by Grace | Jan 18, 2021 | Workplace Education
“Febfast is where individuals call time-out on alcohol, sugar or another vice of their choice, to support disadvantaged youth in Australia. It is the perfect excuse to kick-start the year with a little good health and good will.” – febfast.org.au (2019).
Why not take on the challenge with a group of work colleagues?
What are the benefits of febfast?
- Feel healthier;
- Improved sleep;
- More productive;
- Save money;
- Increased energy;
- Improved concentration;
During FebFAST, you can choose to give up alcohol, sugar or anything else that tickles your fancy! To register and donate, click on the link – https://febfast.org.au/signup
by Grace | Dec 29, 2020 | Workplace Education
Did you know.. World Leprosy Day is celebrated on the 31st January this year, and raises awareness of the disease that many people believe to be extinct.
What is Leprosy?
According to The Leprosy Mission Australia (2020), leprosy is a neglected tropical disease caused by bacteria. Leprosy is thought to be contracted when a person affected by leprosy coughs or sneezes, and a vulnerable person breathes in the droplets containing the bacterium.
Leprosy is curable and rarely affects people in modern Australia.
Effects of leprosy:
According to The Leprosy Mission Australia (2020), leprosy can affect people physically, but it can also destroy their psychological and social health. Some effects include the following:
- Skin patches
- Nerve damage
- Sensation loss
- Ulcers
- Deformity
- Stigma
Treatment:
Leprosy is completely curable through antibiotic treatment.
Triple Zero Leprosy Strategy:
The Leprosy Mission Australia is striving for zero leprosy transmission, zero disability and zero discrimination by 2035. If you would like to donate – click here https://www.leprosymission.org.au/give-now-landing-page/
by Grace | Dec 29, 2020 | Health Assessments, Workplace Education
Are you wanting to offer your employees work benefits? Why not give them the opportunity to screen and make positive changes towards their health?
Our qualified Nurses at Workplace Health and Safety Victoria visit your workplace and conduct Health Assessments to your employees with the aim to improve your overall health of your employees.
We offer diabetes screening, heart health checks and overall health checks using our body composition scales (comparing body/fat percentage, calculating metabolic age, visceral fat rating and more). Our health assessments provide a baseline screening of where your employee sits health-wise, with the results being absolutely confidential to your employee.
From here, your employee can choose to make positive changes towards their lifestyle through the education we provide or disregard our advice altogether.
Studies show that investing in your employee’s health can bring the following benefits to your workplace:
- Reduced absenteeism
- Improved injury incidence and outcomes
- Retained top talent
- Increased workplace productivity
- Improved company morale
- Support for an aging workforce
- Raised awareness of relevant health issues in your workplace and the ability to provide referrals where appropriate
Workplace Health and Safety Victoria also offer pre-employment medicals, which are held at our clinics in Geelong and the Surfcoast, which screen against vision, hearing, range of movement, heart health, diabetes, and more. More extensive Health Assessments can also be held at the clinic and include GP check ups and appointments with our Sports Physiologists.
To enquire, please contact Belinda at [email protected] or call 0456 387 569.
by Grace | Dec 29, 2020 | Workplace Education
Christmas, New Year and the start of January is a common time for many workplaces to take the foot off the pedal and enjoy a few weeks of holidays. No doubt you have managed to relax, enjoy some family time and perhaps complete a project at home you’ve been meaning to do.
Returning to work and a routine after holidays can sometimes be less than appealing – however according to Hub Australia (2020), here’s some skills and tools that will help you get motivated in no time:
- Pre-trip tip – Tie up all loose ends before you go on holidays:
It may be a little late for those reading this on your first day back, but finishing everything off to the best you can will help you get motivated as you enter the new year. Ways to help do this may include a comprehensive handover to your team or ticking off everything on your to-do list.
