THE BALANCING ACT
Building Balance for Better Living

October 2006

What's Up??

Oct. 5 Cigna- Surviving Your Roaring Rapids

Oct. 5 Fidelity- Stick me with a fork, I'm done!

Oct. 5 Avnet- Using Your EAP

Oct. 11 Guaranty Bank-Leadership in Crisis

Oct. 13 U.S. Department of Labor-Lighten up, I'm serious

Oct. 16 Tenet-Using Your EAP

Oct. 17 IAAP Banquet-Lighten up, I'm serious

Oct. 18 Behr-Surviving Your Roaring Rapids

Oct. 18 Grayson Juvenile Services- Suicide Prevention

Oct. 20 Dallas Metrocare-Surviving Your Roaring Rapids

Oct. 26 Pier 1-Quit Today, Smoking Cessation

Ponder these statistics:

28% of workers are on the job more than 40 hours a week. 8% work 60 or more hours a week.

25% of Americans report work is the number one stress in their life.

57% of International students considered work/life balance their number one priority.

One in three Americans are chronically overworked. 1/3 reported that they were not taking their vacations this year.

6 out of 10 company directors report work/life balance is their top concern.

50% of American workers feel overwhelmed by working longer hours and growing job tasks.

81% of Americans report they are unhappy with their work/life balance.

18% of workers plan on switching jobs this year for a better work/life balance.

60% of work absences are from psychological problems at a cost of $57 billion per year.

Send this newsletter to your CEO, HR, or training department and invite your representative to...

Call 903-819-0301 or  Contact Brent now for a keynote or training.

Is your funny bone itching for some Halloween humor?

Enjoy these lighthearted stories compiled by Amy Zerello.

Trick or Tryst?
Desperate for a Halloween costume to wear to a party, my 43-year-old daughter had an inspired idea. She put on a slinky black dress, fishnet stockings and balanced a small tabletop on her head. On it was a lamp, a champagne glass and an ashtray with two cigarette butts. She went as a one-night stand. And won first prize.
-- Contributed by Sandra Campbell

Private Party
It was Halloween night when a driver called our road-service dispatch office complaining that he was locked out of his car. I forwarded the information to a locksmith, along with one more detail: The car was parked at a nudist colony. Of course, the locksmith arrived in record time. But when he called in later, he wasn't amused. "Figures," he said. "I finally get to go to a nudist colony, and they're having a costume party!"
-- Contributed by Neil Klein

Mummified Mom
Last year my daughter and her children were invited to a Halloween party. Her older son wanted to go as Count Dracula; her daughter, as a ballerina; her younger son, as the cabin boy in Treasure Island. Then my daughter donned her own costume, wrapping herself in strips of white sheeting. At the party she collapsed, exhausted, on the sofa.
"And who are you?" someone asked her.
"I'm a tired mummy," my daughter said.
-- Contributed by Corinne Morse

I've Created a Monster!
For Halloween, my grandson wanted to be "The Incredible Hulk." Using food coloring and a washcloth, my daughter dyed his hands, face, neck and blond hair the green shade of the TV monster.
After his bath the next morning, a faint green tint still remained. As my grandson was going out the door to school, he handed his mother a slip of paper he had forgotten to give her earlier. My daughter quickly opened the note.
School pictures were going to be taken that day.
-- Contributed by Ruth H. Smith

Don't Play With Fire
As firefighters, we are required to wear our full bunker gear on all safety calls, even to advise homeowners of a county ordinance against burning leaves after dark. Last Halloween, two co-workers waited on the porch of one such offending household, helmets in hand, until a woman finally opened the door. Promptly dropping a candy bar into each helmet, she remarked, "You boys are a little old for this sort of thing, aren't you?" and closed the door.
-- Contributed by Steve Farmer

Climate Control
Everyone at the company I worked for dressed up for Halloween. One fellow's costume stumped us. He simply wore slacks and a white T-shirt with a large 98.6 printed across the front in glitter. When someone finally asked what he was supposed to be, he replied, "I'm a temp."
-- Contributed by Brian Davis

How do you lighten up?

  Send your story to Brent now!  

• Do you have a question or comment for Brent?
• Do you or someone you know need counseling or coaching?
• Do you or your organization need a speaker/training workshop?
• What topics would you like Brent to write about in upcoming issues?

View Brent's resources at www.brentspeaks.com