THE
INBOX Delivering the latest news to Henry County employees
April ‘16 Published by Henry County Communications Department & Henry County Board of Commissioners Editors Melissa Robinson Samantha Watson Graphic Designer Samantha Watson Contributors Meredith Butler Melissa Robinson Samantha Watson Kevin Williams Chyah Williams-Thompson
Please contribute to the monthly employee newsletter! Email Communications Specialist, Samantha Watson at swatson@co.henry.ga.us. Contributions can include: original artwork, comics, pictures, announcements, classifieds or columns.
How to Stay Positive at Work By Samantha Watson
1. Give yourself a break. Take a short break every few hours so that you don’t wear yourself out. Take 5 minutes to invigorate yourself. 2. Leave work at work. A healthy person needs a balanced life filled with family, hobbies and relaxation time. If you can’t finish a task before clocking out, then make it a priority in the morning. 3. Build relationships with coworkers. Having a good back and forth with co-workers, bosses and associates will make your workplace more inviting and make you feel more supported. 4. Participate in after-work activities. No, you don’t have to be everyone’s best friend, but getting to know the people you spend eight hours a day with will help create a community feel in the workplace. 5. Personalize your workspace. Bring in some decorations or pictures to help motivate you and keep you energized throughout the day-- just make sure they are appropriate.
6. Concentrate on one thing at a time. Sticking to one task at a time will help you complete more tasks. 7. Set attainable goals. Reaching goals should make you feel proud of yourself, so if you set realistic work goals and meet them, you’ll be inspired to set more reachable goals. 8. Use your imagination. Take a creative approach to your projects to exercise and develop skills you thought you didn’t have. 9. Get over your mistakes. You can’t beat yourself up forever and harboring negative feelings about yourself will do nothing but make you miserable. Allow yourself to make mistakes and realize that you often learn more from mistakes than successes. 10. Reward yourself for your accomplishments. Go ahead and pat yourself on the back every time you do something right. That small positive self-recognition will give you a boost and encourage you to keep doing well.
April ‘16
Getting Strong with sam Please be advised that as work continues on the Sidewalk Project in front of the Administration Building, the main driveway (on the right side facing the Admin. Building) will close April 21 at approximately 9 a.m. and is expected to remain closed until April 29. Access to the front lot is available by using the lower driveway and driving around the building. Signage will be in place for citizens. The driveway will be re-profiled to allow for an appropriately sloped crosswalk. Please direct all questions to Michael Toney at 770-288-7625.
Core Stength
1. Side Crunch: (Pictured on top) Lie on your back, bend your knees and lift them to your tummy and put your hands behind your head (a). Drop your knees down to one side (b). Gazing at your navel, curl your body up slightly (the middle of your back should be on the ground at all times), keeping elbows wide, lifting from your core. Repeat 10 times, then switch sides. 2. Spider Plank Crunch: (Pictured on bottom) Start in a push-up position, hands on the ground directly underneath your shoulders, legs extended backwards with your toes on the ground, so your body is in a straight line. Lift your right leg and bring your knee towards the outside of your right elbow (a). Return to plank position (b). Repeat the movement with the other leg. Do five reps with each leg. 3. Tuck Jump: Stand up tall, feet hip-width apart, arms extended straight out in front of you (a). Bend from your knees, then jump up, engaging your abs to bring your knees close to your chest (b). Land with your knees bent to soften the impact (c). Straighten your legs, then repeat 20 times.
Beginner - Intermediate - Advanced
The Inbox
April Health Observances According to the Autism Society: “Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others. ASD is defined by a certain set of behaviors and is a “spectrum condition” that affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. There is no known single cause of autism, but increased awareness and early diagnosis/intervention and access to appropriate services/supports lead to significantly improved outcomes. Some of the behaviors associated with autism include delayed learning of language; difficulty making eye contact or holding a conversation; difficulty with executive functioning, which relates to reasoning and planning; narrow, intense interests; poor motor skills’ and sensory sensitivities.”
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, National Autism Awareness Month, National Child Abuse Awareness Month, National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and STI Awareness Month.
