(CNN) When McDonalds restaurants reopen, customers should expect stickers on the floor encouraging social distancing and the closure of self-serve beverage bars. Workers wearing masks might check in with a thumbs up, or kindly ask you to move away from others.

The chain, which is preparing to reopen its locations globally as some US states loosen stay-at-home orderes, recently sent out a detailed instruction manual to franchise operators in the United States. The 59-page document, which was obtained by CNN Business, outlines the minimum sanitation and social-distancing requirements each must meet before opening its dining rooms. The contents of the manual were first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Franchisees, which operate over 90% of all McDonalds world-wide, will have to pay for their own supplies, the document said.

The playbook also details how to keep the restaurants clean and make sure customers see the efforts. It spells out how to keep customers six feet away from each other, and mandate the use of some personal protective equipment.

Workers must clean and sanitize tables after each use and restrooms every 30 minutes. McDonalds recommends using a tracking sheet to document the cleanings. Employees have to wash their hands every hour. Restaurants dont have to turn on their touch-screen kiosks, but if they do, those screens and key pads have to be cleaned after every use.

The instruction manual outlines ways for restaurant operators to keep customers apart: They must close off some tables and seating areas and use floor stickers to mark out clearly recognizable paths that will keep customers six feet away from each other while waiting in line. The stickers should also help keep people six feet away from tables. The restaurants must also keep PlayPlaces closed and disable any interactive games.

Theyll also have to close self-serve beverage bars.

Thats both on recommendation from an epidemiologist, and because of how self-service bars may make customers feel.

Brand perception is another concern, the guide notes, and how this would/could play out in the minds of the customers given heightened perceptions around hygiene and safety as they see other customers not take precautions.

Instead, employees must pour drinks out for customers, preferably using fountains usually designated for the drive-thru.

The guidance also mandates the use of personal protective equipment for employees.

Workers have to wear face masks or face coverings, and all employees who handle food or service have to wear gloves.

Customers arent required to wear masks, but masks should be available to them upon request in municipalities where face coverings are required. Protective panels have to be installed at drive-thru windows and counters where orders are taken.

The playbook also gives employees guidelines on how to talk to people who might be wondering why McDonalds is opening its dining areas at all.

Workers can say, We are all in this together and this team has come together in so many amazing ways over the last few months. If someone refuses to social distance, they can try I apologize for any inconvenience, but to help keep everyone safe, wed like all our guests to maintain a safe distance of 6 feet from each other and our staff. McDonalds highly recommends workers use a thumbs up to check back in with customers who are eating at tables.

A woman was arrested last week on suspicion of shooting a fast-food worker and injuring others after they told her to leave a McDonalds restaurant in Oklahoma City, according to police.

Excerpt from:
McDonald's is going to look drastically different when it opens - East Idaho News

Executive Summary

At MIT Sloan School of Managements delta v accelerator 84 entrepreneurs participated in a first-of-its-kind, exploratory self-awareness program. By the end of the program, 88% of the participants (up from 21%) had independently established their own regular, weekly meditation or mindfulness practice; 53% of participants were more frequently utilizing a deliberate tool or technique to work through stress; and 40% were more aware of their emotions. While in previous years, accelerator participants valued their startups above all else, in this cohort, they not only valued their own well-being, but they more often offered and accepted help. They demonstrated that they didnt have to be harried and constantly stressed to show their passion for their startups.

Entrepreneurs are so passionate about what they are creating and often, so fearful of letting their team and investors down that they will do almost anything to realize their startups potential. Stories of sacrifice abound in founder blogs and startup post-mortems, with entrepreneurs forgoing sleep, friendships, family relationships, exercise, and good nutrition for their startups. This startup-above-all-else approach can lead to chronic stress, which wreaks havoc on entrepreneurs physical and mental health. A UCSF study found that entrepreneurs may already be prone to mental health conditions more than the general population, and in our personal experience, anxiety, self-doubt, depression, and loneliness are rampant among entrepreneurs.

What if compromising yourself for your startup isnt necessary for success? And further, what if its possible to teach entrepreneurs to work through the stresses of entrepreneurship more effectively, so they dont compound into chronic issues?

At MIT Sloan School of Managements delta v accelerator this past year, we took a step toward answering that question, creating a first-of-its-kind, exploratory self-awareness program to help 84 founders and their team members prioritize their individual well-being while building their businesses and measuring the results. By the end of the program, 93% of our cohort felt that self-awareness practice can help entrepreneurs create more successful businesses. More than anything, it gave our team a neutral, common language to build our relationships and culture, said a participant.

In developing the program, we knew that recommending particular self-care strategies creating a wind-down routine before bed, eating well, or taking breaks, for example would not be enough to shift the ingrained view that outsized stress and sacrifice is necessary for entrepreneurship, or to convince entrepreneurs to spend any of their extremely limited time on something other than their startups.

