Health & Wellness

This quarter you are getting a twofer as they say, meaning a two in one subject matter offer. First, we will discuss our Health, since if you don’t have your Health no amount of Money or Safety really matters. So let me take it personal for a moment where I feel several of you can relate.

Owning my own business, like many of you, we feel it necessary to always push to do better and make more. We do this not only for ourselves, but we have other people counting on us. We have deadlines, issues/people to deal with, and are constantly chasing the almighty dollar. Guess what? If you spread yourself too thin your immune system lowers making you susceptible to illness. I got my wake up call in mid March in the form of the Flu Strain A with a visit to the ER. Just like you I have a business to run and I don’t get sick. The Flu Bug saw it another way and put me on my back for a week! Now I don’t know about you, but a week away from my desk in my mind was a total disaster. Maybe we aren’t as important as we think, the world kept turning and business kept going. I know you hire good people and that is why you can be away a bit.

CLEAN YOURSELF!

Let’s talk prevention for a moment. Wash your hands as if your life depends on it!! Sing “Happy Birthday” twice while you scrub. Keep your nasty dirty hands out of your eyes, nose, and mouth. Stay hydrated with lots of proper fluids.

GET PLENTY OF REST!!!

Topic number two is Safety, specifically Weather Safety this time of year. I know you have an Emergency Action Plan and have trained your employees on it. You never know when those high winds or dreaded Tornado might hit your establishment. Your Emergency Contact List is up to date and you have made plans for your clients to be placed in other facilities should yours become unable to be occupied. I suggest that you update all your client contact information as well as your staff at least once a year. The last thing you need is to not be able to get a hold of Fluffy’s parents to let them know she is ok after a storm. If you don’t have someone assigned to monitor the weather, stop and make that assignment right now, we will wait. Pausing, Pausing, Pausing, Pausing Good job, that is done and can be checked off your list.

PLAN, THEN PLAN!!!

Finally let’s discuss what you might need to remove from your facility should there be a disaster overnight even if you are a 24 hour facility. Always back up your records and remove a copy every night and weekend. If a storm is pending, get that disk in your possession in case you need to leave in a hurry. Communicate all of your Emergency/Disaster Plans with your staff with constant reminders as necessary. You might even let your clients/ prospects know you have Plans in place, it might make them feel better about leaving their four legged loved ones with you!