InterPersonal BestI S S U E 1 , 2 0 1 3

PLUS

thE 360-dEgrEE SPrIng cLEanIng Financial tune-Up Page 2

Spring cleaning tips for Work and home Page 4

committing to the new You: how to change habits to Become healthier Page 5

FEatUrE

dear Jo: Expert answers to Your Workplace Questions Page 6

coach's corner: Work Strategies From the Playing Field Page 8

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Financial tUnE-UPThe spring is an excellent time to do a

financial tune-up. Chances are you

have already started—or even finished—

going through receipts and statements to

prepare your tax return, so you’re ready to

review your current financial situation and

your goals for the future.

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Your Net Worth

Step one is to figure out your net worth. It's a pretty straightforward process.

• First, tally up all of your assets, including savings accounts and investments, retirement funds, the value of your house and car, and so on.

• Then add up all of your debts: credit cards, mortgages, school loans, car loans, and so on.

• Then subtract your debts from your assets, and you're looking at your net worth.

Are you pleased? Disappointed? Surprised? One of the goals of this financial tune-up is to become more aware of your finances so that next year you won't be surprised.

Your Insurance

Is your home coverage sufficient for your current situation? Or has your home's value changed? Do you own more than you did when you purchased the insurance?

Also, are you covered for the worth of your belongings or the replacement value? The worth of your belongings can be surprisingly small. For example, last year's computer might be worth only a few hundred dollars, even if it would cost you a couple of thousand to replace it. That's why it's better to have replacement value insurance, if you can afford it.

Also, what is your deductible? The higher the deductible, the less the insurance costs. If your current deductible is $500 and you change it to $1,000, you may be surprised at how much money you save.

What about your car insurance? Do you want to raise your deductible on this as well? If your car is older, is it worth having collision insurance? Also, ask your insurance agent if you can get a better price by taking a defensive driving class.

Then there's life insurance. The big question here is: do you have enough coverage? Take a look at your family's net worth, where your money goes, how much you make, how much your spouse/partner makes (if you have one), and how old your children are. (If you have no dependents, you may not need life insurance.) Think about what you'd like the insurance to accomplish. Do you want it to help your loved ones get by for a few years? Pay off the mortgage? Pay for your child(ren)'s college education(s)? Before making your final decision, check how much life insurance you get as a benefit at your job, if any.

Do you have disability insurance or long-term care (LTC) insurance? Many people don't have either, but experts consider both to be important forms of coverage. (Note: even if you’re young, it makes sense to have disability insurance; on the other hand, LTC coverage is generally for older people.) Depending on your age and situation, these forms of insurance can be quite expensive. One way to bring

down the price is to extend the waiting period. A policy that starts paying after 30 days of disability/nursing home care is much more expensive than one that starts after 90 days.

Your Retirement Fund(s)

Are you putting enough away for retirement? You might ask, “What is enough?” and it’s an excellent question. A simple rule of thumb is that most of us would be better off putting away more. Consider increasing the amount you put away every time you get a raise.

Second, are you comfortable with your investments? Is the proportion of stocks and bonds and other investments right for you? Do you want to take more risk? Less risk? If you’re not sure how to answer these questions, you might want to speak to someone at your 401k/403b or another financial advisor.

Where Does Your Money Go?

If you can't answer that question easily, write down everything you spend for a month or two (or forever). Everything. This is extremely important information, because it allows you to find ways to free up money to get more insurance or to save or invest more. With luck, you’ll find a few places where you can spend less without too much pain. Maybe you can eat out less often or order less expensive food. Maybe you can use the library rather than buy books and DVDs. Maybe you can wear your winter coat one more year. Every bit helps.

Setting Goals

Now that you know where you stand, where do you want to go? Is this the year you contribute more to your retirement? Save more? Get disability insurance? Pay off your credit cards?

If you would like to talk to someone about setting goals or about finances in general, consider calling Anthem EAP for a legal/financial consultation or logging onto the Anthem website to access a wide array of financial planning articles. n

Now is the time for a financial “spring

cleaning.”

for Work and Home

Affordable Ways to Get OrganizedYou don’t have to spend a lot of money to get organized. Here are some ways to repurpose common objects to make better use of your space.

• Manage all those cords! Fasten large binder clips to the edge of your desk to hold your electronic device charging cords in place and get them off the floor. Or attach a hook underneath your desk to gather them. Keep seldom-used cords neat with twist ties or rubber bands

• Finished a can of veggies or fruit? Take the lid off, peel off the label, wash the can, and use it as a cup holder for pens or other items. Spruce up the cup with paint, chalkboard paint, or decorative paper.