Instead, we (the authors) designed a test program to help accelerator participants develop greater self-awareness. We hypothesized that if entrepreneurs understood more about the mechanics of themselves their thoughts, feelings, and automatic physical and emotional responses they could make better personal choices in the face of the everyday stresses of entrepreneurship. Participants were taught a simple framework for building self-awareness:

Our framework is an expanded form of mindfulness defined by Jon Kabat-Zinn as paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally. To practice the framework, participants were taught mindfulness meditation, which has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety and help regulate emotion, among many other benefits. They also learned short mindfulness practices that they could integrate into their lives. In addition, we conducted small, peer group sessions, where we discussed key choices entrepreneurs face. Participants could use these sessions to vent and get feedback and perspective in a confidential setting. The small group meetings were mandatory, and everything else was optional.

To measure the impact of this methodology on our student entrepreneurs, we surveyed them before and after the delta v program, with 60 participants responding. The results were significant.

By the end of the program, 88% of the participants had independently established their own regular, weekly meditation or mindfulness practice. Before the program, 65% had never meditated, and only 21% were regularly practicing meditation or mindfulness. We didnt require that they start their own practice. We simply presented the research-backed benefits and showed them how it was possible to integrate it into their already-packed day. They decided that it was worth their time, and that they didnt have to view it as one more thing on their to-do list. While some participants chose to meditate regularly, others chose, for example, to make their morning subway commute into a mindfulness practice, taking five minutes (from stop A to stop B, for example) to pay attention to what they were hearing, seeing, and experiencing. As thoughts or feelings arose, they would label them, and go right back to focusing on their environment.

We also found that their practice was paying off and creating behavioral change. After the program, 53% of participants were more frequently utilizing a deliberate tool or technique to work through stress, and 40% were more aware of their emotions. These entrepreneurs were making active, moment-to-moment choices to change their habitual responses to stressful situations.

Finally, participants became more aware of themselves by sharing their challenges with each other. One third of the participants, via an open-ended question, said they found particular value in the learning, camaraderie, and openness they experienced in their peer groups. I became more open to sharing inner challenges with others, one entrepreneur said. Listening to perspectives and stories of colleagues in the cohort helped me be wiser about how I can approach complicated [issues] with higher confidence.

Self-awareness isnt a magic bullet. The program didnt alleviate stress completely. In a post-program survey just a few days before Demo Day, when they would pitch their startups to more than 1,000 people, 40% of our participants were experiencing more difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep than they were at the beginning of the accelerator. Incredibly though, and in contrast with previous delta v cohorts, they were making the active choice to sleep.

The culture of delta v changed. While in previous years, members valued their startups above all else, in this cohort, they not only valued their own well-being, but they more often offered and accepted help. They demonstrated that they didnt have to be harried and constantly stressed to show their passion for their startups.

Will the startups in this delta v cohort be more or less successful than cohorts before them? We cant say, yet. As we continue the program, we will build on our data set and track our participants. But we think that the additional tools the program provided will help them in their entrepreneurial efforts now and over the long-term. Rather than a state of being, self-awareness is a habit to be practiced over and over again. The 12 weeks of the accelerator gave entrepreneurs the chance to practice what they were learning, see the consequences play out over time, and integrate their learnings into their startups. We feel confident they will continue to do so as they build their companies outside of delta v.

We believe that integrating self-awareness into the entrepreneurial ecosystem entrepreneur by entrepreneur will lead to healthier startup cultures. This benefit wont just accrue to founders, in our estimation, but will create a ripple effect and extend to their team members, their stakeholders, and their customers, resulting in healthier and more successful businesses.

Read the original:
Passion for Your Startup Doesn't Have to Mean Constant Stress - Harvard Business Review

Right now, we are in the midst of a powerful wind. As a community, as a nation, and as a world, we have been hit by a virus named COVID-19.

When I think of a picture to go along with this quote, the movie 'The Perfect Storm' comes to mind. Granted, it wasnt a sailboat, but a much larger boat, and yet it was faced with the challenge of staying afloat as the great storm crashed into them. Right now, as humans, we are experiencing a great storm that has disrupted our lives. This virus has changed everything about how we function; from how we shop for necessities to how we educate our children. We know we cannot direct the wind, so how do we adjust our sails? Here are some tips on things you can do in your life to help during this time.

Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, there is nothing easy or normal about what we are experiencing. As humans, we were born for social connection. Our ancestors lived and traveled in tribes and this served an important purpose: survival. At this time in our lives, it becomes important to figure out new ways to create social connections. Technology offers many ways to connect, ranging from a phone call to apps such as Marco Polo or Zoom where you can send videos or have live group chats. Moving away from technology and using other resources, you can mail a letter or card to someone you care about. This could be a great opportunity to teach a new generation the excitement of going to the mailbox and finding a card or letter from a loved one. There are creative ways of creating social connection while practicing social distancing.

On Easter Sunday, I heard cars honking outside, and I went to my window and saw a parade of Easter well- wishers driving down my road, honking and waving. There are ways to build connections while maintaining social distancing, it just takes some creativity.

