Speedy Gambling

“Mary is still out with a back injury and I don’t know when she will be returning. I got a note from her doctor and it said she will be out indefinitely. Frankly, I can’t believe she was hurt that bad.”

This is often a typical exchange about a work related injury and the beginning of an out of control and costly workers’ compensation claim.

When the supervisor was asked about whether he had spoken to Mary or to Mary’s doctor, the response was “No, I don’t want to seem like I’m harassing her and I don’t think I have the right to speak to the doctor.” Unfortunately, this is the farthest thing from the truth.

No matter how good an organization’s safety program is, work related injuries will still occur. Employers must, therefore, develop a positive “post-injury response” system which is designed to care for their injured employee, to help them get the employee back to work quickly, and to minimize their workers’ compensation costs.

So what should employers do when an injury occurs? What should their post-injury response system look like? An effective multi-component system should include the following steps:

Take care of the injured employee: When someone becomes injured, this is your priority. Whether it is providing first aid or escorting the person to the hospital, the tone of the case will be established in the first few minutes after the injury. Employees are most vulnerable immediately after the injury. Questions are flowing through their head: “Will I be OK?” “Will I lose my job over this? “How will I be able to pay the mortgage if I’m out of work without a paycheck?” The employer needs to step in to reassure the employee that they will be OK and that they will have a job. There will be plenty of time later to fill out those insurance forms. The priority now is taking care of the injured employee.

Establish a medical provider relationship: If an injured employee needs medical treatment, a relationship with doctors, medical specialists and a hospital or clinic are key. You want to be able to get employees immediate medical treatment. You do not want them spending hours in an emergency room. Finally, physicians should know and understand your workplace so that they can work with the employee and the organization to provide quality care and to help the employee to return to work when they are medically fit.

Establish a modified or light duty program: This is the key to reducing your workers’ compensation costs. Studies show that when employees return to work, under proper medical supervision, they heal quicker, feel better about themselves and are able to remain productive.

Analyze all accidents: The true cause of all accidents must be determined so that it can be prevented in the future. What kind of message is sent to an injured employee who returns to work and sees the same situation exists that caused his or her accident? Analysis and correction form the basis of your safety program and sends a powerful message to all employees that safety is important.

Develop a relationship with the insurer: As your partner, they can be key to the early, successful resolution of this claim. Without their help, claims can linger indefinitely.

Reducing your workers’ compensation cost requires a comprehensive program where employers partner with their employees, medical providers and the insurer. Its key, however, is simple: if you take care of your injured employee, ensure that they get the best medical treatment, and provide an atmosphere of caring and trust, you will find that your workers’ compensation costs will drop and equally important, your employees will be happier, more productive, and have less work related injuries.

Rick Dacri is an organizational development consultant, coach and featured speaker at regional and national conferences. Since 1995 his firm, Dacri & Associates (http://www.dacri.com) has focused on improving the performance of individuals and organizations. Rick publishes a monthly newsletter, the Dacri Report (http://www.dacri.com/enewsletter.htm) with the intent to provide clients and friends critical information on issues that impact them, their organization and their employees. Rick can be reached at 1-800-892-9828, or rick@dacri.com.

When we say to people that you need the same skills to be a successful golfer as you do meditator it usually raises a huge laugh. Golf and meditation are miles apart. Some often suggest that in hitting the perfect Golf shot you need to be in a focussed meditative state, but that’s as far as it gets.

What do you think?

I know. You think we’re crazy. But let’s look at the evidence. Let’s just look at what’s needed to be a successful meditator and you can decide whether the same skills and behaviour patterns are needed to be successful in golf.

Meditation, at least in our experience is very rewarding but extremely frustrating. We often feel that everything is great. Our concentration is high and we feel really peaceful and happy only to find the next day that we are back to square one and cannot focus at all. Our thoughts are all over the place.
During meditation we invest many hours thinking about our strengths and how we may improve.

We know that in order to be successful we must sit down and practice every day. In fact, at least twice a day. We know, to our cost, that we cannot afford to miss a practice session. After all the more you practice the less surprises you get.

The key to success is our thoughts. If we can get our thoughts right the rest will follow. If we can keep focussed on our strengths and positive thoughts then we can access our naturally peaceful and happy selves. To us negative thoughts are no more, no less than waste thoughts. They are a waste of our time and effort because they don’t produce anything they just take away from us.

The feelings you get from meditation is so addictive that before you realise it meditation becomes the key to your life and you can’t manage a day without it.

Food is so important to maintaining concentration. When we eat the correct food, food that is high in nutrients and vitamins we perform better.

At the same time we must ensure that we drink enough water because if we become dehydrated then our performance is impaired. In other words instead of meditating we fall asleep.

The correct amount of Rest and Sleep are important because if you skimp on either then you don’t perform. You cannot concentrate. You cannot focus the mind. If your concentration is high then you reap the reward. If your concentration is low your mind wanders and sleep invades the space.

