It's that time of the year again! It’s time to start thinking about your New Year's resolutions. I'm sure you all start out the year with great intentions of quitting smoking, exercising more regularly, eating better, etc. We all start out January 1st gung-ho and ready to conquer the world, and we plan to exceed all of our goals! It’s great to be determined, but are we setting ourselves up to fail though? I think if we set reasonable expectations for ourselves and don’t push our limits, keeping New Year's resolutions and creating healthier lifestyles can be achieved.

Whether a DOC or a TOC, operation centers need to ensure reliable grid operations to keep the power on. We all rely on it. With no weather issues or recent storms, one of the biggest issues for a operations center can be if it is too quiet. Sounds strange, but in a 24/7 center and 10 hour shifts, the days can get very long for operators. On the flip side, if there is too much happening, this can make for a stressful day. Keeping the body and the mind active can help to reduce stress and improve health. So what can you do during times of stress or inactivity. Here's some suggestions:

Holidays mean stress for most of us. The kids are out of school; family is knocking at the door. You’re responsible for cooking a 20-pound turkey flawlessly and on-time. Not to mention the decorating, shuffling between family traditions and taking care of grandma. Whoa…deep breath. You’re a 911 dispatcher, you’re used to stress right? No doubt, all of us feel the pressures of the holiday season, so here are three things you can try to help fight stress, stay healthy and stay happy during the holidays.

Xybix has mentioned plenty of times throughout our blogs how incorporating movement while working at your dispatch console can help you burn more calories, improve your focus, and even lower your risk of developing certain ailments. The good news is that there is no shortage of tools on the market that are designed to get you up and moving at work. After evaluating quite a few of them, here are five of the best accessories and exercises to help you stay healthy. We will start with the easy and low-cost (FREE!) items and work our way up.

Fall is upon us, and while pumpkin spice is everywhere (literally everywhere), we are also starting to hunker down for the winter. Yes, I am a total “nester” as winter looms closer. Tis’ the season for indulging, sneaking all the good candies from your kids Halloween stash and the inevitable office pot luck. So, you’ve been good all summer, staying away from this or that, eating more veggies, and probably getting outside to watch a few sporting events, walk the dog, or even run in that charity 5K. WOW!

Enter the fall/pumpkin spice/pot luck season. No need to fret, you can still indulge in healthy delights that are both fun and creative.

Trade show floors can be intimidating and a bit overwhelming. After all, APCO 2016 is one of the largest, if not the largest, trade shows for public safety professionals all year. And, whether you’re a Supervisor, Director, Dispatcher, or Manager, odds are that you’ve got a pretty busy week planned for Orlando, FL. Hustling from one session to another, and obviously coming back to your agency with some key take-aways! Trust me, we know the drill.

So, let us help you by telling you why you shouldn’t come by Xybix’s booth at APCO:

During the summer, most of us are guilty of loosening up the reigns on our diet and exercise plans. Kids are out of school and the weather is optimal, so who wouldn’t consider every other day to be a “cheat” day? Of course, the all-American summer is not complete without grilled meals, adult beverages, and tasty sweets, but when you’re back at the grind, maybe “the itis” is still lingering.

In May of 2014, we purchased our Dispatch treadmill and stationary bike through Xybix, the provider of our workstation furniture (though I don't believe you need to have Xybix furniture to make the Lifespan Fitness equipment functional). We bought the TR5000DT (lowest maintenance, longest life). I don't know if the bike has a model number.

It's no secret that dispatching is a stressful job. I can just imagine the stress felt in heat of the call, the moment of panic, and the adrenaline rush. Stress alone can be the culprit for causing headaches, but what if there are other factors contributing to your pain that you haven't considered? And no, I'm not talking about that annoying coworker or the funky smells coming from the shared refrigerator. Here are three ways that you can be misusing your height adjustable desk that could be adding to headaches:

According to Dr. James Levine, a leading endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic  and researcher on the health hazards of sitting, sitting for long periods of time is no good. Just take a look at the information below: