Work Smart Live Smart with Beverly Beuermann-King

TIP 2730 – How Less Clutter Equals Less Stress

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I admit that I love the satisfaction after I have cleaned my office or purged my files.

You don’t have to be self-employed or work from home to have a home office. It’s easy for this workspace to become messy, dusty, cluttered, and disorganized. As you work in your home office, things stack and layer around until one day, you realize that it has gotten way out of hand.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Organizing Your Home Office Day tomorrow:

Start off small. Pick five things and throw them out or return them to their proper location.

File, Shred or recycle unwanted paperwork that is sitting on your desk.

Attack one file drawer at a time. Purge out-dated documents or notes.

Take stock of those things in your office of everything you're no longer using, especially unused or broken office equipment, and cut back to only the essentials.

Curb Cable Clutter. Use a surge-protected power bar to prevent your computers and other equipment from frying during an electrical storm or other power surge. Bind the remaining cables together with cable ties, so they stay out of your way.

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency, take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2729 - Discover How Not To Procrastinate

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How many of us couldn’t use an extra hour each day? Planning before starting each day, is said to save us this hour, as we are more effective at using the time that we have. Sometimes though we just can’t seem to get our act together.

Maybe we just can’t seem to get past our urge to procrastinate. It may be that we are being too perfectionistic, or we dislike the task or person that we have to work with. We could be too tired or fear that we might fail. Sometimes it is just a matter of the task not being a part of our goals and priorities.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Procrastination Week:

To Avoid Procrastination, we need to:

Find the answer to ‘What’s In It For Me”. Why do I need to accomplish the task at hand and what benefit will there be for me when I finish it?

Chunk your time – set a timer. The timer helps you to become more realistic about how long various tasks take.

Watch out for time gobblers – internet, email, TV, phone, socializing, unimportant notices and forwards

Delegate when the task is not part of your priority. Not everything has to be done or should be done by you. Let go of your need to control everything.

Make it fun by rewarding yourself. It is easier to start and finish a task if there is a reward at the end of it…by the way, my chocolate covered almonds are waiting for me as soon as I finish this flash briefing. Till tomorrow have a wonderful day!

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2728 – How To Be Awesome

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Today is the International Day of Awesomeness! This day gives us the opportunity to celebrate every person, place, thing, or idea in the world that is awesome. I encourage all of the participants in my workshops to look for the awesome. As the official tag line points out, “No one’s perfect, but everyone can be awesome.”

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

So Here are today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating International Day Of Awesomeness:

Today is the day to both perform and celebrate feats of awesomeness.

Celebrate by posting about someone who epitomizes the ideals of awesomeness. It may be a family member, friend, or colleague who receive this special recognition.

Be curious. Start a conversation with someone that you have seen everyday, but have not talked to. You may be surprised by their story or by the things that you have in common.  It will brighten their day — and yours.

Build an awesome workplace, one smile at a time.

Explore the “What If”. What if we didn’t do blank anymore? What if we changed blank? What if we started blank? See where the answers take you. This simple exploration could improve your relationships or your workplace.

Wishing you an awesome day!

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2727 – Don’t Panic. Strategies To Release That Anxiety

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Help! It’s Panic Day.

This awareness day is not about panic attacks or panic disorder which is serious and affects 2-3% of the population. Today is the day to examine how we may over-react to the stress in our everyday lives and to find strategies that will keep us focused and healthy.

You know the over-reactions that we are talking about.  We even have sayings that go with them… such as don’t cry over spilled milk… Or don’t make mountains out of mole hills.

Anxiety and stress have their place in our life. They help us to avoid danger. They keep us thinking and being creative. And they keep us on our toes so that we don’t become complacent.

The point at which worry becomes unhealthy is when it stops pushing us to act and move forward.  This panic can be paralyzing and prevent us from thinking clearly enough to find the best strategies to deal with the source of our anxiety.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Panic Awareness Day:

Listen to the way that you describe the situations that you find yourself in.  Do you use extreme-type words?  Do you awfulize everything?  Choose the words carefully. 

Evaluate how you are feeling in relation to the situation.  Are you feeling helpless or hopeless? 

Notice what happens to your body when you feel this way.  Where does it hit you the most? 

Try different relaxation techniques to combat those anxious feeling.

Evaluate the situation to see what options you have.  Keep yourself moving forward in the problem-solving mode and the anxiety will be kept in check.

What is your release?  Sometimes we need a quick strategy to release the anxiety so that we can start to problem solve.  This may include a good scream, a run, or a round or two on the punching bag.

For more information on coping with mental health issues, sign up for one of my on-line courses at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2726 – It’s Time To Spring Ahead

In most of Canada, Daylight Saving Time begins at 2:00 a.m. local time on the second Sunday in March. Today!

I have a hard time with these adjustments. I love having it brighter in the evenings, but that adjustment to darkness early in the morning again makes it less likely that I am springing out of bed…for a while any way.

Daylight saving time isn't all bad.

In fact, when we move an hour ahead, we enjoy more daytime hours, which hopefully we are using to get outside, connect and just become more active after the sluggishness of winter. There are definite other benefits to the clocks shifting, including decreased oil and energy usage. Daylight Saving Time seems to decrease the risk for accidents in the evening hours. However, a Swedish study found that heart attacks were significantly more common the first three weekdays after our spring transition.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating the switch to Daylight Saving Time:

Though it’s only one day, daylight saving time can throw off your entire schedule, and the sleep effects tend to linger for a few days.

Therefore it is important to take note of the impact that the clock shifting has on your sleep, mood and focus. Ensure that you are getting a good night’s sleep before this occurs to minimize the impact of this shift.