Meditation is a solo sport. Although, we can and do sometimes meditate with a group. Although we can sometimes feel we perform better when meditating with others. The bottom line is it is me and my connection, me and my thoughts. It is not a team game even though others appear to be doing the same thing.

But perhaps the most interesting of all is what makes us and other mediators keep returning time after time.

WE LOVE THE CHALLENGE

People who meditate love the challenge of calming their minds. We love the thought that it is possible to rid the mind of all the rubbish and concentrate on our strengths. We love doing things that test our skills. We love questioning our ability.

Meditation like Golf is the ultimate challenge because it has not been beaten. There is no one who has completed the perfect round. Although we all strive to be perfect, we are involved in pursuing an activity where perfection is impossible. Therefore it is the ultimate Zeigarnik effect.

The Zeigarnik effect: named after Bluma Zeigarnik, a Russian psychologist is the drive within us to complete tasks. That part of us that cannot stand the fact that something is incomplete.
Hasn’t been finished.

Both meditation and Golf are tasks that are, by their very nature, incomplete tasks. They cannot be completed. There is no perfect round. No one alive has reached that perfect state of being. Thus people who follow Golf and meditation are drawn by the fact that it cannot be completed. If it was possible to complete then we would leave them and try something new.

Therefore we are addicted to meditation because we are addicted to completion. The fact that we always leave our meditation without reaching that perfect state of love, peace and happiness makes us return to try again. To move towards “completion”.

Is it the same for Golf? Are you addicted to that perfect round? Do you constantly return to the course to improve your handicap. Are you in search of the “completion”.

We have many friends who have retired to perfect their golf. Many of them now see their job as playing golf. Everything else is secondary.

They like us want to learn. We all want to complete the task. We want to be able to say we have completed the ultimate challenge.

Good Luck

Graham and Julie
www.desktop-meditation.com

To improve your intuition, initiative and energy levels please go to:
http://www.desktop-meditation.com It’s free.

When I was growing up as a child in school, in the days of corporal punishment, I can remember attending a catholic school run by a nun principal. The name of the school which I attended up to fourth grade was called “Our Lady Queen of the World”. I can remember with clarity, during a gym class being taught by a “brother” as we called them then, being struck on the back of the head with what I believe was the knuckles of his clenched fist, knocking me unconscious, all because I was marching out of step. All I felt was a sudden “ringing” in my head as I passed out. I was only 10 years old!

I can also remember that one of my eldest sisters, two years my senior, having been whipped on the legs with a yard stick by that same nun principal of that same school, and then marched to the gymnasium stage in front of her whole class, to make an example of her. She was only 12 years old!

My poor mother seeing the bruises on my sister’s legs the next morning, and hearing about my treatment, burst in tears. After regaining her composer, marched into the principal’s office and with a firm voice, said “if you touch my children again, I will…you”! My father was not around much or he would have made good on my mother’s threats.

The following year, we moved to another town where I attended two other catholic schools by the name of St. Francois de Bienville and Saint-Clare’s, from 5th grade to 7th grade, again run by a nun principal. Here is where I was introduced to the leather strap at least once a month, given by either the nun principal or her assistant, the vice-principal, an English gentleman (from the UK) who later became a sort of inspiration to me, misbehaving. Their definition of misbehaving was certainly not mine. What had I done? Talked in line?

Basically, nothing out of the ordinary just like, most other children. Fool around in class. Not completing all of my assignments. Talking in the hallways, and jumping around. Just normal, cool stuff that cool kids do! This kept on even into high school.

The irony of this is that the vice principal who would usually give me the strap out of his employment duties, on occasion would take the time to make me feel good by telling me I was “debonair”. I never understood what he really meant until much later in life, but It made me feel good and I liked him for it.

Those we’re the days of corporal punishment. Call it what you will, as history shows, we we’re just being normal children.

Did their cruel actions make us change? It did not. Did it make us withdraw? It did not. Did they succeed in lowering our self-esteem? Definitely not! Even their harsh words “you’ll end up in jail” didn’t affect me. Why? Because it was usually done in private, other than my sister’s show and tell. My sister and I and the rest of the gang, went on to be respectfully successful in our everyday lives and I am proud to say parents of very normal and fine children, for which I have five.

Recently, although I have left my wife handle all the school stuff including a couple of complaints and squabbles about my 10 year old son, I was appalled about an incident that I later found out had been going on in a certain catholic school for quite some time.

Where have these teachers and so called “behavior technicians” been all their lives? If they’re in my age group, have they forgotten? Were they ever children, or did they just pop-up as an adult from who knows where.

My son is a good child, and although very persistent, which is a winning trait in itself, has a hard time accepting a “No” (another winning trait) when he feels it’s unjust or is being treated unfair. This is a quality that I urge parents not to discourage because it is so crucial for success later on in life.

Because of a shoving incident between my son and a new rival in school (a somewhat withdrawn boy) and others, they were all put on trial and judged by their piers.

