Welcome to MyPath

Looking for advice to help you manage your career? See what experts and members of the MyPath community are saying.

Full Plate

9 Posts tagged with the stress tag Productivity tips from the Priority Pro

Change is inevitable – after all, nothing really stays the same.  But in today’s challenging times, it seems like we’re on “uncertainty” overload, never knowing what will happen from one moment to the next. Here today, gone tomorrow – or, at the least, very different tomorrow.

Uncertainty bring stress and confusion, and while most of us would be quick to say that we want less stress and more certainty in our lives, what we really want is less of a stress reaction to what life is throwing our way.

 

We can’t choose what happens to us – but we can choose our responses to the situations we encounter.  Let’s take a look at five different responses that people have to stressful situations. As you read through these five responses, you may want to think of a recent stressful event or news that you may have received, and see what your reaction to that event can teach you about how you habitually respond.  You may have one type of response at work, and another at home, or you may react differently depending on who else is involved.

 

The first, and unfortunately all too common response to stressful events is to suffer and be a victim to it. People who respond this way don’t take action. Things happen TO them – and though they may complain and be generally miserable about it, they don’t take any steps to do anything. They allow life to control them, instead of the other way around. This way of responding is certainly not recommended, and eventually, it will take its toll on one’s physical and mental health.

 

The second type of response is to accept it the situation, and to get some perspective on it.  Someone with this response may say “so what,” or perhaps get some perspective on the situation by asking if it will it matter in a year – or a week – or even in a day.

The third way to respond is to actually take steps to change the situation – taking action to bring it to resolution (or at least move toward resolution). This is a very powerful response, and one that many effective leaders employ.

 

The fourth way to respond is to avoid the situation. People responding this way make a decision not to get involved in a situation that they don’t see as concerning them, or upon which they can’t make an impact. For example, someone may choose not to get involved in a dispute going on within their office if it doesn’t directly involve them.

 

The fifth and final way that people generally respond to stress is to alter the experience of the situation. When we look at a situation differently, the experience itself changes. Changing perceptions is probably the most challenging of the responses, because we tend to be stuck in our own interpretations and assumptions about what’s happening, but it is also perhaps the most powerful of all.

 

It’s your world, and you can create it as you wish. Remember, what one person sees as stressful, another person barely notices, or sees as exciting and full of opportunity. How are you going to choose today?

 

(This was excerpted with permission from the E Factor Newsletter January 2009 - "Handling what life throws your way" © 2009 iPEC Coaching)

0 Comments Permalink Tags: change, advice, leadership, stress, productivity, management, energy, smarter, ipec, performance, effectiveness, personal

I have a few clients who absolutely hate their current jobs but feel stuck where they are because they believe that there isn't anything else out there. Unfortunately, few people have the luxury in today's economy to leave a job without having something definite already lined up and the job dissatisfaction rate continues to climb. Having a job you hate is not an easy thing to deal with so here are some ways to make your situation easier to handle:

 

1. Maintain perspective: Know what’s motivating you to stay at a job you hate; it’s important to know why.  Is your current job the only one in your area that fits your skills? Or do you need it to keep your children fed and clothed? What attracted you to the job in the first place? Does that reason still exist? Whatever the reason, remembering what it is and keeping it at the forefront of your consciousness makes working a difficult job easier. When you do this, you end up working not for the job itself, but for whatever the motivation is behind your being there. The job becomes more stressed businessman.jpgthan a job— it becomes a way to fulfill whatever desire moved you to take it in the first place.

2. Know what you really want: Often, a terrible job will help you be clearer about what you would want in a better job because you know for sure what you don’t want. Identify the things you desire in your job. It may help to focus on what you don’t like and note the opposite. It may also be helpful to note the things you dream about in your ideal job. For example, are your coworkers too competitive? Then, you may prefer a more team-based environment. Is your boss always second-guessing or changing your decisions? Then perhaps you would like a job where employees are trusted and tasks are truly delegated. Would you prefer a job that requires a lot of problem-solving instead of a set group of tasks? Would you rather work for yourself? Have you always dreamed of teaching for a living? Be sure to create a physical list that contains what you really want in a job. Explore how many of these things you can create in your current job situation or somewhere else in the company.

3. Make a conscious choice: Being in ‘choice’ is very powerful.Therefore after identifying your key motivation for staying at the job you hate, if it’s compelling enough to keep you there, than consciously choose to stay.  If you’re unsure about it, evaluate it further. Maybe you took this job several years ago because you wanted a job close to home beings you had small children and didn’t want to spend an excessive time commuting. Now that the kids are older, is this still important criterion? Or perhaps you took this position because there seemed to be an aggressive career path to a higher level position but it never materialized. Or maybe you realize that you qualify for lots of different jobs of the same type that you're working now, and you realize that a different work environment might make things much more tolerable. Whatever your motivation, consider carefully whether it's enough motivation to stay at the job or if you’d be better off transferring to another department or Division if you’re at a large enough company, or leaving entirely if there aren’t any feasible options within your current work environment.

4. Set weekly goals for yourself: If you really want to leave your job, set weekly goals to help you find the golden opportunity for you. One week you might research the industry, another week you might arrange three informational interviews, send out five resumes or attend a networking event. Having these goals will help you transition to something better. Doing something daily towards a new job will help give you a sense of accomplishment and keep you progressing toward a new job.

5. Re-engage your commitment whenever you feel negatively toward your job: When feelings of frustration, hopelessness, anger, or sadness about your current situation re-surface, review your choice again. Realize that even after you have chosen to stay, there may still be parts of your job that you dislike.  Let go of the negative emotions and re-focus on the positive motivations for staying.  Allow your conscious choice to stay to become the habit and motivator to continue doing a good job and contributing daily.

6. Honor your needs: Allow yourself to acknowledge whatever emotions come up for you. Don't try to hide it inside, or it will just blow out later. If you need to take a walk, or go to the restroom, take a day off, or even write it out in your private journal, do that. Letting things build up until they might explode is never a good idea. And, in the midst of your feelings, reflect back on your motivation for choosing to stay. Control your stress by respecting your needs.

7. Be realistic: If you really hate your job, don't expect to love your job some day soon. Instead, expect that you won't like it. Expect that the things that have frustrated you since the first day will still frustrate you now and will probably continue to do so as long as you stay at the job. If you expect that, the job will never sink below your expectations. However, at this point, you know that you are more than the job. You don't expect all of your satisfaction to come from that, because there are more areas in your life than just that.

8. Enjoy the Perks: Some jobs are terrible, but still have some great perks. Almost every job has at least one good perk such as a good salary, tuition reimbursement, health benefits, gym discounts, stock options, or opportunities to travel. Take advantage of whatever perks are available because even focusing on some of these more positive things may make things easier, at least in the interim until you find something else.

9. Increase your Self-Care: Going into a job you hate will be worse if you get to the office feeling rushed, stressed and frazzled and lack self-care. Set aside some moments of solitude each morning. Develop some positive daily rituals such as treating yourself to a latte, listening to upbeat music, going for a walk outside at lunchtime, getting up early enough to hit the gym before you go to the office, or connecting with friends for fun diversions. Add some humor to your day buy posting a “joke of the day” calendar near your work space. Enjoy an activity regularly that helps you unwind and get rid of tension. Be willing to treat yourself to simple pleasures to help you feel better inside. By focusing on you, your well-being, health and happiness your present situation will be more tolerable.

10. Maintain your job performance. Although you’re dissatisfied at work, it’s important to continue to do your work and do it well. Hating your job doesn't mean you can't learn new skills or be a good performer at work. Use your time to make yourself a better candidate down the road. If your company offers training courses, take advantage of them. Use downtime to learn something new on your computer. Pick up a management development book and read it (or listen to it) at lunch. Turn your job into an opportunity for self-improvement. Set personal performance goals that you’ll be able to highlight as accomplishments in future job interviews. Be sure to avoid burning any bridges at your company because you are unhappy. Instead, maintain positive relationships and grow your network.


Right now, it might seem like you will be stuck in this job forever. Keep your chin up and remind yourself that you are in charge of your destiny. Search internal postings for new positions. Start your search for a new job externally. Realize that this too shall pass!  

0 Comments Permalink Tags: advice;, stress, improvement, job_satisfaction, goals, choices, working, job_security, self-care, smarter

A report released this week based on a survey of 5,000 US households conducted for The Conference Board by TNS reported that only 45 percent of those surveyed say that are satisfied with their job. This number is down from 61.1 percent in 1987, the first year the survey was conducted. Unfortunately, there has been a consistent downward trend for a couple of decades now.

 

Similarly, the recession and its accompanying reorganizations, layoffs and corporate turns to outsourcing have been caustic to IT employee job satisfaction, as reported in a mid-2009 job satisfaction survey by the Corporate Executive Board, a Washington-based advisory firm. The firm surveys 150,000 workers each quarter, asking a battery of behavioral questions about their jobs. About 10,000 of those surveyed work in IT jobs, according to board officials. Job satisfaction has plummeted to its lowest levels in the ten years since this survey began.

 

In the past, prior to the Great Depression, people generally worked because they had to. Happiness was rarely considered or even necessary.  However, since the 90's, when the economy was good and people had more choices about their work, job satisfaction was important and even measured, sometimes annually, using tools such as employee satisfaction surveys administered by employers and independent outside firms.

 

Today, with unemployment at its highest, more hard-earning wages going toward health insurance and other benefits, minimal pay raises (if any), and a lean workforce people are making many concessions to stay employed. The bottom-line is ruling rather than the growth or satisfaction of employees. So, no wonder people reported feeling more dissatisfied with their work!

 

These figures are frightening! Employee dissatisfaction is costly to American companies because it results in multiple workplace ills, including declines in employee engagement, productivity and retention. As the economy starts heading in a more positive direction, many valuable employees will leave.

0 Comments Permalink Tags: job, smarter, security, working, satisfaction, dissatisfaction, stress, life, career

Pace Yourself

Posted by Natalie Gahrmann Dec 31, 2009

Picture yourself walking through the buffet line with an abundance of choices to put on your plate. As my audiences have shared during my "There's Too Much on your Plate" program, there are many different ways to fill your plate. Some begin with the end in mind and start with dessert. Others take a little bit of everything so that they can sample whatever's available. While still others fill their plate very carefully ensuring their foods aren't touching and being sure to gather their favorites early in the meal.

 

How do you fill your plate?

 

Chances are that however you fill your plate while walking through a buffet line may be the same way you fill your plate with activities, tasks and responsibilities.

 

There will always be more that you can add to your plate so it's important to pace yourself whether you're eating a meal or managing the day-to-day responsibilities.

 

This morning I awoke to a beautiful snow fall. As I walked my dog, I delighted in the beauty of the new day and reflected on the year past as well as the year ahead. When we arrived back at home, we trounced around playing in the snow. With that burst of energy and joy I decided to shovel our front walkway.  The snow was light and fluffy so the the task felt rather effortless.  I looked up my long almsnowy driveway.jpgost 450 feet of driveway and wondered if I could shovel the whole thing. I paced myself by completing a section at a time. When I was about 75% done, my son came out with a shovel and joined me, questioning why I was shoveling when it didn't seem that necessary.  I responded that I was enjoying the fresh air, exercise and feeling of steady accomplishment. In the end, it took about three hours to shovel the entire driveway and walkway. I didn't know what time it was nor how much time had passed. I knew that I didn't have to finish but I could choose to continue if I felt so inclined.

 

To look at the long driveway, or any large project or goal for that matter, as a whole may seem daunting and unachievable. However, by breaking it down and pacing myself, I enjoyed the feeling of completion.

 

What can you complete a piece of today to help bring you closer to completing a task?

 

It's not necessarily all or nothing. Pace yourself and get the momentum going. You may be surprised with the results!!

