You love your job, but it can be stressful. Whether you’re working in a disaster zone or in the classroom, whether you’re taking life-and-death calls or confronting students acting out, it can take its toll. You want to reduce your stress and anxiety before it leads to burnout.
What are stress and anxiety?
Stress is the body’s reaction to potential threats. It causes a chemical reaction known as “fight or flight.” Our bodies are designed to handle small amounts of stress, but too much stress can have harmful effects on our health.
Anxiety is a feeling of dread and uneasiness. While everyone feels anxious sometimes, a feeling of constant anxiety can interfere with daily life.
Look for the warning signs.
Your body will give you warning signs that you are stressed or anxious. Common symptoms include:
Physical reactions such as headaches, stomach issues
Difficulty thinking clearly, feeling irritable, angry, and inpatient
Feeling weak or tired
Trouble falling asleep
Disinterest in the things you used to like to do
Take control to reduce stress and anxiety.
Stress and anxiety can often cause you to feel out of control. You can take back control through a series of steps that prioritize your physical and mental health.
Step #1: Manage your workload.
Keeping your workload manageable goes a long way toward reducing stress.
Take breaks. Being able to step away from work, even for a few minutes, can help to reduce the tension.
Create boundaries. Don’t be afraid to say no to requests. Explain that you’re at capacity, and something else will have to give if you take on the new responsibility.
Don’t procrastinate. Putting off a project will only increase your anxiety as it looms in the background. Get it done first so that you don’t have to worry about it.
Accept peer support. Ask for help from your colleagues and accept it if it is offered.
Identify the stress triggers that come with your job. Knowing them is the first step toward confronting them. Work with your boss or a mentor to determine how those stressors can be reduced.
Remember why you chose this career and the impact you could have.
Take a mental health day. Take a day off so that you can get a break from the pressure.
Step #2: Take care of your body.
When you take care of your body, it gives you the stamina you need to deal with stressful and anxiety-provoking situations.
Eat healthy. Choose a well-balanced diet that powers your body.
Make time for sleep. With early wakeups, night shifts, and lots to do, it’s sometimes hard to sleep enough. Prioritize a regular sleep schedule to keep yourself refreshed.
Limit alcohol and caffeine. They can contribute to anxiety and panic attacks.
Exercise regularly. It will help reduce the intense emotions you’re feeling. It also keeps your body feeling its best.
Step #3: Practice self-care.
Self-care includes time just for you, and is a great boost to your mental health and wellbeing.
Schedule some “me time” on your calendar. That way, you’ll make sure that it happens.
Read a book while wrapped in a weighted blanket. It will feel like a comforting hug.
Minimize phone use and screen time. Take an hour to unplug, especially before bedtime. This will help you to sleep.
Get a massage or spa treatment. Take a hot bath. Do the thing that helps you to relax.
Practice gratitude. Meditate or journal. Reflect on all the good things in your life.
Step #4: Plan your free time.
Know the value of not working. Plan some ways to enjoy your free time so that you’re not tempted to work.
Embrace nature. Get outside and soak up the sun and the fresh air whenever you can.
Connect with others. Volunteer for a good cause.
Get a hobby. Learn a new skill or pursue a passion. Do it with a friend or spouse for double the fun.
Spend time with friends and family. Host gatherings or plan local adventures. Take a vacation. Laugh, dance, and enjoy life.
Step #5: Seek support.
Sometimes, we need additional support. Don’t be afraid to seek it if it could help.
Track your moods. Review your patterns and determine how much of your days are filled with stress and/or anxiety. Is it interfering with your daily life?
Seek professional help if needed. A therapist or physician may be able to provide additional strategies to help with stress and anxiety.
Support groups also may be available in your area. They are a safe place to explore feelings, and process work-related stress and anxiety.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
It’s cold and flu season, and as a nurse, teacher, or parent, you’re likely surrounded by sniffling and coughing on the daily. So, at this point how can you keep yourself from getting sick?
Look no further; we’ve got you covered with the best tips to help keep you safe and sniffle-free this winter. Follow this guide to protect yourself and help boost your immune system.
Get quality sleep.
Our bodies do important work while we sleep. They repair cells and make proteins that fight infection. Getting enough sleep, and specifically, quality sleep is important to this process. We know it may be hard to get enough sleep when working 12-hour shifts as a nurse or as a parent of young children. Take the time to set yourself up for success with these tips.
Set your thermostat to about 65 degrees for optimum sleeping temperature.
Create a bedtime routine that does not include devices or television. Sometimes a warm shower or bath can help just prior to bed.
