It’s Pet Appreciation Week, or PAW as it’s alternatively called. At KellyMitchell we REALLY appreciate our pets! And while it doesn’t take long for a pet owner to realize how much more awesome your life is with a pet, we thought we would help break down why exactly as an employee you need a pet.
Having a Pet Helps You Become More Social
In this day and age, we as a society are prone to living life through our computers or TV screens in social isolation. New pet owners will quickly find that a pet is a great way to ease out of this introverted habit for even the shyest of personalities.
Having a pet opens up conversations with acquaintances who you might not have anything else initially in common with or even strangers on the street as you walk your dog. Pets provide a gateway for a real social exchange. These social skills can then easily translate to how well you are connecting with coworkers and clients.
Having a Pets Helps You to Be Less Stressed
We’ve all heard, pets help with stress. But what does that mean? Well according to one study, stock brokers with high blood pressure, who adopted a pet, would have lower blood pressure readings in stressful situations than those who didn’t have pets.
Even just petting or playing with an animal releases the stress-reducing hormone oxytocin. While we’re not saying pets are going to make all the workweek stressors magically disappear, they will certainly help manage your everyday stress.
Having a Pet Helps You Stay Healthy
There are lots of ways pets help keep you healthy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institute of Health both say that having a pet decreases blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. All these positively lessen the risk of having a heart attack. And for those who had already had heart attacks, having a pet increased their recovery rate.
Pets also encourage us to be more active which contributes to our overall health and decreases the risk of obesity. As an employee the healthier you are, the more present and productive you are and this supports you in putting your best foot forward.
- - - Want to meet some of our #KMpets? Be sure to check out our Facebook album!