- Block out the first part of your day to go through your inbox and action everything:
Emails pile up the moment you clock off for holidays – it’s hard to maintain motivation when there is a mountain of emails to conquer. Actioning all emails on your return will help you feel less overwhelmed – try creating folders and dragging emails into their respective folders once they have been actioned.
- Plan:
Find a quiet space where you can plan out as much as you can for the coming week and/or month, before working back and filling in the smaller items your plan needs. It’s easier to stay motivated when you can see progress.
- Prioritise:
Set your priorities and add an estimated time to complete next to them – view the time-consuming and difficult ones as ‘frogs’ and shorter tasks as ‘fast-wins’.
- Communicate to your team:
Setting the expectation that your first day back will be focussed on catching up rather than taking on new tasks is essential. If you commit your first day back to planning and getting your head back in the work zone, you’re setting yourself up to be able to step into your normal role on day 2.
- Get a big win:
Taking on a big task or high priority task your first day back will help you boost your sense of achievement at work, and also kick your brain into gear.
- Get some quick wins:
Knock a few quick tasks off your list!
- Take your breaks:
Take regular breaks as your brain needs o get used to your usual workload again. Possibly treat yourself to lunch on your first day back or go for a few short walks outside.
- Learn from your mistakes:
Make sure you list all the things that would have made it easier to hit the ground running on your return back from holidays and add it to your calendar prior to your next holiday.
by Grace | Dec 29, 2020 | Workplace Education
The Christmas and New Year period is filled with love and celebrations, along with alcohol, desserts, generously portioned meals and chocolate.
You may be feeling a little sluggish coming into the new year and what better time to get your act into gear and find your healthy routine again!
According to House of Wellness (2020), the following 6 tips will help lose the Christmas kilos:
- Establish a routine:
Structure is key when finding your routine. Avoid scrolling through social media and get moving first thing – once you’re up you’ll have momentum to continue with the rest of your day.
- Avoid finding comfort in food:
Sometimes we feel worse when we rely on food to manage our emotions. Find other strategies to manage your emotions such as connecting with family and friends or doing a hobby or activity you enjoy.
- Avoid mindless snacking:
Christmas time brings copious food and snacks laying around the house. Avoid eating a few biscuits here and some chocolate there – try swapping these for carrots and hummus or a piece of fruit.
- Ditch the extreme diets:
Eating a range of core food groups is always best if we want to make long-term sustainable changes.
- Get moving:
Cardio workouts help lose weight. You can also substitute an arvo drink catch up with a friend for a walk around the local river.
- Limit your alcohol intake:
Moderation is key when it comes to alcohol as it plays a factor in weight gain. If you don’t want to cut out alcohol completely, try having a glass or two for the week.
by Grace | Dec 29, 2020 | Workplace Education
It’s a common occurrence to feel exhausted after Christmas – you may have done ‘nothing much’, but overeating and constant socialising can leave us feeling tired, sluggish and drowsy.
You may still be on holidays or you might be straight back into the office. Either way, here’s some tips (according to Centred Wellness, 2020) on getting on top of that tiredness and back into routine!
- Sleep: With the lead up to Christmas, most people tend to have later nights. Even if your days aren’t as structured this time of the year, try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning – this will help your body swing back into routine!
- Food: Christmas time sugary treats and over indulging are usually followed by lows in mood and energy. Try limit sweetened and highly processed foods and after a few days, you won’t be craving these anymore. Ensure you have protein at each meal, try eating small frequent meals, drinks lots of water and cut back on the evening wine.
- Cut the coffee: Similar to sugar, caffeine can spike your blood sugar so while you feel good initially, your can come crashing down later. Caffeine can also disrupt sleep quality. If cutting out coffee completely is too daunting, try cutting it down slowly over a couple of weeks and see if you feel less tired.
- Give yourself permission to relax: Slowing down can be affective in improving energy levels. After a busy year, you deserve to take a break! Enjoy some of your favourite activities, read a book or simply enjoy your morning coffee whilst reading the paper.