0 Comments Permalink Tags: performance, effectiveness, busy, time, stress, balance, management, choices, productivity, alignment, satisfaction

Corporate America, not unlike individuals everywhere, is faced with having too much on their plate.  With major cuts across the board in budget and headcount, people have overwhelming burgeoning work loads.  There are continuous competing demands and conflicting priorities. 

Many people miss the signs when there's too much on their plate.  However, there are a number of indicators and symptoms you should recognize so that you may remain calmer and more focused at completing the task-at-hand while increasing your performance and productivity.  Be aware of high stress, anxiety, frustration, irritability, depression, or inflexibility.  Notice when you become impatient with others and respond rudely. If you find yourself making an increasing number of foolish mistakes or bad decisions, pause and shift your energy so that you alleviate negative consequences.

Recognize what you can and cannot control in your life. Let go of what you absolutely have no control over and concentrate on what you can control or at least influence or negotiate.  You can regain control in many situations by simply:

·         Rethinking the ‘shoulds’, ‘musts’, and ‘coulds’

·         Acknowledging your reality and current situation

·         Accepting your abilities and limitations. Leveraging/maximizing your strengths.

·         Having a positive can-do attitude

·         Minimizing stressors

Some stress cannot be totally eliminated and is actually effective to helping you be at the top of your game.  However,many different behaviors and attitudes help better cope with stress. My personal favorites include exercising, smiling/laughing, taking things in stride/going with the flow, breathing through difficulties (too help slow things down and stay in the moment while consciously choosing how I want to respond rather than just reacting), planning ahead and creating contingencies in case things go as unanticipated. 

Other effective behaviors for coping with stress so that you can increase your productivity and contentment include:

·         Defining your limits (having realistic standards and limits)

·         Slowing down (stop hurrying)

·         Learning to deal with anger

·         Using meditation/yoga

·         Avoiding catastrophic thinking

·         Listening to calming music

·         Using imagery or daydreaming

·         Knowing your natural rhythm of when you’re at your best.

·         Scheduling your day so that you have structure

·         Paying attention to noise levels and minimizing

·         Using pent up energy wisely

·         Taking time for yourself

·         Getting off adrenaline/avoiding procrastination

·         Regrouping after stressful periods

·         Eliminating worry (87% of what we worry about never occurs or is out of our control anyway)

·         Learning to say “no”

Stress can be lethal if not brought under control. It can effect your health, well-being, relationships and employment.  Reduce your stress and improve your productivity! For more stress tips, subscribe to my free bi-weekly e-newsletter by sending a blank email to superbusyparent-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

0 Comments Permalink Tags: advice;, effectiveness, busy, stress, productivity

The statistics on worry indicate that 87% of what we worry about never actually occurs or is so far out of our control that we really shouldn’t be worrying about it anyway! Worries may be over things that happened in your past which can never be changed, from irrational fears or concerns, or about things that may or may not happen in the future. man worrying.bmp

The problem is that with all the energy we put into worrying, worrying never affects the final outcome of a situation. Have you ever worried a problem away?? Not likely! However, by worrying we create an excessive negative impact on ourselves, physically, mentally, emotionally and even socially with symptoms ranging from headaches to high blood pressure or heart conditions. A worrier, with their negative feelings, often may experience some loneliness as others flee from them and their doom and gloom pessimistic thinking.

Worry can be paralyzing--it fills our life with unnecessary stress, anxiety and pressure. Worrying is a widely prevalent emotional problem yet we rarely recognize it and almost never talk about it. It infects our thoughts, our sense of well-being, and even our ability to take action; worry is so much a part of our thinking that we rarely notice when we are doing it, unless others point it out to us.

Pause right now and try to remember what's been on your mind today. What thoughts elevated your heart rate, raised the hair on the back of your neck or broke you out in a sweat? Are you worrying about finding a new job, your low bank account, your kid’s grades in school, your long to-do list, your health issues, or what your neighbors think of your barking dog or over-grown lawn? Whatever it is, let it go! Worrying is an absolute waste of your time and energy because all it really does is increase your stress and anxiety while bringing you down or keeping you stuck in a state of inaction.

