Once upon a time, there was something called a "lunch hour" which allowed employees to get away from their desks for an hour and eat lunch. Some employees went home to make lunch, while others went out to eat. It wasn't unusual for certain executives to take more than an hour, creating the phrase "three-martini lunch". And, since most of them were paid for their lunch hour, they lived happily ever after (or at least, happily on payday).

Our forefathers sure thought happiness was important. At least they thought it was important enough to include "the pursuit of happiness" as one of the inalienable rights of all people. However, when you work with other people, care for children and try to serve your community in any way you can, it can quickly start to feel like pursuing happiness makes you selfish.

For many elderly people, just the thought of moving into a long-term care facility causes anxiety and dread. They often fear a loss of independence and view long-term care facilities as a place where large groups of senior citizens go to die. They're not alone in their perceptions either. Caregiving advocates across the country have long viewed nursing facilities as warehouses where the elderly are shipped to await death. These advocates cite the lack of privacy-- residents often share room with complete strangers-- and lack of attention as just two of the ways that most nursing facilities are failing our nation's elderly people.

Have you ever noticed how everyone talks about wanting something better, but no one seems interested or willing to take the actions necessary to make that better happen? Jonathon Fields has an interesting reflection of this phenomenon on his website.

When you think of major holidays in March, the only one that comes to mind may be Saint Patrick's Day on March 17th. If so, then you've been missing the opportunity to celebrate some really incredible people in your own community.

At some point during our careers, we've all likely encountered a co-worker who wasn't pulling his or her own weight at the office. Slacking co-workers are more than just an annoyance; they actually cause their hard-working counterparts to put in more hours at the office each week. So, why do we let them get away with it?

A person who has had a debilitating injury or illness is often in need of physical therapy to regain the full use of their muscles, or to learn how to safely cope with and minimize their limitations. Great strides can be made in PT, but the therapist often has to balance the long-term benefits of therapy that pushes patients to their limits with the short-term concerns for safety and preserving and building patient confidence.

It's a common scenario for many parents of young children: it's a Saturday afternoon when your toddler develops a fever and cough. The pediatrician's office is closed for the weekend and you're unsure how you should handle the situation. Is your toddler's illness ER-worthy? Would a visit to the local urgent care make more sense? Or, should you forego medical care for the weekend and visit your child's regular pediatrician on Monday? While some illnesses and injuries clearly require an emergency room visit, others are not so black and white. This results in many children ending up in the ER unnecessarily, or less commonly, children who belong in the ER sitting in an urgent care waiting room.

It's an inevitable part of life as an imperfect human being: you will make mistakes in your career. Most of the time, these mistakes are fixed by making some revisions or offering a sincere apology. Not all workplace mistakes are easily correctable, however. There are some workplace blunders that are irreversible and can result in long-term damage to your career.

All parents want to see their children succeed in school with adequate resources to improve learning and teachers that are well qualified. However, children with special needs really benefit the most from better resources and specially trained teachers, who can give them specific attention and help them master skills and achieve goals.

March is National Multiple Sclerosis Education And Awareness Month. In addition to promoting education and awareness for multiple sclerosis during the month of March, it is also a great time to celebrate the people who work with and care for multiple sclerosis patients.

It’s Management's least favorite thing to be faced with - the possibility you have a difficult staff member on your team. Your staff represents your organization, and to a large degree, the leadership of the organization.  His or her words and actions as an employee are no different from the results of paid advertising. Your clients and customers form opinions based on their impressions and experiences with your staff. You, therefore, have no choice but to face the realization you may have an employee who is doing more harm than good for your team.

March is National Social Work Month, a great time to take a fresh look at the historical and ever-growing importance of social services in America. Apart from the people who benefit on a daily basis from their contact with them, how many of us really know what they do to protect and advocate for the vulnerable in our society? Americans should celebrate the often difficult and unheralded work of these highly trained and compassionate professionals who offer lifelines to the suffering and maintain the fabric and promise of our society