With all the unrest in the world currently, most of us are carrying mental baggage. How often are we carrying the events of the day, week, or month with us by worrying or constantly thinking?

Meditation is a practice to calm the mind and believe it or not, anyone can do it. Ok, I know what you are thinking… “My mind doesn’t stop long enough for meditation.” This is completely normal. Initially, you may only be able to calm the mind for a minute or two. But, with practice, the mind calms for longer periods of time.

Meditation has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, promotes emotional and physical health, enhances our awareness to ourselves, and improves sleep.

I know what you are wondering, “How do I meditate?”. Below are simple and easy to follow instructions.

1. Choose an area that is quiet, and you will not be disturbed for a few minutes.
2. Set a timer for the length of time you’d like to set aside.
3. Sit or lay in a comfortable position, where you can allow your body to completely rest.
4. Take a few deep breaths in, filling your lungs completely. When you exhale, set your intention to release any stress and tension, as if you are pushing it off you.
5. Breathe normally now and begin to notice the feeling of your breath. Feel the coolness of the inhale and warmth of the exhale. Feel how your body rises and falls with each breath.
6. If your mind starts to wander, simply recognize it, and notice the feeling of your breath again.
7. When you are ready, bring gentle movement in your body and open your eyes.

I hope you enjoyed this exercise and will continue your mind calming journey!  

Written by Jennifer Guillot
Owner, Heal from Within, LLC
Jennifer Guillot is a Meditation Guide, Holistic Energy Healer, and Well-being facilitator. She is the owner of Heal from Within, LLC and works at Ochsner West Bank facilitating their staff well-being program. Her passion is working with others on their own healing journey.

Workers in office buildings may be at risk for exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19. Office building employers, building owners and managers, and building operations specialists can take steps to create a safe and healthy workplace and protect workers and clients.

Last week, the CDC issued new recommendations for office spaces:

• Inspect ventilation systems to ensure they operate properly
• Increase circulation of outdoor air as much as possible
• Check for hazards associated with prolonged facility shutdown
• Conduct a thorough hazard assessment of the workplace to identify potential workplace hazards that could increase risks for COVID-19 transmission.
• Develop hazard controls using the hierarchy of controls to reduce transmission among workers. 

Click Here For The CDC’S COVID-19 Employer Information for Office Buildings as well as resources, such as:

• CDC’s COVID-19 General Business FAQs 
• CDC’s FREE, simple posters available to download and print, some of which are translated into different languages.
• NIOSH COVID-19 Workplace Safety and Health Topic

Tomorrow is the first day of phase one of the Jefferson Back to Business Plan, the official strategy to reopen the Jefferson Parish economy. This plan was developed with medical experts and an industry task force and includes important standards and recommendations, industry guidelines, a vision for a phased reopening, and valuable resources to jumpstart business. Details for phase one are outlined on page 18 with industry-specific guidance, capacity limitations and additional restrictions.

Whether your business operations will resume in phase 1, 2, or 3, preparing return-to-work policies that adhere to all general federal, state, and local standards, as well as industry-specific protocols, is crucial to ensure the safety of your employees and customers.     

Equally as important to protecting your business from the virus, is making sure that you protect your business from legal liabilities and that you are fully compliant with HR policies. Navigating fast-changing policy updates and guidance can be overwhelming, especially for small businesses.

Join us on Thursday, May 21^st at 11 a.m. for a LiveWell Jefferson Webinar focusing on policy updates and best practices for managing employee benefits in a post-pandemic workplace. Our expert speakers, E. Fredrick Preis, Jr., Senior Partner with Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P., Labor & Employment Law Section and Ryan Rodrigue, Managing Partner with Hollis Companies, Specializing in Employee Benefits, will review guidance for the following:

• Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which includes the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act
• The Department of Labor’s new model notices for COBRA and extensions for certain employee benefit plan deadlines
• EEOC updates for employer guidance on coronavirus and the ADA

Join us on Thursday, May 21^st at 11 a.m.

REGISTER HERE