Stopping the habitual pattern of worrying may be challenging, so instead focus first on restricting your worrying to that which you can do something about. Here are a few tips to help you limit your time and energy spent worrying:

1. Raise your Awareness
Begin becoming more consciously aware of when you are worrying. When you realize that you are worrying, relax by taking a deep breath in and then let it out slowly.

2. Stay Present
When you realize that you are worrying; ask yourself if what you are worrying about is related to today. For example, if you are worrying about a job, speech, a business meeting or a potential promotion, is that something that is going to happen today? If the answer is no, then do not allow yourself to worry about it. Stay focused in the here and now!

3. Do Something
If what you're worrying about is something that is happening today, then reframe your worry thoughts into planning thoughts so that you move into action. Instead of worried thinking like "I don’t know if I got the job," reframe that into a planning thought: "Is there anything I can do to improve my chances of getting the job?” If the answer is yes, do it. If you have already done everything there is to do, then there is nothing to worry about. Focus on action and next steps!

4. Prepare, Plan & Educate
When you discover yourself worrying about ongoing issues like a chronic health issues, financial challenges or a difficult relationship, replace worrying with planning and educating. Ask yourself powerful questions (e.g., “Is there something I can say or do right now to stop worrying about this?” or “How is worrying improving my situation?”) instead of staying stuck in the worrying rut, research, or seek professional help to improve your situation. Then, of course, follow up your planning with consistent action. Stay in control as much as you can so that you don’t feel powerless!

5. Control what you can
Although we worry about so much that is out of our control, what we can always control are our thoughts, feelings and actions. Understand that you can only control yourself and the choices you make, you cannot control others and you cannot control many situations. Recognize that you are capable and competent and certainly have the power to affect your own life to the extent it is possible to do so.

So, when you’re aware that you cannot control a situation, rather than worrying about it, simply let it go or take concerted steps to control what you can.

Focus on what you can impact and in the words of Bob McFarrin, sing or hum…”Don’t worry…be happy!”

Over time as you take worry off your plate, you’ll likely discover more positive and powerful thoughts filling your mind. The Priority Pro can help you worry less and take more action!

0 Comments Permalink Tags: advice;awareness, improvement, effectiveness, stress, alignment, personal, worry, smarter, balance

Defray Stress

Posted by Natalie Gahrmann Jul 27, 2009

 

Between work demands, caring for your family, and seeing to everyday matters and responsibilities there is little time left to take care of yourself. So, many SuperBusy people put off time for their own needs and desires. However, if you're a parent, you are a key influence on your child's development, so the amount of stress you are experiencing in your work, family and personal life has a direct impact on them.  If you are not a parent, taming your stress is important to your overall health and well-being as well as your relationships with others.  IHere's some tips to help defray the stress and help you consciously take better care of yourself.

 

 

1. Breathe deeply

Bring in the air through your nose, deep down into your belly and out through your mouth in a slow relaxed fashion at least two-three times to help re-focus, re-center and relax.

 

 

2. Take in Relaxing Smells

Aromatherapy oils, herbal teas or scented candles are all relaxing to the olfactory system.

 

 

3. Daydream, Meditate, and Connect with Nature

Visit places and experience them newly. Or, give your mind a mental break by simply imagining you are somewhere else and creating a visual image and experience in your mind of being there. Either way, fully connect with your surroundings by noticing sounds, smells and textures. Relax your spirit and body using soothing music and warm lights.

 

 

4. Avoid Overextending Yourself

Stop saying "yes" too often to requests of your time, money, energy or other resources. Say "no" to things and people as a way of honoring you. Allow yourself a chance to think about the request before accepting the invitation. Bow out later if the commitment is contributing too greatly to your stress.

 

 

5. Eat Healthy Foods

Choose foods and beverages that nourish your body and help it be at its best.

 

 

6. Participate in a hobby or sport

Create an outlet for relaxation that you truly enjoy doing. Use your creativity to write, sculpt, knit, paint, etc. Use physical activities or daily exercise rituals to help "blow off" steam both physically and mentally.

