the healthy librarian: cultivating wellness in the workplace michelle eberle consumer health...
TRANSCRIPT
The Healthy Librarian: Cultivating Wellness in the
Workplace
Michelle Eberle
Consumer Health Information Coordinator
Educational Objectives:
a) Know why workplace wellness mattersb) Learn the difference between workplace wellness and a health
promoting work culturec) Gain valuable tools to enhance workplace wellness in the
following areas: nutrition, ergonomics, stress management, exercise, and fitness
d) Leave feeling rejuvenated with creative ideas to make your library a health promoting workplace
Brainstorming Exercise
Pair up.
With your partner, brainstorm the following:
1. What can we do on an organizational level to create a health promoting work place?
2. What can we do on an individual level to create a health promoting work place?
Nashoba Valley Chronicle
Friday, June 8, 2007
Question…
Why does workplace wellness matter?
Cost of unhealthy workplace
• Absenteeism• Accidents• Rising drug costs• Turnover• Reduced job commitment and satisfaction• Higher healthcare and health related costs• Lost productivity
A healthy workplace
• Increased productivity• Fewer sick/ personal days• Higher job satisfaction and morale• Better staff retention
Tips for a healthy workplace
• Help connect people with what matters most to them• Create a sense of purpose, competition and camaraderie• Make sure your initiatives are highly visible• Remember leaders need to be role models
(Harvey 2005)
What makes a health promoting workplace?
• Good coworker communication• Work family balance• Job security• Good supervision• Friendly helpful coworkers• Trust
(Lowe 2004)
Guiding Principles for Healthy Workplace
1. Supportive culture and values – trust based!
2. Leadership
3. Broad definition of health
4. Participative team approach
5. Customized plan
6. Link to strategic goals
7. Ongoing support
8. Evaluation and communication
(Lowe 2004)
Example of a small scale workplace wellness initiative
Nutrition / health check toolsPortion Distortion Calculator / NHLBI
Library ErgonomicsGuidelines:
Head / neck basicsEye basicsMonitorHand / wrist basicsKeyboard / mouseChairWork surfaceLeg room / footrestExercise/ breaks
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/ergonomics/
UCLA Ergonomics
Highlights:
Neck stretch | Overhead reach | Shoulder pinch | Chair rotation | Back stretch
Others: neck rolls, shoulder rolls, wrist circles, front bend
Variation on the chair rotation: cross leg for an added stretch
http://ergonomics.ucla.edu/Ex_Office.html
Quick tip
• Take a mini-break..
• 20/20/20 rule
• Every 20 minutes for 20 seconds look at least 20 feet away.
• Give you eyes some much needed rest!
tips…
the reference interview
The four step approach
• Step one: STOP
• Step two: BREATHE
• Step three: REFLECT
• Step four: CHOOSE
Spatz, Michele. Answering Consumer Health Questions. New York: Neal Schuman Publishers, Inc. 2008.
Stress in the workplace
Dealing with emotional patrons/coworkers…
• Present a calm appearance
• Speak softly
• Speak in a non-provocative manner
• Put space between yourself and the other
• Show respect
• Avoid intense eye contact and authoritarian stance
• Facilitate talking
• Listen carefully
• Avoid early interpretation
• Do not make promises you can not keep.
Tips from Library Services in Mental Health Settings (Johnson ME 1997)
Relaxation ResponseProcess:
Two steps:
1. Repetition of a word, sound, phrase, prayer or muscular activity
2. Passive disregard of everyday thoughts that inevitably come to mind and the return to your repetition.
For more information:
http://mbmi.org
Relaxation Exercise
Resilience
• What is it? | How can we cultivate it?• How can it help us in our professional lives?
American Psychological Association
The road to resilience
10 ways to build resilience
• Make connections• Avoid seeing crises as
insurmountable problems• Accept that change is a
part of living• Move towards your goals• Take decisive action• Look for opportunities for
self discovery
• Nurture a positive view of yourself
• Keep things in perspective
• Maintain a hopeful outlook
• Take care of yourself
Source: APA, The Road to Resilience
Exercise
Quick tip:
• Promise yourself at least 15 minutes a day! • That’s the least you can do!
* Take mini-breaks/stretch!
• Recommended guidelines for exercise =
At least 30- 60 minutes a day!
Exercise health check tools….
Know your benefits/ rights
• Human Resources Benefits• Employee Assistance Programs
• American with Disabilities Act• Family Medical Leave Act• US Equal Opportunity Commission
Roles for librarians
• Develop a workplace wellness collection for your staff / institution
• Offer workplace wellness and health information programs
• Set the example for a well workplace with healthy habits, behaviors and communication
Resources to explore
http://medlineplus.gov
http://healthhotlines.nlm.nih.gov
http://hazmap.nlm.nih.gov
http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/
Work / Life Balance
At work:• Set manageable goals each day.
• Be efficient with your time at work
• Ask for flexibility
• Take five
• Tune in
• Communicate effectively
• Give yourself a break
At home:• Turn off you PDA
• Divide and conquer
• Don’t over commit
• Get support
• Take advantage of the EAP
• Stay active
• Treat your body right
• Get help if you need it.
Source:
Mental Health America: Finding Your Balance: At Work and Home
Set a workplace wellness goal
I will contribute to making my workplace a health promoting workplace by..
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
Reflection
What was the most useful piece of information you learned today?
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
“Exercise and application produce order in
our affairs, health of body, cheerfulness of mind, and these make us precious to our friends.”
Thomas Jefferson, from a letter to his daughter
“Far and away the best prize that life offers is to work hard at work worth doing.”
• Theodore Roosevelt
“There is no joy in living with out joy in work.”
• St Thomas Aquinas
“People rarely succeed unless they are having fun at what they are doing.”
• Dale Carnegie
Opportunity
ISNOWHERE
Opportunity
ISNOWHERE
Thank You!!!
Michelle Eberle
Consumer Health Information Coordinator
National Network of Libraries of Medicine
New England Region
University of Massachusetts Medical School
(508)856-2435 / (800) 338-7657