Use a white noise machine or wear earplugs to soften distracting noise.
Use blackout shades or curtains and/or wear an eye mask.
Be consistent with bedtime routines for your children. If your children fall asleep within 15 to 30 minutes of going to bed, they are getting the right amount of sleep.
Pro tip: If you’re having trouble eliminating screens before bed, try wearing blue light-blocker glasses. They will help reduce the light that disturbs your circadian rhythm.
Eat immunity-boosting foods.
It’s easy to reach for prepared foods, microwave meals or vending machine finds. Resist the urge. Instead, fill your diet with the foods that help power your immune system.
Choose fresh fruits and vegetables with nutrients such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene.
Citrus fruits are great sources of vitamin C but so are red bell peppers.
Blueberries are delicious as well as nutritious and can help boost your immunity.
Broccoli and spinach are both superfoods with vitamins and antioxidants.
Garlic and turmeric have immune-boosting properties. Ginger helps decrease inflammation.
Make sure to hydrate.
Water helps our bodies to function. Staying well hydrated helps our bodies circulate blood more easily, which allows our white blood cells to better fight off viruses. It also keeps the mucous membranes in our noses moist so they can catch viral invaders.
Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. By that point, you’re already slightly dehydrated.
Choose a water bottle you love and bring it with you to work, errands, etc. Get into the habit of sipping throughout the day.
If you’re bored with the taste of water, infuse it with lemon or cucumber to help encourage you to drink.
Avoid other beverages so that you’ll drink more water. The caffeine in coffee and soda can dehydrate you, which has exactly the opposite effect of what your body needs.
Green tea has only a small amount of caffeine, and tea has antioxidants. It’s a good choice if you’re looking for an alternative to coffee.
Reduce your stress.
When we’re stressed, our ability to fight off infection decreases. That’s why managing stress is so important.
Take steps to avoid burnout. Slow down and give yourself breaks to protect your mental health.
Try meditating, deep breathing, and other relaxation strategies.
Incorporate exercise into your routine. Park farther away and walk to your destination. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Plan a workout session that’s easy to fit into your schedule.
Laugh more. Make time for the activities that you enjoy with the people who are important to you.
Follow healthy habits.
You can reduce your exposure to potential infections by taking the precautions that can make a difference.
Continue proper handwashing habits. Wet your hands and then scrub them for at least 20 seconds with soap. That’s equivalent to humming Happy Birthday twice. Rinse with clean, running water. Use hand sanitizer when soap and water is not available.
Keep your classroom at a comfortable temperature for learning.
Don’t use handkerchiefs. Use disposable tissues and discard them when done.
Don’t smoke. Drink alcohol in moderation. Both tobacco and alcohol can affect your body’s ability to fight infections.
Keep up to date on your vaccinations
Do you have a way to stay healthy that’s not included in this blog? Share it with us in the comments.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
It may be hard to believe, but it’s time to think about school. Pretty soon, you’ll be taking those first-day pictures and sending your kids off for another year.
Here’s how to make the transition to your fall routine a painless one and ease your kids into a nice back-to-school routine.
Adjust your child’s bedtime.
Maybe you let your kids stay up a little later in the summer, and sleep in a little bit, too. (We did, too.) But it’s an easy fix to get them back on track.
Start by moving summer bedtime 15 minutes earlier each night. Keep that up until you’re back to your child’s school bedtime.
Not sure how to calculate the right time to go to sleep—especially if your child is pushing back at an earlier bedtime? Ideally, you want your child to get 9-10 hours of sleep, or at minimum 8, so set the school bedtime accordingly.
A bedtime routine, such as bath time and reading can help. So can having the whole family unplug before bedtime. Choose a spot where everyone can charge their devices overnight to manage your child’s screentime.
Pro tip: Buy your child an alarm clock. Have him/her set alarms for bedtime warnings and for morning wakeups. That way, it’s the clock, and not mommy or daddy, alerting him or her that it’s bedtime. An alarm clock has the added bonus of reducing dependence on a cell phone as an alarm.
Organize your child’s closets.
You have a growing child. Chances are, his or her fall wardrobe from last year doesn’t fit anymore. The end of summer is a great time to clean out your child’s closet. A clean and organized closet will help your child more easily pick out clothes as part of his or her school routine.
Have your child help you by sorting clothes that fit and don’t fit. Donate the ones your child has outgrown.
Make a list of the clothes that need to be replaced.
Organize the remainder of the closet to ensure easy access to shoes, clothes, and accessories. Clear out any items that don’t need to be kept there.