 

 

7. Lighten up

Smile, laugh and just be friendly to others. Friendliness goes far and helps you feel good about yourself. Humor lightens up tension. Notice how laughter is contagious, too. People are more naturally attracted to people who seem happy, positive, enthusiastic, and excited about life. Stop taking things so seriously all the time and lighten up a bit.

 

 

8. Enlist help from others

Learn to ask for and accept help (even when things are not done to your high standard level!) You will gain by delegating and allowing others to help, even when things don't turn out exactly as they would have if you completed the task yourself. Allow yourself to be nurtured by your friends and family.

 

 

9. Spend Quality Time with Your Loved Ones

Have fun and interact with your children. Be fully present with them. Truly listen to what they have to say and connect on a deeper level. Connect with friends, family, and your significant other in meaningful ways.  When quantity isn't an option, go for quality and make the best out of every moment you can be together, even if it's virtual!

 

 

10. Get Romantic

Stimulate your body's release of endorphins by reading a romance novel, or better yet, curl up with your spouse/significant other or make love.

 

0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: balance, stress, super, parents, mother, life, busy, work/life, solutions, personal, renewal, manage, working, father, effectiveness, quality

Hit the Pause Button

Posted by Natalie Gahrmann May 13, 2009

When you're feeling overwhelmed or stressed out STOP!  Take a breather.  Most people tend to push harder to get more done. The result is that they increase their stress and jeopardize the quality of their work or relationships.  So, an approach I use often with my coaching clients and my audiences is to pause, take a slow deep breadth in from the nose and all the way down to the diaphragm and then blow it out your mouth.  This releases pent up energy and allows you to briefly slow things down and reflect on the moment.

 

Get in the habit of deep breathing so that it comes naturally as a stress-relieving technique and isn't overlooked or forgotten because your just too busy.

 

Another way of reminding yourself about taking control and feeling less overwhelmed is to use what I call 'anchoring'.  In the center of my palm I hold my energy, confidence, poise, and power and I have this with me all the time.  To reach it, I simply have to close my hand and connect with it!  Usually, I close my eyes too then breathe deeply and emerge ready to tackle what lies ahead of me!  Others use a piece of jewelry or other object they always have with them to help them get grounded.  They focus on this object as a physical reminder to stop and take the time to breathe deeply.

 

Just STOP and RELAX in the moment...you'll be glad you did! I’ll BLOG another time about how this technique has helped me as a parent. It’s pretty powerful yet simplistic stuff!

0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: productivitiy, improvement, development, balance, performance, stress, management, focus

Nowadays people often feel pulled in many directions. Many come to me to help them manage everything on their plate. Whether they're employed, self-employed, or unemployed, they suffer from competing demands and conflicting priorities.

 

One of the techniques I use myself and teach my clients is to make a list of all the things I want to do or have been requested or told to do by others. By getting things out of my mind and onto paper I am able to free up my mind to be creative and eliminate the stress and worry of forgetting to do something important. This builds awareness and helps me assess how things are working in my life. Then I am better able to reflect on my highest priorities. What is most important to my success and well-being? Which activities will help pull me closer to what I say I really want to accomplish? Does this correspond directly with my personal/professional goals?

 

I use powerful questions (like the ones above) as criteria to quickly guide my decisions and create incredible focus. This helps me eliminate tasks and projects that are not in alignment with what’s most important to me and prioritize those still left on my plate. Having filters helps to sort items by importance and urgency.

 

The key is to eliminate items before they even hit your plate because many of them don't even belong there in the first place. Items generally fall into four categories: (1) they belong on someone else’s plate, (2) can be put on the back-burner and delayed for another time, (3) should be completed or scheduled for completion; or, (4) delete, dump, remove, or ignore the activities that have no meaning, value, and are really just nothing more than a waste of time.

0 Comments 0 References Permalink Tags: project, balance, stress, changing, management, coach, development, time, productivitiy

Actions

Popular Blog Posts