• Use an ice cube tray to contain like items (e.g., jewelry, craft, or office supplies). Most ice cube trays fit inside drawers.

• And don't forget to check out SpendLess on the ACCLS website (www.ACCLS.com) to access discounts from hundreds of different retailers.

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Imagine never having to dig through clutter to find that one thing you need. Envision yourself living and working in beautiful, clear spaces. Some spring cleaning can make all this possible, and help save you time, energy, and stress for the rest of the year.

Here are some tips to help you make the best use of your space and stay on top of things, both at home and work.

For Home• The first thing you see when you walk into your home can

change your mood. Set aside a tidy place by the door for your mail, keys, and umbrellas. Make the mail bin or folder small enough so that you can’t ignore a pile of neglected letters, bills, and catalogs for too long.

• If loose “stuff” commonly shows up on surfaces, contain it in decorative trays and dishes. The clutter will instantly look better.

• In closets, group similar objects into containers and label them. Clear plastic containers can be helpful.

• In storage areas, take a picture of the contents inside a packed box, print out the picture, and tape it on the box.

For Work• On your wall, hang up clipboards to hold loose papers by

type, project, deadline date, etc.

• Use a color-coded filing rack or hanging file system inside of a drawer to hold completed or deferred tasks. The only papers on your desk should be the project you are working on at the moment.

• Keep a memo pad near your desk phone to take notes on missed calls and voicemails.

• Fold up unused cords and put them inside paper towel rolls (or you can wrap them around the roll).

And here is one last, major, tip:

• Purging “stuff” may be the best way to de-clutter your life. Think about how often you actually use an item and ask yourself if you really need it. n

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Ever had this happen to you? You make a New Year’s resolution to exercise and eat more nutritious food, but then find

yourself eating cookies in front of the TV. But hey, it’s Friday night, and this is what you always do on Friday night!

Habits can be tough to break. According to Charles Duhigg’s book, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, habits are formed in a part of the brain called the basal ganglia, which is responsible for pattern recognition, memory, and emotion. Conscious decision-making, however, happens in the prefrontal cortex, suggesting that our brains go on auto-pilot when we act out of habit.

The good news is that you can switch from an unhealthy habit to a healthy one by observing and understanding your own behavior. Here’s how to get started.

Step 1Motivate Yourself by Weighing Values Against Habits

In a study, nearly 200 participants wrote down their five top values (e.g., successful career) and “five negative habits compromising their personal quality of life” (e.g., not sleeping enough). They analyzed how their negative habits conflicted with their values. For example, going to sleep late could lead to poor work performance.

Documenting their values and habits inspired the participants to make changes, and they committed to improving their diets and fitness levels. After ten weeks, the participants had lost an average of 5 percent of their body fat.

Step 2Change Up Your Overall Routine to Target Specific Habits

According to Duhigg, a habit is triggered by a routine comprising a cue, a behavior, and a reward. For example, say the cue is seeing the coffee machine in the kitchen every morning. The behavior is making and drinking the coffee, and the reward is a surge of caffeine. But what if you wanted to cut caffeine from your diet?

The best way to disrupt the “habit loop” is to remove or change the cue, for instance, by replacing the coffee machine with a pitcher of water.

This is why going on vacation is great for changing habits. Removing yourself from an everyday environment is another way to avoid the usual cues and rewards.

Step 3 Create a Series of Small Goals to Encourage Yourself

A useful goal is small, measurable, and doable. "Exercise more" is not a useful goal, but "walk a mile a day" is. And then you can increase the goal bit by bit, for example, to "walk a mile and a half a day" or "walk a mile a day but in a shorter amount of time."

Also include research in your goals. For example, "go on the Heart Health section on ACCLS website (www.ACCLS.com) and get healthy recipes from the Easy Family Meals section." Now that is a useful goal!

The idea is to give yourself the opportunity to achieve “small wins,” which serve as evidence that you are capable of changing. Before you know it, you’ll be converting your bad habits into good ones. n

Committing to the New You:How to Change Habits to Become Healthier

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Dear Jo,I’ve been at my current job for a while, and I’m bored. Nothing feels challenging anymore, and the day slows to a crawl. What can I do to make things better?

Signed, Chairman of the Bored

Dear Chairman of the Bored,

The fact that you’re bored suggests you have mastered the skills needed for your position. That makes you a valuable asset to your organization, so your boss has incentive to keep you engaged. This may be a good time to have a conversation about taking on more responsibility. For example, are there projects you could initiate to improve or enhance processes within your department or organization?

Another alternative is to investigate training opportunities inside and outside your organization. You could also mentor other staff. Keep thinking about ways you can learn new skills and/or teach skills to others.