Self-care is a term that has become mainstreamed today but is often misunderstood. Self- care is any activity we do on purpose to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. Although its a simple concept in theory, its something we often overlook. Good self-care is key to improving our mood and reducing anxiety. Its also key to a good relationship with oneself and others.

Self-care means examining the different components of our lives: spiritual, physical, mental, psychological, and social, and exploring areas lacking attention. Its recognizing the importance of all components and finding ways we can work to improve what we are giving to each of them. It means figuring out how to give the world the best of you instead of whats left of you. Some examples of self-care could include setting aside time in your day to take a breathing break, going for a walk outside, or taking a hot bath. Self-care is finding what works for you.

Believe it or not, there has been extensive research completed on the Science of Happiness. There is a whole movement called Positive Psychology that is devoted to this. By and large, much of the research comes back to one main skill that can be strengthened to improve overall happiness and life satisfaction. And that is gratitude.

One might be thinking: We are amid a pandemic, what is there to be thankful for? But the answer is there are many things to be grateful for, but it might be harder to find them right now. But once you get in the practice of finding these things, it becomes much easier. A great way to start or end each day is by stopping and reflecting on three good things. This activity is simple, but research shows that ending each day consistently reflecting on or writing down three good things has a positive impact on our mood for the next week and even month! This is a great dinner time activity, especially for those with younger kids. Ask everyone around the table to share three good things that happened during the day. It stimulates conversation and helps instill gratitude into our daily lives.

During this new and challenging time in our lives, we are all feeling an onslaught of emotions. We are actively engaged in grieving life as we knew it, along with significant events and in some cases, loss of life. It is important we find ways to feel and metabolize these emotions. Research has shown that a great way to do this is by using words to get these emotions from inside our head to outside of our bodies.

Journaling and talking to a trusted peer are two ways to do this. Sometimes people are intimidated by the thought of journaling ; feeling like they need to write things properly or fill up an entire page. This is not so; there are no rules in journaling! This experience is about writing what you think and feel, whether it is incomplete sentences filled with words, a poem, or even a drawing. Do what feels comfortable to you.

Given the challenge of social distancing, it may be more of a challenge to connect with a trusted peer. Again, I encourage you to explore new ways of doing this. In addition to peer support, mental health professionals continue to work during this time. Many are available via telehealth and this offers a way of receiving counseling while maintaining social distancing. This means you could be in your home and be seen by a professional.

Research has shown exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. However, people often respond negatively to the word exercise. It can feel like a chore; one more thing to knock off your list. But here is another way of looking at it: movement. Try to increase your movement a little each day.

I am reading a book about explorers of Antarctica, and they have a saying: 11 more steps. This comes from the experience of previous explorers who they discovered would have survived their adventures across Antarctica if they had just gone 11 more steps each day. Perhaps look at your life and small ways to incorporate increases in movement perhaps just 11 more steps.

With workout centers being closed, there are numerous offerings on the internet of free exercise classes that can be done at home using household items as equipment. However, if that feels overwhelming, keep it simple and focus on increasing your movement.

In closing, I encourage you to find ways to adjust your sails as we weather this storm together. It is important to remind ourselves we are all in this together, and as a society we are experiencing the same emotional roller coaster. No one has been through this before and no one has all the answers. This is a time to practice grace with each other and ourselves.

Mithun is a Behavioral Health Home Integration Specialist at Lakewood Health System in Staples.

Read the original:
Mithun: The need to adjust our sails in uncertain times - Wadena Pioneer Journal

Looking back on their years as Mountain Hawks, seniors share their advice with younger and incoming students to make the most of their experiences at Lehigh.

As a Gryphon for first-year students, Alanna Lynch, 20, said she often sees incoming freshmen expecting to meet their friends in their classes, but she said for most students, this isnt the case.

Alanna Lynch, 20

She said students shouldnt be afraid to go out of their comfort zones and get involved with different clubs they are passionate about. That is where students end up meeting a lot of their friends, Lynch said.

This is probably the four years of your life that you have the most opportunities to get involved in something different, said Rhiannon Accetta, 20. You might as well take advantage of trying something new.

Anne Chabak, 20, said she knows its hard for students when they first get to campus, but she believes it is worth it.

Chabak said she got more involved her sophomore year, joining a sorority and a club sports team, which allowed her to make more friends than she did her first year.

Christopher Pineda, 20, said he recommends getting involved on campus early. He joined Engineers Without Borders his first year and stayed with the group throughout his time at Lehigh.

I enjoyed their way of thinking and how they saw the world, so I stayed with that group throughout the years, Pineda said. And honestly, that selling point of a good club or organization that youve been a part of is really good for job recruiters.

Lynch said when first adjusting to college, its normal for students to feel homesick. She is from Franklin, Massachusetts, and said she was especially homesick her freshman year.