Go back-to-school shopping.
Once school starts again, schedules will become busy and it may be hard to find time to hang out together. Use back-to-school shopping as a special bonding time with each child.
Schedule shopping trips sooner rather than later or you could be caught up in last-minute, pressure-filled moments rather than enjoyable ones.
Shop for school clothes and supplies. Let your child choose his or her favorites, within your budget.
Follow up the shopping trip with a nice lunch or special treat like ice cream. Use the time to chat with your child about his/her thoughts on the new school year.
Make this a yearly tradition and you and your child will look forward to it for years to come.
Create a homework space.
Get your child thinking about school responsibilities by setting up a homework station. An inviting homework space might just entice your child to do his or her homework without nagging. (By the way, this is a good place for them to complete their summer reading if they haven’t done it.)
Find a place in your home without distractions. Ensure that it has good light and comfortable seating.
Equip it with the materials your child will need, such as pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasers, and paper.
Make sure no clutter makes its way to the homework station. It should remain well-organized with just the tools needed.
Set up clear expectations for homework. Reward a job well done.
Set a morning routine.
School mornings don’t have to be a stressful rush. With thoughtful pre-planning, you and your family can keep them under control.
Think back to last year’s routine, and make any changes that would help create a calmer, happier morning. Consider new age-appropriate responsibilities as children mature.
Make a morning list of responsibilities for each child. Provide simple easy-to-follow steps and discuss them with your child. Print them, laminate them and post them.
Rehearse the new routine, with lots of praise and encouragement. Adjust as necessary.
Plan school lunches and snacks.
This is your chance to get healthier and more creative with your child’s school lunches and after-school snacks. Involving him or her in the process will make your child more likely to eat it, too.
Research healthy lunch and snack ideas with your child. Write down ones that you both like.
Consider creative packaging such as bento boxes.
Create a snack station in your pantry and fridge where kids can grab granola bars or snacks, bags of fruit or veggies to add to their lunch or snack on when they get home.
Do a test run.
Chances are that your child is nervous about the new school year. It’s only normal. Try a practice day to get him or her more comfortable.
Visit the school and take a tour. Find your child’s classroom, the bathroom, lunch room, etc. (Make sure to call ahead and arrange this visit with the school. You may even get to meet the teacher.)
Let your child play in the school playground.
Set up a playdate with future classmates.
Do something fun to celebrate the end of summer.
Finally, it’s the end of summer. Plan something fun to commemorate it. This can be an annual tradition each year before school starts.
Plan a family beach day or favorite summer outing such as the zoo or amusement park.
Plan an end-of-summer get-together with friends. Host a barbecue and make s’mores.
Host an ice cream sundae celebration.
Let your child choose a favorite summer activity to close out the season.
Your kids are only young once. Enjoy every moment!
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
The Fourth of July is a day of patriotism and pride. There’ll be BBQs, picnics, and parades all leading up to fireworks displays in towns and cities across the nation.
Family and friends will also gather for their own fireworks displays. While they can be beautiful and fun, safety groups warn to be safe when setting your own fireworks. All too many of us have known or heard about someone losing a finger, an eye, or suffering severe burns from an accident with one of these hot, exploding devices.
On average, more than 11,000 people are injured annually by fireworks. Young adults ages 20-24 are the most likely to be hurt, followed closely by children ages 5-9; most of the injuries occur on the hands and fingers, head, face and the eyes. Ouch! The National Fire Protection Association warns that even “kid friendly fireworks” like sparklersburn at 1,200 degrees – hotter than the temperatures that melt glass, plastics and some metals – inflicting terrible burns.
If you plan on setting off fireworks this year be safe and have fun! But always be sure to take the proper precautions so no one gets hurt. Follow these essential safety tips when you are shooting fireworks this weekend:
Never allow small children to play with or ignite fireworks
Only light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly
Never place any part of your body directly over a firework when lighting it’s fuse and back up a safe distance immediately after lighting
Don’t try to re-light or pick up fireworks that have not ignited fully
Never point or throw fireworks at another person
Always keep a bucket of water or a garden hose handy in case of fire or other mishap
After fireworks complete their burning, douse it with plenty of water before discarding to prevent a trash fire
Be sure to also protect your home as well! The NFPA also warns that more fires are reported on Independence Day than any other day of the year, and fireworks account for two-out-of-five of those fires.
Is your home protected? Contact a California Casualty advisor to get a quick policy review at 1.800.800.9410 or visit www.calcas.com.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
It’s summertime and temperatures are quickly on the rise!
