Spread the Love
Random Act of Kindness Week kicks off on February 14th and Friday the 17th is Random Act of Kindness Day. As the name implies, these occasions honor and encourage spontaneous acts designed to spread kindness and positivity. Your acts of kindness don’t need to be large, dramatic, clever, or costly gestures to make a difference. And they don’t need to be confined to a single day or week. Why not make daily, weekly, or monthly random acts of kindness a habit in your life? It will enhance your overall wellbeing. Generosity releases good chemicals like oxytocin, serotonin, and endorphins, which help to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Unexpected kindness offers feel-good benefits for both the doer and the recipient. Here are some simple ideas for brightening someone’s day with the unexpected:
- Write a note of appreciation to a different work colleague every day for the week.
- Bring flowers to an elderly neighbor.
- Pay for coffee, gas, groceries, or a movie ticket for a stranger behind you in line.
- Donate blood or sign up as an organ donor.
- Leave a small treat, a thank you note, or a few dollars for your mail carrier, bus driver, or other service person.
- Send a care package to a service member on active duty.
- Bring freshly baked goods or fresh flowers to share in the workplace.
- Participate in a community fundraiser by walking, running, or biking.
- Volunteer to help cook or serve dinner at a community pantry.
- Buy school supplies for a classroom or a teacher.
- Spend time with someone who recently suffered a loss.
- Bring coupons you aren’t using to the store. Leave them near the products so others can find them.
- In cold weather, buy warm gloves, hats, and socks to give to homeless people or shelters.
February Focus: Relationships
It’s easy to take the relationships we have with the people around us for granted. It’s only human to fall into routine patterns. But if something goes wrong, it can really rock our world when we didn’t see it coming. Like anything worthwhile, maintaining good, dynamic relationships with family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues takes awareness, effort, and practice. If you’re experiencing difficulties with an important relationship in your life, you can call an EAP counselor to discuss the issue and get help. Or call an EAP coach to learn how to better balance your home and work responsibilities, how to improve your communications, and how to better navigate conflict. You can reach a counselor or coach 24-7-365 by simply calling 800-252-4555.
Your EAP also 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.
Love to Learn?
If you love learning new skills and competencies, you’ll appreciate access to thousands of online E-Learning courses. Take them at your convenience! New courses are added monthly. Click “Member Login” at www.theEAP.com, and when you are signed in, click on the comprehensive training library in the “Training Center.”
- Emotional Intelligence Crash Course: Personal and Professional Relationships | Course ID: SVL_1027460
This 6-minute video is the second in a series designed to give the learner insight into developing emotional intelligence and better relationships.
- Civility at Work | Course ID: SVL_014487
In an 18-minute video, author Liz Nead shares tips and techniques for having civil, meaningful conversations without alienating people we may disagree with.
- NEW! Rock Out with Photoshop | Course ID: SVL_4000103
Learn the tricks and secrets to master Photoshop in a 2 hour and 24 -minute course taught by an expert. Or search “photoshop“ to take the course in short 2-to-8-minute segments.
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.)
Don’t Forget!
EAP services are available to you and your household members as well as dependent children living away from home, up to age 26.
Noteworthy Events
- Black History Month
- American Heart Month– and Feb. 3 is Wear Red Day
- National Cancer Prevention Month
- Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
Tax Tips
The deadline this year for filing federal tax returns is Tuesday, April 18th. Check your state deadline, which may be different.
- Use e-file and direct deposit to avoid delays. Here are the various electronic filing options.
- Check the IRS for tax scams and consumer alerts.
- Avoid these common (and costly) tax return mistakes.
Accessing Your EAP Training Center
1. Go to www.theEAP.com and
click Member Login.
2. If you’ve already created an
account, log in with your User
Name/Password.
3. If it’s your first time, click
REGISTER to create your User
Name and Password. You only
need to register once.
4. Click the ‘Training Center’ and
then choose ‘Comprehensive
Training library.’
5. In the Search bar at the top of the
screen, type the course code or
search for a topic.
6. Click the course icon, and click the
‘Play’ or ‘Start’ button to begin.
To get a certificate: View the course and take the quiz. Not all courses require a quiz, but if so, you must score at least 80% for a certificate. To get your certificate, click on the ribbon icon below the right corner of the video. The certificate will download to your computer.
www.theEAP.com | 800.252.4555