February Is All About the Love!

Maybe it’s due to shorter days, colder weather, or the post-holiday hangover, but Americans aren’t too fond of either January or February. The two months nearly tied as the “least favorite month” in a recent poll. We think there is a lot to love about both months. In fact, February is all about the love:

• It’s American Heart Month, your chance to practice some self-love by scheduling heart checkups and taking steps to safeguard your heart health through diet and fitness. Heart disease is the number one cause of mortality for both men and women, responsible for about 1 in 4 deaths. Here’s a great downloadable Fact Sheet: Heart Smart Basics: What to Know to Keep Yours Healthy. Explore more about heart health by logging into your Self-Help Resource Center at www.theEAP.com and clicking the “Wellness Center & Physical Health” tile.
• Valentine’s Day falls right smack in the middle of February. While it can be a fun day, it’s really a commercial event that paints an idealized version of love. Don’t be worried if your day doesn’t live up to the media hype. Even healthy, loving relationships run into stormy waters that need to be navigated. Your EAP offers excellent and robust Self-Help Resources for interpersonal relationships, partnerships and marriage, family life, and parenting. Log in to your Self-Help Resources at www.theEAP.com and choose the “Connections/Work-Life” tile to explore articles and videos. You can also enter keywords or topics – such as relationships, conflict, or teens – in the search box.
• February 11-17 is Random Acts of Kindness Week. As the name implies, the week’s purpose is to honor and encourage spontaneous acts designed to spread kindness and positivity. Spread kindness at work, at home, and in your community. While it’s fun and gratifying to surprise strangers, be sure to also find ways to treat colleagues, friends, and family to unexpected thoughtful acts.  And if you are looking to really make an impact, National Donor Day (Feb. 14) provides the ultimate opportunity for a random act of kindness — a chance to save lives. More than 103,000 people are currently on waiting lists for lifesaving organ transplants. Learn how and why you should consider registering to save a life.

February’s Featured Webinar

Painless Estate Planning – Less than half of Americans have a will, but everyone should. Learn simple steps to create a basic estate plan, as well as about a few documents that can save you and your family unnecessary aggravation and expense.

Simply log in to www.theEAP.com during February to take the webinar at your convenience and explore related resources. Check in next month for a new topic!

February Training Picks

Got a love for learning? Explore thousands of personal and professional development courses. Log in at www.theEAP.com, sign in, and click on the comprehensive training library in the “Training Center.”   

• Overcoming Unconscious Bias | Course ID: SVL_1023350
  This 8-minute video helps you lessen the negative effects of unconscious stereotyping and create a more inclusive work culture.
• Cognitive Flexibility: Flexible Thinking at Work | Course ID: SVL_102544
  How adaptable are you? This 7-minute video lesson explains why cognitive flexibility is useful at work and should be important to you as an individual.
• What to Say When: A Co-Worker Has an Embarrassing Problem | Course ID: SVL_017117
  This 4-minute video talks about how to handle it when a co-worker has an embarrassing problem, such as bad breath, annoying sounds, or body odor.

Learn More!

How to Scan a QR Code

1. Open the camera app.
2. Select the rear-facing camera in Photo mode.
3. Center the QR code you want to scan on the screen and hold your phone steady for a couple of seconds.
4. Tap the notification that pops up to open the link. (You will need to be connected to the internet to do this.)