If students are ever feeling homesick, Lynch said they should talk to other people because they are not alone.

Developing a strong support system during the first few months on campus is important, Lynch said.

One thing Lynch said she regrets is not making a greater effort to keep her freshman year friends as she got older and more involved on campus.

Rhiannon Accetta, 20

Even though some may think they have established all of their friends by senior year, it is likely easier to build new friendships and connections senior year, Accetta said. She said she believes she made most of her friends at the end of her Lehigh experience.

Everybody on campus is a familiar face, Accetta said. We all have such a connection to each other because weve been at Lehigh for so long. You can relate to anybody that you meet on campus in some way.

Getting involved in organizations around campus is also a great chance to meet upperclassmen who can give academic advice, Chabak said.

With registration for the fall semester, younger students have been reaching out to Chabak with questions about classes and professors.

I think thats very beneficial because theres no use in making the same mistakes twice, Chabak said. Making friends and asking those questions is just going to help you in the long run.

Accetta and Lynch both said for academics, students should take advantage of office hours and build relationships with their professors.

In high school, Accetta said she didnt need to study as much, but when she arrived at Lehigh as a bioengineering major, she found herself overwhelmed.

Underclassmen should not be afraid to reach out to friends in their classes for help and also their professors, Accetta said.

Lynch, a biology major with a minor in health, medicine and society, said she always advises her residents to attend office hours. When professors see students making an effort, they are more likely to help them out, she said.

Anne Chabak, 20

Although they might be intimidating, every professor Ive ever had has always been so willing to make time outside of class for you, Accetta said. They want to see you succeed. They dont want you to be struggling and trying to figure it out yourself.

Chabak, a double major in finance and marketing, said she wishes she had taken advantage of academic planning and her advisors during her earlier years to fully plan out her academics and schedule.

Going into her junior year, Chabak said she realized she had more room in her schedule than she anticipated, which is when she added marketing as her second major.

I also totally couldve just snuck in a minor in something, but I just never explored it because I was too focused on figuring out my major, Chabak said.

Pineda, an electrical engineer major, is going on to work in sales engineering after graduating. To help with time management, he advises students to plan out a calendar with time slots set aside to do certain things.

I know freshman year, I definitely didnt do that, and I kept on forgetting about assignments or having to do them late and making up excuses, Pineda said. As soon as I got a calendar and got everything in place, I started doing significantly better in school.

Chris Pineida, 20

Lynch said she wishes she found a better balance between learning and self-care during her time at Lehigh. She kept academics first for the majority of her college career, but advises younger students to enjoy everything college has to offer while staying focused on academics.

Lynch said losing her second semester of senior year made her realize there were a lot of things she wishes she had done, so students should appreciate their time at Lehigh.

She said she wishes she had given up a few Friday and Saturday nights studying in the library to hang out with her friends. She said she also wishes she walked up to the Bethlehem Star.

Chabaks biggest regret is not taking advantage of Lehighs study abroad opportunities. She said she had plans to go abroad during the spring semester of her junior year, but was apprehensive because she had never left the country before and backed out at the last minute.

Its such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and now I have a job lined up after graduation, Chabak said. I dont know if Im ever going to have that time to take off to really go immerse myself in another culture.

Four years seems like a long time, but losing her final seven weeks at Lehigh made it feel like it went by too fast, Accetta said.

Accetta said she will remember memories from the first semester of her freshman year for the rest of her life.

Pineda said it was really nice to have people around to share and talk through ideas with. Students should really appreciate all the people they meet and the time they spend with each other, he said.

There are a lot of diverse people in the Lehigh community, Lynch said. If you stay in your own little bubble, you wont get the full Lehigh experience.

See more here:
Seniors give valuable college advice - The Brown and White

fizkes, Shutterstock

SALT LAKE CITY Its easy to forget or neglect our own basic self-care needs during times of stress. However, its during these times of increased stress, difficulty and uncertainty that we need to stay connected with ourselves and care for ourselves the most.

Thats when we most need to move our bodies, get enough sleep, not skip meals, reprioritize, scale back, allow for rest, reassess expectations and protect our boundaries. Its not the time to put these things on the back burner.

With that said, I want to offer suggestions for how to get back to the basics of self-care. Id even call these basic "hygiene" routines things that could be equated with brushing your teeth and taking a shower. These are self-care essentials that will make sure your basic needs are being met.

Youll feel better physically, mentally and emotionally if you are eating regularly and adequately. While it might be easy to forget, put it off or question the importance, I promise that you will feel more resilient to all that life is throwing at you if your body and your brain are well-fueled.

Anticipate hunger every two to four hours, depending on the size of your last meal or snack. A meal will likely keep you full for close to three to four hours, while a snack will probably be closer to two hours. Choose three to five food groups for meals and two to three food groups for snacks.

Think through a typical day starting with breakfast. What time do you usually get hungry? From there, think about what time to anticipate being hungry for lunch. If youre going longer than three or four hours between breakfast and lunch, you may want to plan for a snack. And so on throughout the day.