According to the Mayo Clinic, alcohol poisoning signs and symptoms include: • • • • • • • •
Confusion Vomiting Seizures Slow breathing (less than 8 breaths a minute) Irregular breathing (a gap of more than 10 seconds between breaths) Blue-tinged skin or pale skin Low body temperature (hypothermia) Passing out (unconsciousness) and can’t be awakened (to help see diagram to the left)
It’s not necessary to have all these signs and symptoms before you seek help. A person who is unconscious or can’t be awakened is at risk of dying.
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April ‘16
SAFETY FIRST Spring clutter cleaning with Chyah Williams-Thompson
Could your office use a little spring cleaning? Has clutter taken over? Here are few tips to ensure a safe and productive office spring cleaning:
Admin Bldg
Active Shooter Drill
1. Make a spring resolution to keep your desk organized. Sudden movements, like looking for things frantically, could cause injuries. An organized desk not only helps you work more efficiently, but it can keep you and others around you safe. 2. Get rid of nonessential items. Go through your drawers and ditch the pens that don’t work, return borrowed items and throw away malfunctioning office supplies. 3. Clean your computer and electronics with special screen wipes; use keyboard cleaners that pick up junk between the keyboards. 4. Binder clips are a cool tool to use when trying to contain cords safely. Make sure cords are tucked away to prevent tripping and falling. 5. Securely file information that contains personal information. 6. While dusting, remember to wear a cover over your mouth and nose. These could prevent you from inhaling hazardous particles. 7. Read instructions thoroughly before using harsh chemicals in your workspace. What might not bother you, might bother someone else. We these few simple tips we can enjoy spring with clutter free, efficient, organized working spaces!
The Inbox
Chillin’
1778 Oliver Pollack invents the dollar sign.
Throwback Thurs.
1896 The first modern Olympic games open.
1963 General Hospital first airs on NBC.
Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.
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Winston Churchill spring break, pina colada, margarita, beach, coast, sun, tan, volleyball, sand, miami, panama city, party, flip flops.
Spring Break Wordsearch Y B I H R Y P T Z B D A Q K E
S T U K A P A A Y Q N M B V Q
F W I N E R K N R G A A C E O
X Q I C E A Y C G T S N L V J
H P V M D K O H E R Y A O V D
B V T A M A Z V O D I P O J S
P I L F S I A U X L C L M A M
W O N T Y Y N N N K L D A K A
C H C A E B V G H E A L W V R
M I S S P U C X Y T H E T N G
I R U M I W U B T N L N R G A
A N R Q B V A Y W U K J V B R
M E O B H L D S P R I N G V I
I K L F L X Y Q F H X V M H T
F L O P S N K Q J W E U M C A
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April ‘16
Office Notes Earth’s atomosphere consists mostly of what?
Massage Therapy • Onsite massage therapy with Lauren Mullennix is offered at the administration building on most Thursdays. Sessions last 10 min. for $10. Call Melodi Ford to schedule an appt. 770-288-6804.
Blood Drive • The Red Cross is hosting a blood drive for Henry County Government Offices on Friday, May 6 at the Henry County Police Annex. Walk ins are welcome but registration at redcrossblood.org is preferred. Sponsor code: hgvt
Walk for Autism • Walk Now for Autism Speaks is a free opportunity to raise money and awareness for Autism. The event takes place on Sunday, May 1 with registration beginning at 8 a.m. at Turner Field. Contact Daunte Gibbs if you’d like to register with his team for the 1.5 mile walk.
Lunch & Learn • The Extensions Office is hosting a Lunch and Learn lecture with an emphasis on honey bees presented by Jim Quick on May 10 at noon at the Extensions Office in Heritage Park. Participants should bring their own lunch. The Inbox
What NFL team has a sustainability brand, called Repreve, that uses plastic bottles to make fabric? What contemporary female artist uses recycled materials to create celebrity portraits? Who formulated the geocentric theory? What was the giant land mass called that existed 200 million years ago? What 1922 film is cited as the first feature-length natural history documentary? The largest known impact crater on the Earth is named what? Which sea is so highly polluted that the Barcelona Convention was set up to try and clean it? What two metals make up the Earth’s core? What are thenames of the three time periods of dinosaurs? Answers to the triva questions are listed on the employee intranet on the communications page.