Newsletter; June, 2023
Happy June! Each month we strive to provide you with a variety of helpful resources, tips, and practices to support your continued success, both personally and professionally. Because we work with a diverse demographic of clients, industries, and backgrounds, we aim to provide content equally as diverse. If a particular section doesn't resonate with you, that's okay! Our hope is that everyone can find at least one gold nugget per issue.
Below, you will find information on this month's article from Crum Consulting, this month's development challenge, as well as general wellness reminders. We have a number of knowledge-forward articles available that explore a variety of professional and personal topics, all of which will challenge your current perspective, and push your continued growth. Each month, we aim to provide you with a new challenge to help facilitate your ongoing growth. These challenges will range in topics and applications, in an effort to focus on a variety of aspects of your life. If you are a recurring client with us, we will be following up on this month's challenge with you in session. If you don't currently have any sessions set up with us, and would like to discuss this challenge and others like it, please feel free to reach out to schedule a session with us! You can reply directly here if we have worked together in the past. If you are a new client, please click here to fill out a consultation form, and we will be in touch to schedule a session with you. We also provide new wellness reminders in the form of our stretch of the month, and wellness tip. Regardless of your background, these reminders will help improve your day to day health and wellness.
June Article: This month's article is an oldie but a goodie, and aligns with our challenges for the month: When Values are Clear, Decisions are Easy. When we are faced with an abundance of options, and our values are not clear, those options can represent our downfall as opposed to the key to our success. Clear expectations lead to clear results. Our core values operate as the roadmap by which we navigate our day-to-day decisions. Without that map, it is all too easy to get lost. If you have any questions surrounding this month's article, or would like to further explore opportunities, please feel free to reach out to schedule a session with us! You can reply directly here if we have worked together in the past. If you are a new client, please click here to fill out a consultation form, and we will be in touch to schedule a session with you.
As we are coming into the middle of the year, we are offering a bonus challenge this month!!
June Challenge #1: I challenge you to audit your workplace and employee safety.
→In-Person Workplace Standards: In an office setting, some of the basics to cover are ensuring evacuation routes are established and clearly posted, fire extinguishers are mounted and inspected according to fire inspection standards, and ensuring first aid kits are available to all employees. A few additional standards to consider for more industrial settings include, regular preventative maintenance on all equipment, hand and eye wash stations mounted where required, and proper lifting and handling procedures clearly posted.
→General Standards: Regardless of workplace setting, a few general safety standards include safety and training certifications for all specialty equipment, creating and implementing a safety manual, providing basic education of first aid, assisting with access to specialty training, reviewing emergency procedures regularly, and having open safety discussions during company meetings at least twice a year.
→Employee Standards: The safety and welfare of our employees should always be a top priority, but often get overlooked. There are a number of ways to implement safety standards for your teams, including mental health check-ins during one-on-ones, providing access to healthcare (whether internally or through government agencies), having employees participate in safety feedback surveys twice a year, implementing a safety team or representative to champion safety initiatives, implementing health and wellness company challenges, providing incentives for healthy habits, ensuring employees are taking their breaks, providing mental health days for your employees, and so much more.
June Challenge #2: I challenge you to practice more effective communication standards.
→Meaningful meetings: Are you having regular meetings that recur on the same day and time each occurrence? If you had to rate your meetings on a scale of 1-10 today, what would you rate them? How can you improve the effectiveness of your meetings? When was the last time you asked your team for feedback on your meetings?
→Internal communication standards: Do you have an established turnaround time for all internal and external communication? Are your customers/clients aware of your communication expectations? Do you feel like your email inbox is constantly the bane of your existence? Are there opportunities to onboard new software solutions, such as a project management interface, to help alleviate the volume of emails?
→Interpersonal communication standards: Do you have an established process for internal discipline? Do you have established standards for how to handle a difficult or upset customer/client? Do you have established retention methods and flows? Are there any additional opportunities to improve your communication skills?
Stretch of the month: Child's pose - this stretch can be calming and relaxing, helping to manage stress. This pose activates the relaxation response (parasympathetic nervous system) and deactivates the stress response (sympathetic nervous system). This may help lower or regulate blood pressure. Click the (external) link to learn more, or simply google "child's pose"!
Wellness tip of the month: STAY HYDRATED!! Water is a critical component of the human body, making up 50% - 70% of your body weight. We depend on water to survive, and too often, choose alternative liquids that actually have the inverse of our desired results; coffee, caffeinated teas, fruit juices, and alcohol. Staying hydrated with water has numerous health benefits, such as: getting rid of wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements, keeping your temperature normal, lubricating and cushioning joints, and protecting sensitive tissues, to name a few. According to the Mayo Clinic, "The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men, and about 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women. These recommendations cover fluids from water, other beverages and food. About 20% of daily fluid intake usually comes from food and the rest from drinks.". These numbers are basic guidelines, and do account for high-level athletes, or people with more sedentary lifestyles. If you're unsure whether or not you're getting an adequate amount of water, your best reference will be the color of your urine; the darker the color, the more dehydrated you are. If you are still unsure, or have additional questions, it is best to discuss your concerns with your general practitioner. If you are trying to implement new hydration standards, start by buying yourself a new tumbler to make sure you can always have water around you. In sight, in mind.
"The moment you give up your principles, and your values, you are dead, your culture is dead, your civilization is dead. Period." -Oriana Fallaci
Thank you for being a pivotal part of our journey here at Crum Consulting. We would be nothing without you, and your continued support. Please feel free to share our content with others to pay it forward. We relish in receiving feedback, so if you have any suggestions or if you'd like to share your opinion on any of the content we have provided here, please let us know! If you have any questions about anything we covered here, or if you'd like to explore potential opportunities with Crum Consulting, we are here for you! Reach out anytime!
Until we meet again, take care of yourself, and others. Thank you.
