Do You Know Where Your Pause Button Is?
Are you getting caught up in the pre-festival frenzy? Did you start out very organised and resolved not to be caught out this year yet somehow find yourself speeding up as the days go on? Do you feel like you’re stuck on fast forward?
If the answer is yes, perhaps it’s time to press pause.
Stop
There was a fascinating item on BBC radio a while back about mindfulness. Apparently people who practice mindfulness are a much harder bunch for advertisers to sell to (they can be less stressed all round, see this post). Or rather they were able to resist more effectively the intense pressure of advertising than other groups. They didn’t need so many things to feel content. So here’s a very short mindfulness type exercise which won’t eat into your day but may reduce your stress levels and act like your own internal pause button during these busy weeks.
The Press Pause Exercise
Each hour has 60 minutes. Choose one of those sixty minutes and do the following:
Pause in whatever you are doing (in safety-obviously!). If possible lower or close your eyes. Become aware of just what your body is doing. Notice if your feet are on the ground, hooked round a chair, if you have crossed legs, etcetera? Now pay attention to your torso. How are you holding yourself, are you able to breathe as well as you can?
Now notice your breathing. How are you breathing? Just take notice, don’t change it (although almost inevitably just being aware will slow your breathing).
Notice how you actually feel. Don’t judge, just notice what your feelings are, become conscious of your emotions.
And finally, when convenient for you, breathe out one breath for a slightly longer time than normal. Just one.
Open your eyes.
Smile.
Press go.
Photo credit: M Kranz
Does Change Make You Feel Stressed? (Free eguide for Managers)
We were having a discussion about change on my RenewYou course the other day (there’s a lot of it about at the moment!) Women come on RenewYou when they want to make changes in their life so I was delivering a session on the psychological impact of change on individuals, (more on this here in Are You a Fox or a Hedgehog?)
Individuals and Change
I was making the point that, when we as individuals decide to make a significant change, for those close to us or who work closely with us, our decision to change is a change in their lives over which they have no control. And when we feel we have no control over change we instinctively want to resist it.
If we don’t let the appropriate people in our lives know what we are doing then we can expect them to be potential saboteurs of the change we want to make. They may not even realise they are doing it. But one thing is for sure, if you don’t give them information, communicate with them, they won’t be allies.
Change in the Workplace
Our discussion then became more wide ranging and we began to discuss our experiences of organisational change. Why, asked my group, do senior managers start well but then stop communicating with staff?
I suspect it’s because they themselves are also going through the change process as change may be imposed on them (as in redundancies because of the economic situation) and they are coping with their own feelings. Also, we expect senior managers to have the answers, to know what is going on.
Having been on both sides of the equation I can tell you that they often don’t know what is going on! They know the end result required, i.e. saving money, but the route may be far from clear. Fearful of giving the wrong answers they go to ground and give none; they stop communicating. Bad move, as nature abhors a vacuum and it will be filled! Often with misinformation and rumour.
BBC
Coincidentally, this discussion was almost mirrored on the BBC this morning as they talked to two experts on organisational psychology and change and why change caused us so much stress. A recent survey has shown stress to be the biggest cause of lost working days. Lack of communication was cited as the top reason. Why, asked the interviewer, does knowing more about what is going on help keep stress levels down?
The experts didn’t have much time to respond but this is the answer. Once we have the facts we can take back some control, we can decide how we are going to react. When we’re not told what is going on we’re being treated like children. And guess what? Treat adults like children and you’ll get some childlike behaviour back! Not knowing makes us stressed as we imagine so much worse (magical thinking) and feeling stressed lowers our immunity to the usual bugs and ailments doing the rounds. Even if we think we’re coping well the chances are, if we’re stressed, we’ll end up taking time off for a minor complaint when in normal circumstances we’d womanfully struggle on!
Free Guide for Managers on Change
I have written a guide for managers who have to manage staff through change; I run change seminars within organisations for both managers and staff (any gender!) who are undergoing change. I also worked as project lead for two organisations undergoing huge change: the book is a result of my experiences but, knowing how busy managers are, it’s a short, easy read yet contains everything you need to know!
If you’d like a free copy, and you are a newsletter subscriber, simply go to the contact page on my site and let me know. If you are looking for support within your own organisation, or personally please call on 01761438749, or also use the contact page.
Are you in the midst of significant change? How is it for you? If you’re a manager do you feel you have sufficient support and information? If you are an employee what’s it like for you? Do you know enough about what is happening and why? If you run your own business what’s the biggest problem you face? Please do share your stories!
Also, here you can find a free fact sheet on work related stress from CIPD but you’ll need to register – it’s free.
