Give, and you shall receive!

“More than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to nurse.” Talmud (Pesachim 112a)

Parents are natural givers.

They want to give even more than their kids want to take.

Which is why it’s so gratifying to be able to spend quality time with our kids and contribute to their happiness.

So, as much as my son was excited for me to join him at a camp water park a couple of weeks ago, I was happier to be able to bring him joy with my presence and participation.

This Talmudic principal, in my view, applies to teachers and coaches as well.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰? 😟

We all tend to get dragged down and overwhelmed by things that accumulate over time and end up cluttering our minds.

When we identify them - even if we're not prepared to do anything about them right now - we raise our awareness and naturally start to handle, fix, and resolve them.

Start by making a list of what you’re putting up with at work and at home to determine what might be cluttering your mind and slowing you down!

Examples could be: incomplete tasks, frustrations, problems, other people’s or your own behavior, clutter, shoulds, unmet needs, crossed boundaries, unresolved issues or guilt, lack of exercise, eating habits, being indecisive, procrastinating, lack of sleep, etc.

Tales of an Introverted Leader

They thought that I was hiding. Or worse, disinterested.

As an introverted head of school, I would often close my office door.

It helped me focus, think, and get more done.

And I didn't think much of it.

But others did.

Largely because my predecessor kept an open door policy.

And was always accessible.

When people lack information, they typically assume the worst case scenario.

Tips to Manage Workplace Stress

Building passion is also a great way to manage and reduce workplace stress. Stress is a serious drain on productivity and had a direct effect on worker health and absenteeism. Stress-related illnesses cost businesses an estimated $200 billion to $300 billion a year in lost productivity, as reported in Stress in the Workplace. A study by Health Advocate found that 1 million workers miss work each day due to stress. This absenteeism costs employers an estimated $600 per worker each year. Twelve percent of employees have called in sick because of job stress. This is not surprising because most people respond to increased stress with added caffeine and alcohol consumption, smoking, and prescription medications.

Your Net-Work is Your Net Worth

Every time that I share my story...

the pain and the suffering as well as the comeback and success...

multiple people tell me how inspired, motivated, uplifted, and empowered they feel.

How to build workplace passion

Productivity begins with engagement and passion. Disengaged, dispassionate workplaces are much less productive.

It is well-documented that many folks are not passionate about their work. According to Deloitte research, “Up to 87.7 percent of America’s workforce is not able to contribute to their full potential because they don’t have passion for their work.”

11 Traits of Successful People

Are you curious to know what separates the truly successful from everyone else? Do you want to know what the highest performers do that distinguish them from the pack?

Well, between my experience with my own high-achieving clients and my research, here are some qualities that I came up with.

Drive and passion – Successful people are driven and passionate about what they do. They work harder than most and make sure things get done. They take pride in seeing things getting completed and take charge when necessary. Their passion is contagious and rubs off on others around them, who start to believe what they believe.

Batching Work Saves Time

Time batching is a time management technique in which you group similar tasks together for focused work. During the allocated time, you work to complete all the tasks. If you want to get more done, with less distraction, consider batching your work.

How is this helpful?

For starters, by batching work you can do a lot of tasks that require similar processes all in one sequence. Things like responding to emails, completing forms, and doing research. The advantage is that you can get “in the zone,” build momentum, and knock off a bunch of things in short order.

If, on the other hand, you do a little of this and some of that, there is no flow, and each activity tends to take more time. This is, in part, because your brain needs to constantly reorient and focus on something new.

Feedback from my "Break often but briefly" post

“Thank you for sharing these helpful tips about taking breaks. Somehow, I was already taking a walk, reading and eating during my breaks. I intend to continue doing them. However, I may explore listening music which I rarely do. Sometimes, one feels a sense of guilt when one takes a break. It is reassuring to know that it is beneficial.”

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