Guest Heather Renhard, massage therapist, describes an easy, enjoyable way companies can boost employee morale and loyalty while reducing injuries, disabilities, and worker’s comp costs. Employees and managers enjoy more happiness at work.

Interviewer: Doris Helge, Ph.D., Joy on the Job Radio Show host, http://www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com

Do you know anyone who fatigues more easily during the winter months? Is it ever more difficult to get motivated or reach your peak performance during the season of short daylight? Seasonal affective Disorder (SAD) is quite common, particularly in climates with frequent gray skies or short winter days. The surprise is that even people in sunny Florida are sometimes affected by the “Winter Blues” syndrome.

SAD is related to changes in cialis generic pharmacy environmental light, overcast days, or inadequate indoor lighting. SAD is not only related to blue moods. It can create health problems because common symptoms include daytime fatigue, sugar binges, carbohydrate craving, weight gain, lethargy, hopelessness, lack of interest in normal activities, and social withdrawal. Most SAD sufferers hate to get out of bed in the morning because they never feel rested.

None of this produces peak performance or joy on the job. The good news is that the condition can be corrected thoughtfully and fairly inexpensively.

Light therapy has long been considered the ideal treatment for SAD. Full-spectrum bulbs and bulbs with color temperatures between 3000 and 6500 degrees can blast the winter blahs. Some studies have indicated that up to 86% of people affected by winter SAD completely overcome their symptoms when the light bulbs are used consistently.

Flourescent lights have obtained a mixed review. Some people report that fluorescents assist with SAD, but ultraviolet light can damage eyes and skin. Fluorescents can also rob the body of B vitamins, which are essential to our sense of well-being.

I previously directed a national agency located in Washington State, an area with short winter days and overcast skies for months at a time. Staff who were affected by SAD talked openly about the tendency to feel lethargic and be susceptible to the winter blahs. Tardiness and absenteeism increased as winter drug on.

After installing full-spectrum bulbs, we noted a remarkable decrease in irritability and a significant increase in energy for a very minimal cost. Teamwork began to excel. People were much more enthusiastic and they arrived on time. Health care costs declined.

Although SAD is usually discussed with respect to depression, there are also SAD stories related to anger and aggression at work. How can exchanging a colored incandescent bulb for a low-watt light bulb transform a vicious temper into a state of serenity?
A pale purple incandescent bulb can create cheerfulness by mimicking daylight.

Light works for and against us. When it’s direct, glaring, or ultra-bright, it can cause eyestrain and headaches.

Because SAD is related to daylight, it is also helpful to increase outdoor activity, especially on sunny days. Humans weren’t designed to spend all winter in enclosed buildings. Gaining additional natural exposure to sun can significantly elevate energy levels. For these reasons, I encouraged our employees to go outside during breaks and did the same thing myself. Eating a balanced diet can also be immensely helpful in counteracting the tendency toward SAD.

If you are a manager or team leader, observe what happens when you survey your staff before and after directly addressing the common problem of SAD in winter, particularly in northern climates. Increased productivity, teamwork, and greater morale will make you glad you did.

© 2008

Doris Helge, Ph.D. is an executive coach, award-winning speaker, and corporate trainer. She is author of “Joy on the Job,” “Transforming Pain Into Power,” and other books published in many foreign languages. Go to www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com to download free articles so you boost employee retention and motivation. Download sample chapters from Dr. Helge’s books and hear “Joy on the Job” podcasts that will help you elevate your happiness at work at www.JoyOnTheJob.info
Sign up for the only ezine that focuses on happiness at work, the “Joy on the Job Ezine.”

You can reprint the above article as long as it remains intact and proper attribution is given.
(c) 2008

Managers, employees, and team leaders should all take steps to ensure employee well-being during winter months. Curing seasonal affective syndrome (S.A.D.) or other depression and lethargy tied to a lack of natural light and winter cialis generic overnight conditions has many benefits. Studies show that employee motivation and productivity escalate and healthcare costs decrease. Employee retention also increases.

This is clearly a very win-win approach. Organizations and employees benefit.

Employees, if you are in a position at work where you have to solve SAD without support or awareness of management, you have at least four options. One alternative is home treatment. This means using a light box that delivers 10,000 lux at eye level (with your eyes open and unshielded but not directly staring at the light) for 30-60 minutes. An alternative is to purchase a device like Sphere One Daylight 10,000 to take to work. Light visors are also available for employees who cannot sit for 30 minutes straight and still do their jobs. People who use a Dawn Simulator and program the device to come on before they arise in the morning enjoy a gentle awakening somewhat like sleeping outside and viewing a sunrise.

If you have a stationary work area, you can get permission to have full-spectrum bulbs placed above your space. A third option is to plug in a lamp with a full-spectrum bulb. Full-spectrum bulbs are easy to find on the Internet. (I purchased my own lighting the first time I worked in an inadequately-lit work place and noticed negative effects on my productivity and mood.) I was a little uneasy at first, but soon other employees did the same thing and management realized the benefits were worth the minimal expense.

This brings up option four. Arm yourself with data about the productivity and profit advantages of directly addressing SAD. Present facts to management or the occupational health department where you work because you deserve to be happy at work. The references at the bottom of this article will help you prepare your proposal.

Studies show you can also blast winter blahs by using essential oils.

Quality essential oils can produce profound positive effects. Researchers at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, West Virginia discovered that specific fragrances can ward off fatigue and reduce anxiety while increasing alertness. Some Japanese companies routinely waft certain scents, such as lemon, through air vents to increase motivation and productivity.

Peppermint and cinnamon enhance mental ability and performance. Peppermint can even mend a bad mood, especially if the emotional state is related to fatigue. Bergamot and rose also lift gloomy spirits.

Cautions:
• Nurturing fragrances are no substitute for deep sleep.
• The results you gain from using essential oils will be related to the quality of the product you use.

Take charge of your own well-being. The side benefits of happiness at work are enormous. Studies show that your productivity, income, and health will be improved. Reports also show that your relationships, both on the joy and at home, will also improve.

In addition to this article, the following will help you get started.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasonal_affective_disorder
* Rosenthal, Norman (1993). Winter Blues, New York: Guilford Press.
* Rosenthal, N. & Blehar, Mary (1989). Seasonal Affective Disorders and Phototherapy. New York: Guilford Press.
* “Seasonal affective disorder,” National Alliance on Mental Illness, reviewed by Michael Terman, Ph.D., Director, Winter Depression Program, New York State Psychiatric Institute at Columbia University Medical Center, New York City, February, 2004.
* Arnot, Robert, M.D., (2000). The Biology of Success. New York: Little, Brown & Co., pp 134-135.
* Barker S. & Raudenbush B., et al., “Improved performance on clerical tasks associated with administration of peppermint odor,” Perceptual Motor Skills, (2003) Dec; 97(3 Pt 1):1007-10.
* Helge, Doris, (2007). Joy on the Job. Bellingham: Shimoda Publishing.

© 2008

Doris Helge, Ph.D. is an executive coach, award-winning speaker, and corporate trainer. She is author of “Joy on the Job,” “Transforming Pain Into Power,” and other books published in many foreign languages. Go to www.MoreJoyOnTheJob.com to download free articles so you boost employee retention and motivation. Download sample chapters from Dr. Helge’s books and hear “Joy on the Job” podcasts that will help you elevate your happiness at work at www.JoyOnTheJob.info

You can reprint the above article as long as it remains intact and proper attribution is given to Doris Helge, Ph.D. (c) 2008.