Peeps: The New Stress Busters

Life is busy. Life in HR is busy. Life in HR is always busy. I should know that. I should expect that and I should not be surprised that I only see water when I look around me and remember, yes, I am supposed to be growing gills. I am right where I was this time last year. What is it they say about doing the same thing and expecting different results?!

As I wiped the water from my eyes yesterday (could that be tears? Not!) I looked around and noticed that I was not alone. Unfortunately, my staff is right there beside me. The most frustrating part of what I do is finding that I am so buried in my own stuff that I am not available to my staff.

Well, help was on the way. I took the kid to Walgreens looking for some little stress buster types of things I could bring into work. We still use my ashes of problem employee jar but I wanted something different this time. So, to the toy and candy aisle we went and right there at eye level, I found what I needed - PEEPS! Pink peeps, blue peeps, purple peeps, yellow peeps and green ones. I quickly began loading them into my basket when the kid asked me if they were for her. No, I said, they were for the office. I was going to bring them into work so we can release a little tension as we rip their little arms off. If looks could kill . . . . back on the shelves the little Peeps went.

I settled for colored eggs with stressed, angry, laughing, crying and silly faces on them, stuffed with Dove chocolate. They were enough to get a few very overdue smiles. The Peeps were safe this time but they may not be so lucky next time!

So, what do you do to release a little bit of tension in your office?