The scenario is the following:

Whomever misbehaves, are sat in the middle of a circle surrounded by their piers, fellow students, who pass judgment on the misbehavior and decide on a punishment. The punishment can be anything from missing recesses to going to the principal’s office, to suspension etc. The fellow students are allowed to make fun of the child etc.

That poor child, in the middle of a circle, has been ridiculed by his whole class and consequently the school, since the word gets around. How can children on either side be unbiased enough to judge another child? How can children on either side be exposed to such negativity and detrimental circumstances? How can our school systems permit such practices? This was not a school project or a game!

The school is not a courtroom! My son and his fellow classmates are not on trial here! They did not commit a crime! This in my view was unacceptable!

How dare they use a mocked trial by jury in an elementary school atmosphere as if these kids had committed an awful deed! Where do teachers get off on playing with children’s minds, like they do?

My corporal punishment as a child was less degrading than what these children had to bare. My punishments were physical, and uncalled for, but at least it was done in private. They rarely tampered with my mind. What they we’re doing was totally detrimental to the children’s self-esteem. Try for one moment considering what was going through that child’s mind as he or she sits in the middle of that circle, being stared at, ridiculed and judged by their classmates. Total humiliation, shame, hurt, frustration and anger, with no way out!

By threatening to denounce this practice to guess who, that “debonair” English vice-principal who later became head of the school commission, this practice was immediately abandoned.

Og Mandino once wrote, “How many times does a child have to hear that he or she will never make it in life, before he or she accepts that verdict, usually from a parent or teacher, and spends the rest of his or her days fulfilling the prophecy of failure”?

How sad, that as supposedly educated and civilized adults we choose to destroy our children’s self-esteem.

Napoleon Hill once said, “Knowledge has nothing to do with being educated. It has to do with knowing how to use it”.

Obviously this new generation of teachers, have a lot to learn pass their academic background. They would do well to read stuff they didn’t learn in college such as “Children at Risk” by Dr. James Dobson.

You’ll find that throughout our history, our leaders in education have always had challenging moments with children. It’s not easy being a teacher. But this does not allow one to cross that fine line.

So teachers and parents don’t be so quick to judge. Children have a God given, natural instinct, to persevere, persist and strive for what they want and believe in. It is us who have a tendency to destroy the very qualities that they need later on in life. It’s ironic, that as a child you have to eventually succumb to the “NO” if you are to survive in an adult world, as opposed to not accepting a “NO” if you are to succeed as an adult.

I felt in my heart that this practice had to be denounced, although there are probably many more practices going around in school these days that need denouncing. I truly believe that for a decent society to survive, it is everyone’s duty to correct what they know in their hearts is wrong! Most people tend to forget that children are just that, Children!

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Jonathan G. Michel is a strong and continuous advocate for children’s rights, and the effects of poverty on children’s lives. He is also a great believer in the power of one’s mind when it comes to getting above money, to never let circumstances control your life, or your children’s lives.
You can view his powerful ebook at:
http://www.13stepstomassivesuccess-moneyandwealth.com
email: jon@13stepstomassivesuccess-moneyandwealth.com
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There are presently two types of teeth whitening treatments that are open to you.

Actually, the difference lies more on the procedure rather than the treatment yourself. And I’ll let you find out for yourself as you read the following paragraphs.

Over The Counter Teeth Whitening Treatments
If you’re saving up for a lot of expenses that usually comes at the end of the month – read: utility bills, credit card payments, mortgage payments and the likes – then maybe, you just have to do with over the counter teeth whitening treatments. But don’t be so glum because it’s not that bad.

The main difference between over the counter teeth whitening treatments and the other is just that in this case, you’ll be the one wearing the white coat. But hey, if you’ve got faith in your abilities, there’s nothing wrong with that, right? And at least you’ll be able to save on money and time. Professional teeth whitening treatment could take forever. You know how some dentists are, ever the perfectionists, wanting to whiten everything, even the deepest recesses of your teeth, something that not even your husband or wife would be able to notice.

There are two primary types of over the counter teeth whitening treatments and these are bleaching solutions and whitening toothpastes. And because this type of teeth whitening treatment is also known as do it yourself and at home teeth whitening treatment, understand that it’s all up to you how the procedure goes. If in doubt of your capabilities, you could always ask for your friend’s help. Anyway, it’s just the measurements that matter most so just remember that using too little of the whitening product is infinitely better than using too much which could lead to unwanted complications.

Professional Teeth Whitening Treatments
But let’s just say that you’re blessed in terms of finances and your only problem in life is your very yellow teeth. Right on. There’s only one thing to do then – and that’s not to mess anymore with your teeth and let a professional handle the problem. Let them do what they do best and all you have to do is sit back, open your mouth, relax and wait for the mirror to show you your new shiny white teeth.

Grace Palce is writing articles about tooth whitening and natural remedies.