Seasonal

Can Being Grateful Make You Healthier?

Tiffany Moore

VP, Client Partnerships

April 21, 2020

It has been said that being grateful can make you happier. According to an article published by Harvard Medical School, giving thanks, or being grateful, does, in fact, make you happier. The article claims the reason for this is being grateful helps a person connect to something greater than themselves, which, in turn, provides a sense of comfort that goodness can be found out in the world. Being grateful is often associated with being happier, but can being grateful make you healthier?

Consider this – people who are healthier, often get more sleep and being grateful can help you sleep longer. While you sleep, your blood pressure goes down, which helps to give your heart a rest after a long day. Having high blood pressure can lead to an increased risk of heart attack or stroke, so reducing your blood pressure daily has concrete health benefits. A recent study found that people who kept a gratitude journal slept for an average of a half an hour more each night and woke up feeling more refreshed than the group who didn’t keep a gratitude journal. Thirty minutes doesn’t sound like a lot, but 30 minutes a night for a month would result in an extra 15 hours of sleep a month!

Being grateful can also lead to fewer aches and pains. Grateful people also are more likely to exercise, which improves your life expectancy according to Psychology Today. The Mayo Clinic claims that having a daily practice of gratitude can boost your immune system, which is much needed during the winter cold and flu season.

How can you adopt an attitude of gratitude and become healthier at the same time? Here’s some simple ways to start:

Start a gratitude journal and write down your thoughts daily.
Put items you are thankful for in a jar.
Write a thank you note to someone.
Meditate on gratitude.
Check out these other options.

Tips

Improve Your Desk Health

Lindsey Curtis

October 30, 2019

Are you slumped down in your office chair as you read this? Have you been staring at the computer screen all day? When was the last time you stretched your arms? Approximately 86% of American workers sit all day at work and some believe their office chair is hurting their health. Don’t let this be your fate! Try these simple suggestions to improve your health throughout the day.

Get those steps in! Use the stairs to get to your office – even if it is just a few floors. Take a lap around the cubicles a few times a day to get your blood pumping. In addition, try a walking meeting. This format was a favorite of Apple founder Steve Jobs and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has adopted this meeting style.

Take a break! Experts recommend taking your eyes off your computer screen every 15 – 20 minutes. Take a minute or two to focus on something in the distance to give your eyes a rest.

Reach for the stars! Or rather stretch a few times a day while at your desk. WebMD recommends simple stretches like shrugging your shoulders and circling your arms to refresh yourself.

Organize a fitness class with coworkers! Grab your coworkers and get a work out in together. Many fitness professionals will come to your location. Or find your favorite workout online and share it with others. TGHR had a trainer lead an outdoor workout for our team on a beautiful sunny afternoon. Working out is always better with friends – at least we think so.

There’s an app for that! There are apps to remind you to take a break during the work day, apps that give you simple stretches and even an app that can monitor your posture. Check out these ingenious apps to improve your work health.

Want more? Check out SHAPE magazine’s tips of 8 things you should do if you work at a computer all day.

Ready for your next desk job now that you know how to care for yourself? Check out our recently posted positions.

Tips

Not a Morning Person? Here’s How to Become One in 5 Easy Steps

Ashley Paramoure

October 24, 2018

When you wake up, what are the consistent things you do every morning before work? Wake up, take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, brush your teeth and other simple tasks, right? Adding a less than 15-minute routine, can help you be more productive during the day and give you an added boost to make you into a morning person in no time. Here are five suggestions for you to create your new morning routine from:

