Everhart Museum

Aug - Fri - 2017
August 11, 2017

Everhart Museum  

"Everhart Team Motivate"
http://everhart-museum.org/

The mission of the Everhart Museum is to spark the imagination, challenge thought and provide enjoyment.

 

Healthy Workplace Grant Overview:

The Everhart Museum is using its healthy workplace grant to integrate healthier habits and daily stress relievers for its staff. The Museum has begun having "Massage Mondays" with a professional massage therapist and "Guided Meditation Tuesdays" with various yoga-like meditation exercises. 
 
Dawn McGurl, Marketing Coordinator for the Everhart Museum, recognized that her staff has a lot to juggle, and she wanted to find a way to relieve some of their stress. 
 
"These projects are helping address these stressors that we face daily," Dawn explained. "When this grant appeared, we jumped at the chance to have the opportunity to see if implementing healthy habits would assist our staff in creating a more satisfying and healthier work environment."
 
And so far, it has. Dawn sees that everyone looks forward to Mondays now with massages available, and the meditations on Tuesdays, along with additional meditation "homework," helps everyone in and out of the workplace. 
 
"Participating in the meditation exercises has been really helpful in incorporating mindfulness every day and at work. We've even gotten tips on readjusting computer height to eliminate neck strain," Dawn added.
 

Why We Support This Work:

We support this project as it promotes stress management, employee education, and healthier work environment at the Everhart Museum. With the additional meditation "homework," it also encourages employees to continue their mindfulness and stress relieving habits outside of the workplace.
 

How You Can Make It Happen*:

  • Find ways to incorporate "down time" or stress-relieving activities for employees to prevent burnout. Remind employees to get up from their desks every so often, and try holding ten minute guided meditation sessions. Such videos can be found on YouTube.
  • Encourage employees to have a dialogue about daily motivators: What would help them get through a Monday or a stressful day in general?
     
*Special thanks to the University of Scranton Center for Health Education & Wellness for their contributions.
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