Stress and anxiety can often overwhelm you and decrease appetite or make hunger and fullness cues feel less reliable. But just because you dont feel hungry or dont have an appetite doesnt mean you dont need to eat. If your emotions are causing eating patterns to become irregular and inadequate, you may want to establish a flexible structure for yourself to make sure you are eating in predictable ways. This can help you avoid chaotic and haphazard eating patterns.

Its often because you arent eating regularly and adequately that your hunger/fullness cues and appetite feel unreliable or muted. When you are eating adequately and at regular intervals, your body can actually communicate its needs more effectively.

Physical activity will look differently for everyone. As such, basic hygiene for exercise would be to find a way to move your body each day in a way that you enjoy. It doesnt need to be a certain amount or a certain intensity, just enough for you to gain the mental, emotional and physical benefits of physical activity.

This might mean taking a walk, playing with your kids, gardening, stretching, a favorite exercise video, online class or anything else that would feel refreshing to you. Anything "counts"!

Instead of exercising to manipulate your body or to compensate for what you ate, look at it as an opportunity to connect to your body and support its overall well-being. That will make it more enjoyable and rewarding for you and youre more likely to be consistent with it when done with positive intentions.

Just like youll want to establish predictability and rhythm with food, basic hygiene would encourage you to do the same with sleep.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, current sleep recommendations are as follows:

Commit or recommit to getting in bed at a time that allows for the full recommended amount of sleep. You may need a little time before to start winding down and preparing for a good nights sleep.

While its not necessary to do more than whats essential during stressful times, it is wise to make sure your basic needs are being met. Prioritizing consistent nutrition, enjoyable movement and adequate sleep will allow you to support your health and wellbeing and increase your mental, emotional and physical resiliency during difficult times.

See the original post:
Stressed out? Try improving these 3 areas of self-care - KSL.com

From International Relations perspective, there can be three suggested levels of analysis; individual, state and system level of analysis, to examine political, economic and social changes and their possible implications in the international system. The definitions of words fear, chaos and anarchy are driven from Safires political dictionary to develop a shared perspective. The term security appears ubiquitous and all the verbiage devoted to Covid-19 leads some people to postulate that the military jingoism had thwarted welfare budgets across the globe, but the non-traditional security paradigm will now rule the international system the very thought is simply chimeric.

There is no greater fear than losing a life. National leaders and policy makers will surely combat any possible challenge or threat to thousands of lives of citizens, irrespective of cast, color, creed, gender or class. The fear has made questionable social norms, beliefs, taboos and even religion. Fear of Covid-19 threat is looming powerfully without physical appearance and prevails around everything you eat, drink and touch. Survival against fear has become national moto. Nation-states in return have suspended all national activities from every walk of life by declaring it as a challenge to national security.

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Politically, fear has profound significance at the state level of analysis. Because the political leaders are supposed to take bold decisions rather than noble lies to protect their Kallipolis state. Threats to any sector of multifaceted concept of security are dealt with iron hands by political leaders. National security advisors think beyond the box against the dark shadows of fear, either it demands them to sacrifice their ideological rigidity, challenge religious belief, break social norms, and switch economic paradigms or prioritize state over individuals. Chaos at system level demands statism at state level to combat any type of anarchy through self-help rather collective efforts. Covid-19 is truly testing the credibility, vision and decision making for political leaders at state level rather than system level.

Previously fear of global threat used to bring centuries or decades old political rivals on the diplomatic table but covid-19 has put leadership around the globe in quarantine within their national boundaries.

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Economics is considered the strongest muscle of nation-states to cater multifaceted national security challenges in 21stcentury as extolled by Copenhagen school of thought in security studies. Covid-19 has devastated national economies in the first round of its outburst. It hasnt only endangered the survivability but generated mass chaos of alarming speculations of the great economic depression of the century. National policies everywhere are relying on national economic capacities, and pushing governments, institutions and individuals towards statism. In this situation, rising anarchy at system level is compelling nations-states to hold economic reigns centrally by capitalist and liberal economies to restrain their nations from falling in the realm of Marxism and its variants. Realist question here, if it is not a self-help to encounter multifaceted security then what?

The social dynamics of fear is a threat to social values, practices, customs, norms, traditions, lifestyle and freedom of practicing religious gatherings. Failure of all heuristic methods to curb fear of COVID-19 have further aggravated chaos at least partially in the social sphere of national life. Nation-States are designing policies to fight against Covid-19 by promoting their cultural identity. As Covid-19 has arch hold everywhere in the world so a large number of nation-states are believing in self-help rather than cry of collective help.

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Today, when individuals are locked down by national governments across the globe. It is military or paramilitary forces that are marching in all corners of countriesaround world. The responsibility and reliability is more increased from protecting national borders to public properties. Therefore, standards of statism have modernized at this time and engaging national militaries with more technologists and medical doctors to break any possible anarchy with self- help is the order of the day.