Extreme heat is more than an inconvenience though; it is a health hazard. It’s extremely important that we do all that we can to avoid overheating and that we all know the symptoms of heat-related illnesses like:
Heat Cramps
These are muscular pain or spasms in the leg or abdomen – often the first sign of trouble. Getting a person to a cooler place and hydrating them with water or sports drinks usually alleviates them.
Heat Exhaustion
This is much more severe with symptoms of:
Cool moist pale, ashen or flushed skin
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Weakness
Exhaustion
Treatment includes moving to a cooler place with circulating air, remove or loosen clothing and apply cool, wet cloths or towels to the skin. Spraying a person with water helps as well as giving small amounts of fluids such as water, fruit juice, milk or sports drinks. If symptoms persist, call medical help immediately
Heat Stroke
This is a life-threatening condition. Symptoms include high body temperature (above 103 degrees); hot, red skin; rapid and strong pulse; confusion, and possible unconsciousness. Immediately:
Call 911
Move the person to a cooler place
Cool them with water by immersing them or spraying them
Cover them with ice packs or bags of ice
Children and Pets are at Risk
Don’t forget your precious cargo when the weather heats up. We think that it will never happen to our families, unfortunately, each year an average of 37 children and many hundreds of pets die from being left in hot cars. The majority is the result of a parent or caregiver who forgot the child or pet was in the vehicle. Even on a 70-degree day, the inside temperature can climb to a dangerous 110 degrees.
New technology and apps are being developed to warn parents of a child left in a car or truck, and the 2017 GMC Acadia will be the first vehicle with a built-in sensor that alerts drivers to check the back seat for children or pets left in the car. Until these are tested and more readily available, safety groups have mounted campaigns to prevent child heatstroke danger with these warning tips:
Never leave a child or pet in an unattended vehicle
Keep vehicles locked so children can’t climb in
Always check the back seat before leaving the vehicle
Place a stuffed toy in the car seat when it’s unoccupied and move it to the front seat as a visible reminder when you put a child in the seat
Put a purse, briefcase or other important items in the back seat with your infant or young child
Alert childcare facilities to notify you if your child fails to show up
Call 911 if you see a child alone in a vehicle and take action if you see they are in distress or unresponsive (break a window and remove them to a cool place and wait for emergency responders)
Personal Safety
When extremely hot weather hits, these are things you can do to alleviate the danger:
Drink plenty of water and rehydrating sports drinks
Avoid strenuous work during the heat of the day
Dress in loose-fitting, lightweight and light-colored clothing
Stay indoors as much as possible
Never leave children or pets in a vehicle
Go to a basement or lowest floor of a house or building if there is no air conditioning
Consider spending the warmest part of the day in cool public buildings such as libraries, schools, movie theaters, malls, and other community facilities
Spend time at a community pool or water park
Check on family, friends, and neighbors (especially the very young or old) who do not have air conditioning
Home Prep
Ready.gov has an extensive list of recommendations to help keep your home cool when the temperature rises:
Install window air conditioners snugly and insulate them
Check air conditioning ducts for proper insulation
Install temporary window reflectors (such as aluminum foil-covered cardboard) to reflect heat back outside
Cover windows that receive direct sunlight with drapes, shades, awnings or louvers
Keep storm windows up
Automobile Prep
Your car takes a beating in extreme heat. It’s a good reminder to:
Test your battery
Check your fluids – oil, coolant, and wiper fluid
Get your air conditioning serviced
Inspect all hoses and belts for cracks or tears
Carry extra water or coolant
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.800.800.9410 or www.calcas.com.
It’s no secret that kids (and most adults) love to snack, but we all know filling a snack drawer can get expensive. We want to make after school snack-time easier on you (and your wallet), so we’ve compiled a list of easy snack ideas for kids filled with so many recipes, even the pickiest of eaters can enjoy.
The best part is, these are recipes that use ingredients you probably already have at home and you can make ahead of time and grab when you are on the go!
To make it even easier for you, each recipe is linked back to our Pinterest Board: Easy Snacks For Kids, so all you have to do is click on the picture and it will direct you to the recipe!
Head over to our Pinterest for more easy snack ideas for kids! We have also included ways to organize your snack drawer and pantry. Don’t forget to give us a follow at California Casualty to stay up to date on every new recipe idea we discover! Scan our Pincode with your Pinterest camera to follow:
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters and nurses. California Casualty does not own any of the photos in this post, all are sourced to their original owners. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
