you. Try being diplomatic. “No offense intended, it’s just that there are times I feel annoyed around you.”
Just get through the day and then enjoy a dartboard or punching bag at home with a hand-drawn picture of the annoying co-worker on it. It's crude, but it allows you to look forward to releasing your annoyance after work.
Become aware of your breathing, and slow it down. This can calm you.
Have a conversation with your boss, explaining in a professional way how the co-worker hampers productivity.

If The Pest is at your workplace, be creative and proactive. Expect to feel annoyed, and determine how you will react ahead of time.

Devin Hakala, MS, LMFT. Devin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. Devin received his Bachelor's degree from UW-Madison, and his Master's degree from Edgewood College. He is a Clinical Therapist at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare in Wisconsin, where he works with individuals, couples, and families.

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Sandra Larkin • Mr. Rooney • Anne Ward • HP Authors