Mr. Zulqarnain is an associate lecturer at University of Gujrat and Doctoral candidate of International Relations & Political Science at Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad.

Excerpt from:
Can self-help and statism prove effective against COVID-19, fear, chaos and anarchy? - The Nation

Executive Summary

Most of us are not on the overtaxed frontlines of the healthcare battle, but all of us can be first responders to the need for emotional support. Almost everyone needs connection to others and the opportunity to give and get support right now. So, how can you shore up your mental health and deepen your own emotional reservoir? The author offers four suggestions: 1) Start with self-care.We cant share with others a resource that we lack ourselves. 2) Ask for help when you need it. If you dont ask for that support, the need for it will be revealed in ways that dont serve you. 3) Ask others How are you? Take time to listen to their full answer and walk through your personal rollercoaster ride. 4)Look for the positive and say it aloud.Express appreciation, give compliments, and call out triumphs, no matter how small. If you see something good, speak up.

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As businesses and schools are shuttered, economic uncertainty encroaches, and a pandemic rages worldwide, there is plenty of anxiety to go around. Were watching our healthcare system be pushed to its limits, but the grief and trauma were seeing presages a second wave of need: Before long, our mental healthcare system is going to be stretched to the breaking point as well. As physical distancing continues, we need to make sure that we help alleviate the isolation, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and other mental health impacts that will result, driving a potentially system-overwhelming curve of their own. And now is the time to head off this second crisis.

Most of us are not on the overtaxed frontlines of the healthcare battle, but all of us can be first responders to the need for emotional support. The need exists in every industry and economic sector, among physically healthy people as well as those who are sick or whose loved ones are sick. There are needs in our families, extended families, congregations, and communities, as well as within our network of professional associations. Almost everyone needs connection to others and the opportunity to give and get support in the abnormal new normal of deep uncertainty and the fearful specter of a pandemic.

As executive coaches, we think a lot about how to maximize mental health resources thats a big part of what we do every day. So, how can you shore up your mental health and deepen your own emotional reservoir? Here are some suggestions:

We cant share with others a resource that we lack ourselves. The critical starting point is to take our own mental health temperature. How am I doing? What will help me combat anxiety? Am I drinking, eating, or sleeping, or crying too much? What do I need to do to stay connected?

Follow up with a plan. Begin with keeping to your normal routine as much as possible. Take a shower early in the day. Brush your teeth. Put on clothes that you feel good in. One of the best ways to manage through chaos is to anchor yourself in routine. Schedule regular exercise, which has well-documented mental health benefits. Try taking up a regular meditation, if you havent already there truly is no time like the present. Scheduling when you read or watch the news can help keep your consumption measured. If it triggers adverse emotions and bogs you down, skip it for a while, or only consume enough to be current on your local developments. Do not follow the stock market every day, unless youre thrilled by emotional roller coasters.

Next, think of ways to be mentally engaged either through work or activities such as crossword or jigsaw puzzles, games, reading, or writing. Start a journal or blog. Self-reflection will allow you to make meaning of what is happening. Use technology to remain connected with family and friends. If possible, pursue your hobbies. One of our colleagues Julie Carrier rides her bike around her neighborhood each day, waving and saying hello to as many people as possible (from a safe distance). This not only gives her fresh air and a change of scenery but an opportunity to be with people.

Caregivers, parents, coaches, therapists, and even you need help. We all do right now. Dont hesitate to seek and ask for it. In many cases we can find the support we need from partners, parents, children, friends, and others close to us. There are professional resources to access if necessary, but again, if we can get adequate help elsewhere, we will conserve those resources for those who cant. You are going to need support. If you dont ask for that support, the need for it will be revealed in ways that dont serve you. Speaking from experience, either your resent-o-meter will spike, or you will find yourself holding grudges, being unkind and ungenerous in unexpected moments often to the people who you most care about.

The flip side of this is making yourself available to others who need help. While its important to keep your own emotional state in mind, remember that practicing self-care doesnt mean being self-centered. One of the best ways to lift your mood is to encourage, support, and love others. During the last few weeks we have seen countless acts of people stepping up and answering the call to serve: a Costco run for an elderly neighbor, a medium-size business offering more favorable terms to a small business client to increase their cash flow (which resulted in them keeping their staff), donations to local charities to get PPE to local healthcare workers, and the list goes on.

Most mornings, when we hop on a Zoom call with business partners, we dive into the most pressing issues of the day. It is easy to jump straight to the to-dos and brush off the How are you? with a casual Im fine. On routine days, this is often a pro forma question, but theres nothing routine about these days. This is the question that helps us take the mental health temperature of others, which means we really listen to the answer, even though that may not be our habit. Everyone is grieving. Everyone is experiencing trauma and needs other people to talk to. We need to feel heard.

