# Presentation: 084907

## Work-Life Advisor

**Vol. 15, No. 9, June 2007**

**U.S. Department of**
**Transportation**
**400 7th St., SW, Rm. 2110**
**Washington, DC  20590**
**800/525-2878 (ext. 1)**
**202/366-6389**

**Stressed?**
- ______________________________

- There are many things that can cause stress; visiting family, a new baby, a different commute, retirement. The Work-Life office will have several seminars this month that touch on these topics. Please look over this months schedule for more information. Below is a test you can take to assess your stress level.
**Stress Test**
*Reprinted from: lessons4living.com/stress_test.htm*
**Answer these twenty questions Yes or No.** (This test is** **not meant to take the place of a clinical assessment.)
- Do you frequently neglect your  diet?
- Yes / No
- 2. Do you frequently try to do everything yourself?
- Yes / No
- 3. Do you frequently blow up easily?
- Yes / No
- 4. Do you frequently seek unrealistic goals?
- Yes / No
- 5. Do you frequently fail to see the humor in situations others find funny?
- Yes / No
- 6. Do you frequently get easily irritated?
- Yes / No
- 7. Do you frequently make a "big deal" of everything?
- Yes / No

**June EVENTS happening at DOT**
**All events this month will be held in the **_**West Building Conference Center, Rm. 7, Ground Floor**_
**June 12, 12 - 1pm: **
- “Weathering Retirement”
*Brought to you by Roderick Day, Transportation Federal Credit Union*
**June 19, 12 – 1 pm: **
- “Stress & Fitness” *Brought to you by Tamara Vitela, EAP*
**June 26, 12 -1pm: **
- “Thriving in the
- Midst of Change”
*Brought to you by Lorena O. Moore, Interim Work-Life Advisor*
**June 28, 12-1pm:**
- Nutrition & Your Health
*Brought to you by Lorena O. Moore, Interim Work-Life Advisor*
- ********************
**To Register for  **
**June Events, **
**Please Send an E-mail to:**
**Zakina.Brooker**
**@dot.gov**

- BALANCE
-   CAREER     HOME

- 8. Do you frequently complain that you are disorganized?
- Yes / No
- 9. Do you frequently keep everything inside?
- Yes / No
- 10. Do you frequently neglect exercise?
- Yes/No
*...**..Continued on back page*
**YOU & YOUR CHILD**
**A Summer Special**
**Learning Tips from SCORE!**
*2 tips will be given each month throughout the summer (June, July & August)*
**Take advantage of the good weather to do educational outdoor activities. **Many city park systems have weekend nature programs where kids and adults can learn about the environment. Taking a family trip to an arboretum or a botanical garden teaches your child about the natural world. For the more adventurous, nature hikes provide exercise, adventure, and learning, especially if you bring a guidebook! Ask your child to help you plan the trip to practice using maps.
**Read together.** Your local library or bookstore may have a summer reading program, or story hours. Even without special programs, your child can learn to revel in the joys of reading at the park or on the beach.
*Reprinted from *_[www.escore.com/about/programs/summerlearningtips.php](http://www.escore.com/about/programs/summerlearningtips.php)__ _

**Effective June 11th, **
**our new address will be:**
_**1200 New Jersey Ave, SE**_
_**Room W56-402**_
_**Washington, DC 20590**_

**Did You Know...**
**The Work Life office has a resource library?**
- You’re welcome to stop by anytime and peruse through our selection or even check one out. All we ask is that you be thoughtful and return the books promptly so that others may use them too.
- For more information, contact your Work-Life Advisor at 202-366-6389 or stop by and visit the new office located in the West Building, Room W56-402.
**June’s book of the month is:**
**Peaceful Parents, Peaceful Kids**
**Practical Ways to Create a Calm and Happy Home**
*by Naomi Drew*
**Score! has many summer programs to fit your needs.**
-   Score offers writing and skill building camps throughout the summer. For more information on these or other programs in your area call 1-866-65 SCORE or go online to _[www.escore.com](http://www.escore.com/)__  for more information. _

**DOT WORK-LIFE WELLNESS PROGRAM**
- Provides information on work/life issues such as parenting, childcare, eldercare, telework,
- diversity, personal and professional development, and health and wellness.
- Resources on these topics can be obtained by calling
- 202/366-6389 or 800/525-2878 (ext. 1)

**DOT WORK-LIFE WELLNESS PROGRAM**
- Provides information on work/life issues such as parenting, childcare, eldercare, telework,
- diversity, personal / professional development, health and wellness.
- Resources on these topics can be obtained by calling
- 202/366-6389 or 800/525-2878 (ext. 1)

**What is the difference between Portions and Servings?**
*Excerpt from Portion Distortion, Keep an Eye on Portion Size, The National Heart Lung and Blood Institute*
- A "portion" can be thought of as the amount of a specific food you **choose** to eat for dinner, snack, or other eating occasion. Portions, of course can be bigger or smaller than the recommended food servings.
- A "serving" is a unit of measure used to describe the amount of food **recommended** from each food group. It is the amount of food listed on the Nutrition Facts panel on packaged food or the amount of food recommended in the Food Guide Pyramid and the *Dietary Guidelines for Americans*.
- For example, 6-11 servings of whole grains are recommended daily. A recommended serving of whole grains would be 1 slice of bread or 1/2 cup of rice or pasta. (Download the Serving Size Card for more examples of recommended serving sizes). People often confuse the recommendation to mean 6 to 11 *portions* with no regard to size. It is not 6 to 11 portions where one portion could mean a large bowl of pasta rather than 1⁄2 cup. Keep an eye on portion size to see how your portions compare with the recommended servings.
- __________________________
**Work-Life Q & A **
**For June 2007**
- __________________________
**Q: Where is the new lactation room located?**
- A: The new lactation room is in the East Building, across from the cafeteria, near the 5-MOVE help desk. Please call your Work-Life Advisor for more information.

** **

***Stress Test, continued ***
- 11.  Do you frequently have few supportive relationships?
- Yes / No
- 12.  Do you frequently get too
-        little rest?
- Yes / No
- 13.  Do you frequently get angry when you are kept waiting?
- Yes / No
- 14.  Do you frequently ignore
-        stress symptoms?
- Yes / No
- 15.  Do you frequently put things off until later?
- Yes / No
- 16.  Do you frequently think there is only one right way to do something?
- Yes / No
- 17.  Do you frequently fail to build relaxation into every day?
- Yes / No
- 18.  Do you frequently spend a lot of time complaining about the past?
- Yes / No
- 19.  Do you frequently race
-        through the day?
- Yes / No
- 20.  Do you frequently feel unable to cope with all you have to do?
- Yes / No
_**What’s your score?**_
**Scores of 1-6** Few Hassles
**Scores of 7-12** Pretty Good Control
**Scores of 13-17** Danger Zone. Watch out!
**Scores of 18+** Stressed Out. You may need help.
**Join us June 19th for Stress & Fitness! See calendar on p. 1**