Living in a Constant State of Worry?
Time to Put Your Fears to Rest
If you're human, you worry. And while you may think of worrying as a bad thing, it has actually served a great purpose for humankind. The process of worrying has been an integral part of evolution and survival for thousands of years. It's what set us apart from the dinosaurs and other extinct species. Simply put, humans are able to contemplate the possibilities of what might happen in the future and then make decisions based on those "what if"� scenarios. For example, if a caveman saw a friend eat a berry and then fall down dead, he would be able to think "My friend died after eating a purple berry."� And weeks later when he found a bush full of purple berries that looked like the ones his friend ate, he would make the informed and rational decision to avoid putting one in his mouth. In essence, he worried about something before he did it" and he survived.

Of course with all good things, comes the bad. And that is exactly what seems to be happening to a lot of people today. People seem to be experiencing overwhelming levels of worry and the condition is being tagged as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Psychologists seem to think that people are experiencing GAD more often these days because modern life is full of so much stress. According to the American Institute of Cognitive Therapy, people react to this stress in different ways. Some people believe that if they worry, they are somehow protecting and preparing themselves; some believe that they need certainty in order to relax; and some believe that worrying about worrying is going to drive them crazy.

If this news has gotten you all in a worry, well, don't worry. There are plenty of simple strategies you can incorporate into your daily routine to help ease the anxiety.

Hit the road. There's no better therapy for the "I can't breathe" feeling of worry and anxiety than a quick, brisk walk. The movement will get your blood pumping and kick your endorphins into gear.

Cut out the caffeine. A cup or two of coffee probably won't hurt you, but consuming too much caffeine only adds to that tense, jittery, anxious feeling. Sources of caffeine include chocolate, coffee, tea, soda, and even some prescription and over-the-counter medications" so be sure to check the label.

Remember that you're in control. No matter what's got you worried, you always have the power of choice: you can simply choose not to worry. At the very least, try to protect a "trouble free" time. For instance, tell your kids that you're simply not available for problem solving after 8 p.m.

Bring on the noise. Buy a white-noise machine and use it when you go to sleep. The soothing sound will help you fall and stay asleep. A good night's sleep is critical when you're stressed, since sleep deprivation fuels anxiety.

Troubleshoot. Choose one thing that is making you anxious. Now sit down and write out all the fears you have about that one thing. If it's money, write down what would happen if you lost your job, and/or couldn't pay your bills. What is the absolute worst thing that could happen? Now look at each item and mark it on a scale of one to 10 (with 1 being highly unlikely it would ever happen, 10 being likely that it would happen). You'll be surprised at how few items rank above a five. This understanding should help reduce your anxiety. If something does rank higher than five, you may want to develop a contingency plan for it. Nothing works better to calm anxiety than turning pure worry into an action plan.

Giggle about it. Let yourself laugh out loud. The act of laughter stimulates endorphins that help blow stress hormones (which contribute to that feeling of anxiety) out of your system.

Relax, Detach, and Focus. Created by Marcia Reynolds, M.Ed., author of Outsmart Your Brain! Get Happy, Get Heard, and Get Your Way at Work, the routine goes like this: "¢ Relax your body from the toes up.

• Detach from your thoughts.
• Center yourself in the moment (e.g., feel your head upon the pillow, or your feet on the ground, etc., depending on where you are).
• Focus on who you want to be and how you want to feel.

Remember, taking control of your worries is no easy feat. It takes practice and patience. And it ultimately boils down to readjusting how you think about the world, and believing that tomorrow is more likely to bring you something wonderful, rather than something frightening."�

"If you have achieved any level of success, then pour it into someone else. Success is not success without a successor."�

" T.D. Jakes

Get Ready for National Patient Safety Awareness Week
Now is as good a time as ever to focus on patient safety: March 5-11 is National Patient Safety Awareness Week (PSAW).

Patient safety, the freedom from unnecessary risk or harm associated with healthcare, is probably already an integral component of your healthcare organization. However, your community" and probably some of your employees" could always use a refresher course. And this is what PSAW is all about. There are plenty of ways to promote patient safety within your organization. Take note of the tips below.

• Educate and communicate with patients and families:
• Place a safety suggestion box in the lobby for patients and families.
• Hold an open house, brown bag lunch, or round table discussion for patients and families with a patient safety topic of discussion.
• Establish a special phone line for consumers and staff to report safety concerns.
• Conduct surveys for the public to express their concerns about healthcare safety.
• Distribute literature in the lobby.
• Distribute medication safety pamphlets.
• Invite speakers to come and speak about healthcare issues.
• Have a pharmacist available to answer questions and invite patients to bring their medications for review by a pharmacist.
• Give patients and families information on what they can do if they experience an error.
• Distribute pillboxes with the days of the week, imprinted with a safety message.
• Distribute business cards or tent cards that read "Time to Clean out Your Medicine Cabinet of Expired Medications."�

Increase patient safety in your hospital/ healthcare organization

• Announce award programs and incentives for those who achieve your organization's safety objectives.
• Conduct a survey and allow staff to voice their safety concerns.
• Bring in a patient to speak to staff about their experience with a medical error.
• Give staff clear and specific instructions on how they can report an error.

No matter what safety strategies you implement at your healthcare organization, remember these key points: 1) Patient safety comes first. 2) Patient safety is every patient's right. 3) Patient safety is every individual's responsibility. With these three principles guiding the way, it will be hard to go wrong.

"There are no secrets to success. Don't waste time looking for them. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty to those for whom you work, and persistence."�
" Colin Powell

Want Better Results?
Grab a Post-It Pad!
Faster and better results in your healthcare organization can be as easy as slapping a post-it note on your next assignment. In fact, a study conducted at Sam Houston University in Texas found that post-it notes are very persuasive.

In the study, participants were asked to complete a survey. Some surveys had a handwritten note on the cover, while other packets had post-it notes with a handwritten note on it. The study found that participants were more likely to comply and fill out the survey if there was a handwritten note on a post-it. Additionally, the participants with the post-it notes returned the materials more promptly, and gave higher quality responses.

So what gives?

The research indicates that requests made on post-its are interpreted as a request for a personal favor, and people are therefore more likely to comply with requests written on them, even if the person making the request is a stranger. Bottom line: if you really want something done, it certainly can't hurt to attach a post-it note to your request.

How Not to Call in Sick
We know you would never play hooky, but if for some reason you did, don't use the following excuse!

It was a nice spring day, and a young man didn't feel like working. So, he decided to call in sick. When the secretary answered, the young man cleared his throat and said, "Hi, Judy, this is Mike."�

"Yes, what can I do for you today, Mike?"� Judy replied.

"Well, I'm having problems with my eyes today so I won't be able to make it into work,"� said Mike.

"Oh, dear, what's wrong with your eyes?"� Judy asked.

"Well,"� said the young worker, "I just can't see coming in to work today."