When youre talking to friends, colleagues, whomever, take time to listen to their full answer and walk through your personal COVID-19 rollercoaster ride. You dont need to ride the emotional rollercoaster with your colleagues, but it is important to listen to how their ride is going. Be willing to wait for people to be honest. Be comfortable in silence if someone searches for words or has to collect their emotions. We are all overtaxed.

We may usually be a little sparing with praise. Maybe we think that someone who criticizes us is smarter than we are, or that praising others feels like an acknowledgment that we are inferior, so we demur. The temptation to withhold support can increase when we are experiencing feelings of scarcity, which can foster competitiveness and even enmity. Now is not that time. Now is the time to have the courage to be enthusiastic. Express appreciation, give compliments, and call out triumphs, no matter how small. If you see something good, speak up.

Big wins may be in short supply, but everyone continues to need positive feedback. With work associates, encourage your subordinates, peers, bosses, and also rivals, competitors, past partners. If you admire someone, tell them (and if you think they could not possibly need support from you right now, youre likely wrong).

We still have a long, hard path to get through this pandemic. But doing our best to manage the toll it takes on our mental and emotional health will make it easier to ride out the coming ups and downs. Weve made great strides in recent years addressing mental health in the workplace and more generally. We need people on the frontlines rescuing the physically afflicted, but the emotional aspect will affect everyone. All of us need emotional first responders. Take good care of yourself. Because we need you.

If our free content helps you to contend with these challenges, please consider subscribing to HBR. A subscription purchase is the best way to support the creation of these resources.

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To Take Care of Others, Start by Taking Care of Yourself - Harvard Business Review

Aly Evirs, owner of Boheme Salon and Spa in Redding, offers tips for self care while staying home. Redding Record Searchlight

Withnon-essential businesses like hair salons and spasclosed during the coronavirus crisis, people are left to their own devices to cut (or not to cut)their own hair and care for skin rubbed raw from hand-washing and masks.

Thosewho make theirliving grooming and caring for clients in Redding'sdry climate offered these tips to tide us over untilsalons, barbershops and spasopen again.

1. Take a break."Take this time to let your skin and hair breathe," Boheme Salon and Spa owner Aly Evirs said.Skip the hot tools, like curling irons. Condition more often. Useless makeup. Be consistent with yourskin care routine, but keep it simple.

2. Treat problem areas, like those where masksrubbed skin raw. Use extra moisturizer on your hands and face,especially at night. It can helpheal skin while you'resleeping, "and repair (its) barrier function to protect against mask burn and rubbing,"Evirs said.

3. Calm things down.People are feeling a lot of anxiety from coronavirus fears, economic stressand other concerns.Expressions Beauty Training vocational school owner Leah Robisonrecommends using essential oils to elevate your mood and help you relax, sleep, breath clearly and detoxify. She also suggests takinga bath. Apply body lotion after, takingtime to massage it into your skin.

Leah Robison, owner of Expressions Beauty Training vocational school in Redding, offers tips for self care while staying home. Redding Record Searchlight

4. Care for hands and nails after washing hands.Moisturize nails with hand lotion or cuticle oil,Redding nail technician Jewelia Bill said. Otherwise, cuticles candry out andpeel painfully, especially with all thathand-washing andsanitizer.Keep fingernailstrimmed, and use a fine-grain nail file one with a180 grit that won't tear nails, Bill said. Meanwhile, you can use this time to heal nails after months of gel polish and acrylics.

5. Drink plenty of water. Usingcleaners that kill the coronavirus can behard on yourbody. Make sure you're getting enough water"for overall health"and to removetoxins absorbed through skin and inhaled,Evirs said.

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Coronavirus live updates: What we know Wednesday about COVID-19 in the North State

Try a to-go food trek at restaurants offering takeout, curbside delivery

6. Style, but don't cut your hair.Evirs understands what it's like when locks growout of control."I have a very modern mullet going on," she saidlaughing. But she still doesn't recommend cuttingyour own hair.Instead, change your part ortrim short hair around your ears or neck to subtly improve your look.

7. Prepare for Zoomand other online chats like you would if you were going out."Ditch the pajamas for some normal clothes," Evirs said.Light makeup evens outskin toneand make people look their best on camera.

Jessica Skropanic is features reporter for the Record Searchlight/USA Today Network. She covers lifestyle andentertainment stories, andweekly arts featured.a.t.e. Followher on Twitter @RS_JSkropanicand on Facebook. Join Jessica in theGet Out! Nor Calrecreation Facebook group. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today. Thank you.

Read or Share this story: https://www.redding.com/story/news/2020/04/29/coronavirus-quarantine-tips-home-self-care/3005203001/

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Hairy situation: 7 tips from Redding beauty specialists to hold us over at home - Record Searchlight

I would be lying if I said things were easy right now.you probably agree.

I used to love going to the grocery store, Publix and Winn Dixie. Now, its not my favorite thing. Making a weekly run and getting stocked up can be a little stressful. Who would have thought?

Such simple things we have all taken for granted, make me think about something else we often take for grantedbreathing. Yep, breathing.

