Are you aware of what causes stress in your life or what you can do to identify and reduce stressors? This past Thursday, April 16th, was National Stress Awareness Day.  It’s a day to remind everyone to take a moment to step back, take a breath and de-stress.

The question is how do you de-stress? Stress is a part of everyday life, affecting us in different ways. Acknowledging that stress exists means we can identify ways to harness the power of stress or mitigate the negative effects of stress. Whether you are striving to complete a project, dealing with high-stress at home or juggling multiple tasks every day, it is important to remember to take a moment to breathe.

Stress will often manifest itself in physical symptoms – tightening of the muscles, increased blood pressure, headaches, dizziness, dry mouth and irritability. Recognizing the signs of stress is just as important as knowing how to de-stress.

Recognizing your everyday stressors can help you identify when to step away. For some, it only takes a timely reminder to breathe or laugh. This can be done through Outlook reminders, stress apps or other reminders. For others it requires a serious, daily affirmation that stress won’t get the better of them.

How to celebrate National Stress Awareness Day:

• Treat yourself. While junk food isn’t often recommended as the antidote for anxiety, there are a handful of immune-boosting desserts made with fresh blueberries, strawberries, honey, and whole grains that make for a wonderful daily indulgence. Even chocolate has its health benefits when consumed in moderation.
• Exercise. A good jog in place, walk around house/yard or a 5 minute stretch, will get those “feel good” chemicals called endorphins pumping in your brain that lend a feeling of relaxation and well-being.
• Get enough rest. Easier said than done! However, sleep helps cells regenerate and allows the body to remove harmful invaders. Sleep can leave us feeling thoroughly de-stressed and rejuvenated, ready to take on the next day’s challenges.
• Take note. Be aware of the people or events that habitually cause stress in your daily life. Just knowing the usual triggers may go a long way in helping to avoid them — so you can lead a more fulfilling, happier, and healthier life.

Interested in additional information related to stress?  Check out these helpful resources:

• MetLife LifeWorks EAP
  • User ID: metlifeeap
  • Password: eap
    *Once signed in select Health < Mental Health < Stress
• Mobile apps: Headspace; Calm; Insight Timer (search Google Play or App Store)
• Kelly McGonigal TED talk: How to Make Stress Your Friend
• CIGNA: Managing Anxiety Webcast

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Zachary Simons on being elected to and representing Nova-Tech Engineering on the Midwest Poultry Consortium board!  Zachary is an Account Manager at Nova-Tech and a former graduate (2017) of the Midwest Poultry Consortium’s Center of Excellence program.

The Midwest Poultry Consortium operates with the purpose of adding value to the poultry industry through research, education and employee recruitment.  They do so through two hallmark programs, the COE (Center of Excellence Scholarship/Internship Program) and the MPRP (Midwest Poultry Research Program).

Years of Service

Farm Service Elevator employee, Dennis Gaffaney, celebrated 35 years with our companies on February 11th!  Denny worked for several years with PALS Propane before transitioning over to Farm Service Elevator.  Thank you, Denny, for your hard work and dedication!

Openings

Current status of all organizational openings.

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Welcome New Employees

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Employee Count

As of 4/20/20 we have 1,640 employees

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The Human Resources Team specializes in benefits and payroll, compliance and policy, employee relations, legal compliance, and company & employee overall well-being. We are located on the first floor of Life-Science Innovations on the MinnWest campus at 1800 Technology Drive. We look forward to working with you!

Please message us via email at human.resources@life-scienceinnovations.com or give us a call at

320.222.9515 or 888.320.9750 extension 9515