Photo Credit: Omacaco
Are You The Boss You’d Like?
Well, are you?
If you were your own boss (and maybe you are, as I am) would people be queuing up to get in your team based on how you treat yourself?
Try honestly answering the following questions:
Do you treat yourself well? By which I mean do you look after yourself when working?
Do you take regular breaks? Grab some fresh air at least once a day?
Do you have a proper lunch break away from your desk/workplace at least three times a week?
Do you regularly praise yourself for a job well done?
Do you celebrate your successes?
Do you invest in yourself, take advantage of training on offer?
I hope you can answer yes to a good few of those. if not, time to give yourself an appraisal! Got to dash. the sun is shining and I’m going into the garden for 15 minutes!
Please share your ‘look after yourself’ tips!
Photo Credit: Arte Ram
Fed Up With Sundays?
Try doing something different today. Sunday’s can be a tricky day for anyone feeling low. I don’t really know why; it’s what people tell me. Sundays can drag on forever. So here’s some things you might try this Sunday:
- Get a newspaper that you don’t normally buy (even if you have to hide it in another cover). Challenge your comfortable views by reading the editorial.
- Walk around your nearest town and look up (don’t fall over). It’s amazing what you spot if you look at the tops of buildings. A whole history can be unveiled before your eyes.
- Buy a return bus ticket and get on the first bus you see and go wherever it goes. Look out of the window and be a tourist.
- Help out someone who looks as if they need a helping hand.
I hope that gives you a new perspective on Sundays! And do tell me, how are Sundays for you? What’s your week end favourite activity? How do you deal with feeling a little down in the dumps? And if this post has been helpful, you might find Banish Anxious Thoughts of interest too.
Photo Credit: Sanja Gjenero
Don’t Panic! Stop & Breathe!
Like many women at this time of year, I found myself yesterday morning feeling a sense of panic at all the things I hadn’t yet done and all the things I had to do for my work and all the sheets that needed washing and all the food shopping and all the presents not yet bought and cooking for the friends coming this evening and….
Stop!
Before I even realised what was happening the tension was creeping up my back and I literally couldn’t see the wood for the trees (or in my case the desk for paper!) So I took a bit of my own advice (I do from time to time, honestly) and stopped for a moment or two. I stopped working, took a few deep breaths, and asked myself my favourite question when feeling overwhelmed:
“What’s the worst that can happen?”
And the answer to that was nothing particularly dreadful. There were some work things I had to do otherwise I would be letting people down, but apart from that… almost everything else was not truly urgent and the world wouldn’t stop spinning on its axis if I didn’t do them in the way I had planned.
Ask Yourself
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed at this time of the year, try asking yourself the ‘What’s the worst’ question and answering it honestly and realistically. The answer to that will help you plan your day in a more constructive way and hopefully help you see things from a fresh perspective!
PS After doing this exercise yesterday I worked very hard all morning, and then went with a good friend to The American Museum in Bath to see how the early settlers celebrated Christmas. It wasn’t on my to do list, but it did me a power of good!
How do you manage your potential Festive Stress? Do share your tips!
Christmas Baubles – Tip One
As the holiday season approaches pressure is mounting to go out all for perfection. In this post I’m talking about celebrating Christmas but it applies to any celebration, whatever your faith or culture. Magazines, colour supplements, adverts, make over shows, all are encouraging us women to provide the perfect Christmas experience.
Don’t fall for it.
Take a moment now to think about your best festive holiday times? My guess is that they won’t have been reliant on perfect table linen, professional floral arrangements, massively expensive gifts and an ‘advertisement perfect’ family.
Three Things for Christmas Perfection
List three things that make a festive holiday perfect for you; pick from emotions and feelings as well as material things. It’s very easy to get caught up in materialism and beating yourself up for not being the perfect hostess. If you take a little time now to really focus on what makes the season special for you and your family and friends, that’s where you can direct your energies for the next few weeks, and where you can see a real return in creating your idea of perfect Festive Time.
Forget the Matching Candles!
I love Christmas and I have done my fair share of wittering about matching candles, trying to do it all myself, and wanting a spotless house looking like something from Ideal Home. In the end none of that really matters. If people step across your threshold into a wall of tension and simmering discontent it doesn’t matter how perfect it all looks. No one will relax and enjoy themselves, least of all you.
Resolve now to make this festive period one which you enjoy and relax. Aim to create your three most important things as best you can and simply enjoy all the hustle and bustle, lights, music, crowds for what they are, and stop working towards some idealised version of the perfect Christmas!
Please do share your own tips for not only surviving but having fun too!