You could also try changing your daily work routine. Do things in a different order, or challenge yourself to get a number of things done in a certain amount of time. Learn something new. As Dorothy Parker said, “The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.”

Dear Jo,My company keeps talking about how important it is to be healthy and fit, but we are all very busy, and barely have time to eat lunch, let alone go to the gym or do “stress management” exercises. What can we do during the work day that’s really quick, that people can do at their desks?

Signed, Need a Pick-Me-Up

Dear Need a Pick-Me-Up,

There are many stretches and exercises you can do at your desk. The most basic is a breathing exercise. Sit up straight in your chair, and place your hands on your chest and stomach. Inhale deeply and hold your breath for four seconds, then breathe out slowly. Repeat four or five times.

Another exercise involves your wrists. Hold your right arm straight out in front of you, then pull your right hand backward with your left hand and hold for 20 seconds. Then hold your right hand downward for 20 seconds. Then do the other arm. Relax. Repeat three times.

If you do a search online for desk exercises, you’ll find many other options.

DEAR JoPlease email your workplace questions to Dr. Fine at

newslettereditor@hriworld.com.

Expert Answers to Your Workplace Questions

Dear Jo,I have some younger employees, and they like to listen to music all day with earbuds in. If I go to speak to them, they pull the earbuds out immediately. Their work is fine. They say that music helps them focus better. But I don’t like their being closed off all day. What do you think?

Signed, Generation Gap?

Dear Generation Gap?,

Many managers are dealing with this situation, and their approaches vary. Some ask employees to use only one earbud, so that they can hear what is going on around them. Some institute stricter limitations. Some let employees do what they want, as long as their work is good. And some managers listen to music all day themselves.

I suggest that you make your decision based not on your comfort level but on pragmatic considerations. You say that the employees’ work is good, so that’s not an issue. But are they missing important information because they are closed off? Has their collaboration with co-workers suffered? If so, some changes need to be made. If not, the earbuds may just be a generational difference that you will eventually grow accustomed to. n

Dear Jo,My boss likes this one guy on our team best. They’re on a softball team together, and they’ve become good friends, which is fine and their business if they would just keep it their business. But my boss gives this guy more interesting jobs and lets him get away with being late and making mistakes. And my boss doesn’t usually let anyone get away with making mistakes. It’s just not fair.

Signed, It’s So Unfair

Dear It's So Unfair,

This is a very challenging situation, and the best way to deal with it would depend on your organization’s culture, your relationship with your boss, his relationship with his boss, and so on.

I recommend that you talk to a counselor at your Employee Assistance Program. Once you explain the specifics of your situation, he or she will be able to advise you.

In terms of getting assigned some of the more interesting projects, explain to your boss that you want to contribute more to the department. Make sure he is familiar with your skill set and educational background. Suggest projects that might improve your team’s productivity. Let your boss know that you want to be challenged and learn new skills.

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Jo Renée Fine, Ph.D. is a trainer and educator with over 30 years of program development and management experience in both the private and nonprofit sectors. She holds a BA in sociology from Smith College and a PhD in human relations and social policy from New York University, where she taught as an adjunct assistant professor in the Graduate School of Education.

Never quit. It is the easiest cop-out in the world. Set a goal and don't quit until you attain it. When you do attain it, set another goal, and don't quit until you reach it. Never quit..

Paul William “Bear” Bryant (1913-1983), longtime head coach of the University of Alabama football team; while he was head coach, they won six national championships and 13 conference championships.

Never Quit

It’s easy to say “never quit,” but sometimes quitting is much more attractive than keeping on. Here are some ways to improve your stick-to-it-iveness:

• Give yourself some slack. Accept that you will have days when you don’t finish all your to-do items—or even worse, when you feel like you’re going backward. That’s okay. Start again tomorrow with a fresh sense of purpose and clear goals.

• Don't overwhelm yourself. If you find that you can’t stick to one goal because other goals and obligations keep getting in the way, take a realistic look at your situation. Are you trying to do too much? Is there anything that you can let go?

• Set priorities. The most efficient way to work is to focus on one thing until it’s done and then work on the next thing until it’s done, and so on. Of course, life is full of interruptions. Nevertheless, you can decide that for the next hour, you will focus on one thing and one thing only. Turn off that smartphone.

• Remember that it's easier to continue than to start. Most of us feel resistance when we begin a task, whether writing a report or painting the living room. Long breaks and disruptions make returning to the task feel like starting all over again. But working regularly toward goals keeps us focused.

cOach'S cOrnErWOrKPLacE StratEgIES FrOM thE PLaYIng FIELd