Thursday, November 29, 2012

Teaching and Understanding Childhood Stress Management Skills


Are children more stressed today than in years past? Tougher academics, more competition, social challenges, health risks, and rapid-fire audiovisual hype from media certainly appear greater. The uncertainty of a secure financial future is felt by 30% of children, says one research study. Coping isn’t about eliminating stress. It’s about learning resistance and adaptation skills. Exercises abound for teaching kids stress management, but cover these bases: Learn sleep skills, relaxation skills, detachment-from-worry skills, how to understand positive thinking, the benefits of proper diet and regular exercise, and how to pursue balance. Improved self-esteem, increased self-confidence, improved creativity, and healthier relationships with peers and family will result. Consider downloading and saving a copy of this government report on child stress, and then give it to your clients and other could benefit.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/pdf/Childhood_Stress.pdf

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Inhalant Abuse: NIDA Report Update Sept 2012

I almost missed it (actually I did, but found it soon enough). The National Institute on Drug Abuse has updated its report on inhalant abuse. You can it here along with recent research on the subject.


All materials appearing in the ​Research Reports series are in the public domain and may be reproduced without permission from NIDA. Citation of the source is appreciated.
Table of Contents
       What are inhalants?
    What is the scope of inhalant abuse?
    How are inhalants used?
    How do inhalants produce their effects?
    How can inhalant abuse be recognized?
    What are the short- and long-term effects of inhalant use?
    What are the other medical consequences of inhalant abuse?
    What are the unique risks associated with nitrite abuse?
    Where can I get more scientific information on inhalant abuse?
    Glossary
    References 

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Group #9 EAP Fact Sheets Released

EAP Tip Sheets for EAPs
Group #9 is now available.

Reproducible and Editable Tip Sheets, Group #9 is now available. You can print the brochure from this link.
The titles include:

  1. What to Do about Compassion Fatigue
  2. Protecting Your Kids from Stealth Marketing
  3. Stopping Intimate Partner Violence
  4. Using Email Appropriately at Work
  5. Distracted Driving and You
  6. The Sleepy Employee
  7. When You Are Facing Personal Change
  8. Creating a Welcoming Workplace for Disabled Workers
  9. Understanding Workplace Survivor Syndrome
  10. Holiday Eating Tips
  11. Using Emotional Intelligence to Boost Customer Satisfaction
  12. Do You Know about Your Teenager's Friends?
  13. Saying "No" to Your Child
  14. Teaching Kids to Save Money
  15. Commonsense Communication at Work
You can print the brochure from this link.

To see all available reproducible workplace wellness and productivity tip sheets, visit the following page at WorkExcel.com: 

Thursday, November 8, 2012

EAPs and The Sleepy Employee



Does your employee assistance program address sleep problems. From insomnia to midnight panic attacks, dozens of issues associated with sleep and productivity are fertile ground for Employee Assistance Programs. Dig into the monographs and materials available from EAPA. I believe the Tampa, Florida national conference hand great material on this topic. Sleep matters. Studies show that a poor night’s rest negatively affects job performance in a number of ways including:
  • Poor judgment
  • Decreased productivity
  • Difficulty learning and retaining information
  • Difficulty processing complex information
  • Delayed reaction time
  • Irritability
  • Impatience
  • Negativity
  • Fatigue
  • Decreased concentration
  • Diminished self control
  • Poor reflexes
  • Tardiness
  • Falling asleep on the job
Sleeplessness can also be a serious safety issue. Those who work with heavy equipment have a significantly increased risk of workplace accidents when they arrive at work tired. Commuters are also at risk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drowsy driving is responsible for 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries per year.

Let employers know what program efforts you're making to address organizational sleep problems. Attempt to put a price tag on productivity and attendance losses. Then, make an impact, claim the high ground and educate employers in the area. Try getting some media publicity. It's not hard to do.