Breathe. Start simple by adding a breathing technique. Inhale while counting to four then exhale while counting to three. This will help you feel energized and is also a good trick to use if you feel stressed later in the day. You can also up your game with this 1-minute breathing routine once you get the hang of it.
Drink Water. Continuing with the “start simple” trend, here’s another easy idea to begin with. Drink a glass of cold water first thing in the morning. It will help wake you up and hydrate your body for the day ahead.
Get Moving! Starting your day with a quick round of exercises can lead to increased productivity later in the day. Just 2 minutes of simple push-ups, sit-ups or a wall sit can do the trick. Research has shown that substituting exercise for caffeine makes a significant daily difference. Try it!
Practice Gratitude. A daily practice of gratitude, whether you do it in the morning or before bed, has been known to improve your physical and mental health. Just writing down three to five things you are thankful for does the trick. Jot them down in a notebook or on the notes app on your phone – establish whatever method works best for you.
Generate Ideas. Author James Altucher (he’s written 18 successful books) claims that if you generate 10 ideas a day for six months, you will be able to offer ideas on any subject at any time. The ideas can be for anything – ideas for work, ideas for businesses, ideas for your family, ideas for things to do – the sky is the limit! Ten ideas may seem like a lot at first, but you’ll be humming along in no time.

So, what will you start doing tomorrow?

Seasonal

Did You Take a Summer Vacation?

Mary Springer

Partner

August 16, 2018

As the dog days of summer begin to wrap up, more and more vacation days will go unused. According to a study conducted by Glassdoor, the average employee has only taken about half of their eligible vacation in the past 12 months. This could be because more Americans (66 percent) report working on vacation more than three years ago.

The average number of vacation days employees take has been steadily declining over the years. Thirty years ago, the average was around 20 days, but that has dwindled to just 16 days in recent years. The study also indicated that in 2016, 662 million vacation days went unused and if those had been taken, it would have contributed $236 billion in spending for our economy.

The study also revealed that forfeiting vacation time can have an impact on an employee’s performance, proving that a little R&R benefits both the employee and company. In addition, 47 percent felt shame at work for taking their vacation. There’s a simple solution to combat this shame. Book a temporary employee to cover during your worker’s vacation time. That’s Good HR has temps ready to go at a moment’s notice. You keep productivity up, your employee returns refreshed and guilt free – it’s a win-win.

So how do you get started? Easy – call us and describe your employee’s responsibilities. We’ll send you resumes to review of available temporary employees and you’ll be meeting them in no time. Then everyone can sit back, relax and take a well-deserved vacation without worrying about the company’s bottom line. Take advantage of summer before it’s too late!

TGHR News

Employee on unexpected leave…now what?

Tiffany Moore

VP, Client Partnerships

March 29, 2018

Having employees out, even it’s just for one day, can lead to undue stress on other employees. Not to mention, leave work unfinished and business unattended. Research shows that more than 10% of the workforce is on a qualified FMLA leave at any given time. Since it was signed into law more than two decades ago, 100 million employees have used this benefit.

There’s a simple solution if you find yourself with an employee unexpectedly out. Hire a temp through TGHR! Using temporary employees is a common solution. According to the American Staffing Association (ASA), staffing companies nationwide employed an average of 3.19 million temporary and contract workers per week in 2017. This is the third highest number of temp employees since right before the recession (2006). Temporary employees worked an average assignment of 10.7 weeks in 2017.

Temporary workers can work for as little as one day to cover your front desk or for a few months to run your payroll due to an extended leave of absence. At That’s Good HR, we’ve helped provide temporary workers for a one-day absence in a mail room or for a receptionist to cover a front desk for a day. We have provided temporary accountants for one week to three months and more. If you need HR support, a medical verification specialist or a customer service representative we have temps for those positions too.

Didn’t plan ahead? Not a problem. That’s why we are interviewing people daily so we can be ready for your call. We see this all the time and are happy to help in these times of need. Need a temp? Call us today!

Job Advice

Reduce Job Searching Stress

Ashley Paramoure

January 31, 2018

We get it. Searching for a new job can be stressful. The waiting, the interviewing, the preparation. So, how does one survive? Sit back and relax, and let That’s Good HR help.

First up, don’t let your anxiety get the best of you. Focus on other things while you are waiting for the right opportunity to come along. Try the following:

Read a career book that you’ve always wanted to (need suggestions?).
Revise your resume. Use our resume template to get started.
Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date.
Focus on your current job and exceling at your work.