Years ago, I had a manager who used to say, Breath, just breath! She used to say that when I would get upset about a situation with a client.

I thought it was so condescending. I would tune her out and go about with my angry venting internally. I was driving myself mad for hours on end. Often it filtered into the next day.

My sales manager didnt mean to be condescending, and I actually liked her. In hindsight, I wished she would have explained more about the benefits of breathing, or I would have been wise enough to ask. I would have been happier as I would have been able to let go of situations faster.

Why do people overcomplicate simple things? I know there are many authors and doctors who have deeply studied breathing. When I read those articles, I seem to glaze over them.

In my opinion, the most significant part of any self-help or personal development is the recognition and then the daily practice so it becomes a habit which can then be life-changing.

So, to them, I would say, lets start first by remembering to breathe.

Remember to take a deep breath when someone or something is upsetting you.Remember to take a deep breath before saying something that you may regret.Remember to take a deep breath when you feel some anxiety or worry.Remember to take some deep breaths while on a walk and appreciate natures scents.

If you want to get to step two, try about adding a simple mantra such as:

I am at peace

When I started making breathing a part of my daily habit anytime I was feeling stressed or

overwhelmed; I realized that taking deep breaths can:

Change your energy and relax your systemCreate a pause so you can think more clearlyHelp you focus and stop overwhelmCan help prevent you from saying something you may regret

There are various exercises too that can help, such as box breathing. This practice is part of the Navy Seals regimen.

To practice box breathing, you follow a specific, controlled pattern. First, breathe in for 4 seconds. Then, hold your breath for 4 seconds. Next, breathe out for 4 seconds. Finally, hold for 4 seconds. And repeat.

To me, thats an easy one to remember and very effective.

Also, there are articles about proper techniques on filling your belly with air vs. sucking it in. But, in the spirit of keeping it simple, just remembering to take three deep breaths can make a difference.

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Practice Deep Breathes To Help You Move Through Challenges - Florida Keys Weekly

April 29, 2020 07:00 ET | Source: Kaseya International Ltd.

ATLANTA and NEW YORK, April 29, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What was once considered a luxury the ability to work from home is now a necessity in todays unprecedented time. The mass migration to remote work due to the coronavirus pandemic has placed extraordinary pressures on companies and their IT support teams to enable personal device use, while still maintaining security and compliance for the corporate network. To aid with this sudden, overwhelming transition, RapidFire Tools, a Kaseya company and leading provider of business-building IT technologies, launched the Network Detective Work from Home (WFH) solution. Network Detective WFH features a self-service portal to empower employees who are working off home computers to initiate a network and security scan to be analyzed and documented by their companies IT support team before they connect to the corporate network.

Many businesses were not prepared for the sudden shift of resources from offices to employee homes when the coronavirus hit, and that left many organizations vulnerable to data breaches and internal threats, said Michael Mittel, president and GM, RapidFire Tools. We created Network Detective WFH to address this very issue by delivering high-value, self-service assessments that safely allow employees to work from home using their personal devices. With the help of Network Detective WFH, business owners can have peace of mind knowing that the integrity of their IT infrastructure remains in place, and also save money and reduce IT workload by allowing employees to use home computers and networks.

Network Detective Work from Home provides:

For more information on Network Detective Work from Home, visit https://ww2.rapidfiretools.com/self-assess.

About RapidFire Tools RapidFire Tools Inc., a Kaseya company, is the leading global supplier of business-building technology tools for MSPs to help them close more business, offer more services, keep more customers, and generate higher revenue. The companys offerings include: a complete set of IT assessment, documentation and reporting tools; tools for IT compliance process automation; and solutions for insider cyber threat detection and alerting. Learn more at http://www.rapidfiretools.com. Follow us on Twitter @RapidFireTools.

About Kaseya Kaseya is the leading provider of complete IT infrastructure management solutions for managed service providers (MSPs) and internal IT organizations. Through its open platform and customer-centric approach, Kaseya delivers best in breed technologies that allow organizations to efficiently manage, secure, and backup IT. Kaseya IT Complete is the most comprehensive, integrated IT management platform comprised of industry-leading solutions from Kaseya, Unitrends, Rapidfire Tools, Spanning Cloud Apps, IT Glue and ID Agent. The platform empowers businesses to: command all of IT centrally; easily manage remote and distributed environments; simplify backup and disaster recovery; safeguard against cybersecurity attacks; effectively manage compliance and network assets; streamline IT documentation, and automate across IT management functions. Headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, Kaseya is privately held with a presence in over 20 countries.

Media Contacts

Katy Hoeper, PR Manager Walker Sands katy.hoeper@walkersands.com

Tammy Hovey, Director of Corporate Communications Kaseya tammy.hovey@kaseya.com

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Network Detective Helps Organizations Secure Work-at-Home Devices to Mitigate Cybersecurity Threats and Vulnerabilities caused by Remote Workforces -...