Connections - January 2009 - (Page 21) Spice of Life New Year’s Resolution If you want to jumpstart 2009, here’s a challenge: Can you look good in a bathing suit, while chilling out a hectic work environment and making $3.40 to $7.88 return on a $1 investment? People at General Electric, Dupont and Bank of America are already doing it. Read on to find out how wellness programs pay off for employees and employers. Instant Gratification for Employees Frankly, we all know the reward of looking good in a bathing suit isn’t enough to motivate everyone to go to the gym. Additionally, scare tactics don’t work so hot because the fear of heart disease and problems related to unhealthy living feel too far removed from every day life to be a concern. But what about that right-now feeling of being so frazzled by work you want to pull out your hair? Wellness programs can help that, too. Wellness program advocate Holly Gardner Sokolow of Life Management Associates teaches employees real, tangible ways to relax immediately in Employee Assistance Programs. “People need to find ways to reconnect when they’re under stress, especially at work,” said Sokolow. Here are a few tips from Employee Assistance Programs to implement now. “Set a little alarm on their computer to chime at different intervals during the day. When the alarm goes off, that can be a signal to slow down and practice deep breathing exercises. That alarm can also be a signal to get up and go look out the window or get up and go for a walk,” said Sokolow. “These activities are simple but they help promote self-awareness,” said Sokolow. “Self-awareness allows people to become more in tune with their own signs of stress so they can do something about it. This means they’ll be less volatile and less over reactive to stressful situations.” January 2009 | Connections | 21 http://nysna.org/advocacy/testimonies/occu_wellness.htm http://www.e-hresources.com/Articles/Nov2.htm http://www.employeewellnessprograms.org/employee-wellness-programs-the-bottom-line-booster/ http://mac.softpedia.com/get/Dashboard-Widgets/Music/Alarm-Clock.shtml http://www.lmasystems.com/ http://www.lmasystems.com/ http://www.eap-sap.com/eap/whatis.htm http://www.eap-sap.com/eap/whatis.htm
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