Use your time to prepare for upcoming interviews. Being prepared helps reduce nerves and will help you focus once it’s time to talk to a company. Once you have an interview, use your time to do your research on the company so you are well versed before you walk in the door. Here are some popular interview questions and suggested answers.

It takes time for the right opportunity to come along. Make sure you’re are checking the TGHR job board and letting your recruiter know if anything peaks your interest. Be patient and don’t let anxiety get the best of you (see above!).

So, make sure and keep your head up. Don’t let your confidence slip away. You need to make sure you are poised and ready to go when it’s time to interview. Believe in yourself and be patient as the right position for you is out there somewhere!

Tips

Practicing Mindfulness at Work

Mary Springer

Partner

July 20, 2017

Companies like Google and Target have been offering mindfulness training to their employees since 2007 and 2010, respectively. Are they on to something? We think so.

How can mindfulness help you?

Being mindful can help you sharpen your focus. Being mindful helps you concentrate on the task at hand and avoid unnecessary distractions.
Mindfulness can help you improve your listening and even help you stomach criticism better. When you practice mindfulness you activate different parts of your brain, some of which help you to be less defensive. Perhaps it is because you have a clearer head and are calm. Check out these five tips for how to use mindfulness to embrace criticism.
Mindfulness helps relieve stress. The American Institute of Stress states 40% of workers reported their job was very or extremely stressful. Take a deep breath – no, really! Take time to focus on your breathing. Even taking a few deep breaths at your desk will help you tackle your next task with clarity.

There’s no need to be overwhelmed, there are abundant resources about being mindful right at your fingertips. Do yourself a favor and start slow. Commit to a few minutes per day for a maximum of 30 days. Take note of how you feel before and after. Recently the TODAY Show, shared 5 small things you can do each morning. You can also download an app, like Calm, right to your smartphone. The app will walk you through short exercises and get your on your way to being mindful today.

Ready…take a deep breath and GO!

Job Advice

How to Avoid Workplace Burnout

Lindsay Barnhart

February 26, 2017

If you’re feeling burned out at work, you’re not alone. Thanks to a myriad of office stressors, many workers feel unsupported and disengaged. But don’t fret—there’s light at the end of this tunnel. Simple changes can have a big impact on your mind and body. In fact, the best way to deal with any stress is to make a plan and take control of your choices. That’s it! Ready to shed that stress and feel better? We thought so! Here are some steps you can take to banish workplace burnout.

Surround yourself with the right people. Burnout can be caused by both circumstances and people in our lives. Certain relationships—professional and personal—just aren’t healthy and can be significant stressors. While you can’t necessarily remove all unfriendly or unhelpful people from your life, the more you can surround yourself with positive, encouraging, and supportive people, the better.
Manage your stress. Our bodies weren’t built to manage high levels of stress, and it can wreak havoc on us. There are all sorts of stress reduction techniques out there, from deep breathing to spending time outdoors to meditation to yoga. The key is to find something that works for you and make it a regular part of dealing with stressful situations in your life.
Learn to say “no.” This one’s tough, especially for high achievers out there. Often we find ourselves in burnout mode when we’ve said “yes” too many times. Yes to our bosses, yes to our colleagues, yes to our friends and family, and on and on. Being helpful and available to people is great, but not when it starts to affect health or well-being. It’s okay to say “no” when you need to.
Take care of your body. Ironically our go-to food and behaviors when burnout nears are often the worst possible choices: junk food, alcohol, too much tv or video game time, inactivity, etc. Making healthy food and physical activity choices are even harder when we’re under significant stress, but it’s all the more important. Be intentional about what you’re eating and how you’re treating your body, especially during stressful times.
Make more space. Carving out space looks different for everyone, but it can free up your mind and emotions for rest and recovery. You might need to step away from technology, a toxic person, or a draining activity. You might need to just close your door more, take a vacation, back out of a commitment, or schedule some regular alone time.
Give back. Studies have shown time and time again that giving back to others actually boosts our own moods and well-being. Simply put: doing good feels good. Look around for volunteer opportunities or people who might need an extra hand or dose of kindness. You’ll be amazed at how rewarding giving back can be to your own health, even during tough times.