More light can equal more time to do what you want or need to do, which equals a happier you. Make use of the extra daylight and enjoy the changing seasons.

If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In

#mentalhealth #hr

 

 

TIP 2725 – How To Be Heard

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Running a small business can be very stressful. One of the keys to success, is to be able to reach your customers. But it can be difficult to break through the noise, so that your customers know that you even exist.

It can be just as difficult to be heard at work by your boss, or even within your family.

Our minds are being constantly bombarded by messaging from other brands and social media, from colleagues and from friends and family.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

So Here are today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Be Heard Day:

Get to the point…you have 8 seconds! One website suggests that we are exposed to around 4,000 to 10,000 messages per day and less than 100 of those messages will be remembered. Human attentions spans are at an all-time low dropping from 12 seconds to less than 8 seconds. The key to cutting through the noise is through short messages.

Use visuals. We process visuals faster than text and we remember visuals more than text. Create a picture in the mind of your listener if you can’t use a visual.

Provide value first. People are most engrossed in their own self-interest, so play into that. Make it about them, their needs, goals, wants and desires. Relate it to their own history, situation, reputation and behavior.

As a small company, what do you do to make it easy to work with you? How do you assist your boss or colleagues before presenting issues or problems? Do they only hear negative comments or issues from you? In your family, do praise and recognize the positives or is all your communication negative?

Want to check out more health and wellness related celebrations, visit my wellness calendars under the resources and courses tab at worksmartlivesmart.com

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2724 – How To Start A Tech Detox

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We are missing out on living life, the more we have our noses buried in our phones or spend time chronicling our every move through Facebook and Instagram. Not to mention that constant connectivity negatively affects your sleep, takes a toll on your mental health and can lead to burnout. Ditching your devices gives your brain a much-needed rest.

Have you tried to disconnect, but FOMO took over? Could you go unplugged for 24 hours? Do you check your phone or social media out of boredom or procrastination?

Maybe it is time for a detox?

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Day Of Unplugging:

Unplugging allows us to connect with ourselves, our loved ones and our communities in real time. 

Take a walk out in nature today. Check out the parks, countryside or stroll along a beach, even if there is still snow on it.

Share a meal with friends or family.

Play together. Try a board game or use conversation starters like ‘would you rather’ to create some fun.

Write a gratitude list.

Meditate and fully relax. This can leave you feeling less stressed, and positively change your brain.

Immerse yourself in the moment. Take in the awesomeness of a sunset without Instagramming it.

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2723 – Why Telecommuting May Be The Answer

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It’s not a bird. Nor a plane…It’s the Telecommuter!

A survey of employees who telecommute three days a week experienced a

• 46% decrease in stress,
• 45% increase in job satisfaction, and
• 30% increase in job productivity.

 

In addition, telecommuting provides an opportunity to create a more harmonious balance between home and work commitments. Three-quarters of employees polled said the ability to work from home was their most desired family-friendly job perk.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Telecommuter Appreciation Week:

For some, telecommuting may be a viable option that allows for an increase in productivity and more sense of control over when tasks get accomplished.

If you think that this is for you, sit down with your work team and discuss how this may be implemented.  If telecommuting isn’t the answer, at least you have opened the door to looking for other alternatives to maintaining work and life balance.

Though I am not a true telecommuter, I am an entrepreneur with a home-based office.  I appreciate the flexible work arrangements that I have.  Some days, I work all day and into the evening.  On other days, I may find myself helping out a family member or pulling the weeds from my gardens.  This flexibility gives me the balance that I want and need.

Want to find more strategies to coping with stress?

Check out my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2722 – Hard Stuff? Start By Doing Something

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Everyone has problems that they need to deal with. Because problems can cause anxiety, many people will try to avoid, ignore or procrastinate when dealing with difficult issues in their lives. Ignoring them is useful sometimes. Unfortunately, with most problems, avoiding them just causes them to come back, and a small problem can become a big problem over time.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Do Something Day:

The most difficult step in problem solving is getting to the doing part. To help you carry out your solution, make an action plan. If you know how you are going to carry out your solution, you are more likely to follow through.

Don’t let your own voice derail you. Be aware of and challenge negative self-talk that can stop you from moving forward.

List all the obstacles. Great problem solvers take a high-level view of the issues and list of all the potential factors that could get in the way of implementing their solution so that they don’t get taken off task.

Want to find more strategies to coping with stress? Check out my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2721 – How To Flourish By Sending Out Happiness

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Yesterday was the day to encourage each other, to avoid selfishness, and do something to make other people happy.

I know that you can’t make someone happy, but you can remind them of their value and you can help change their focus, all of which can allow their happiness to flourish.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Building Resiliency and Celebrating I Want You To Be Happy Day:

Buy a friend a flower to brighten up their day.

Remind your kids how much you love them and how proud of them you are. 

Leave a sticky note for a co-worker letting them know something that you appreciate about them. Compliments make us feel valued, and they give us a positive boost to our thoughts and self-esteem.

Smile. Research has shown that a smile is constantly rated as the number one thing that makes other people feel emotionally better.

This day was created as a day encouraging us to do something to make others happy.  The benefit is that putting a smile on someone’s face tends to put one on ours, too. 

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency, take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2720 - If You See Something, Say Something

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Whether out in the field or occupying the leader’s chair, everyone has a stake in reporting incidents of suspected or actual wrongdoing. However, being a whistle-blower feels like a violation of that playground rule not to be a tattletale.

Creating a culture that encourages an individual to raise the red flag when something unethical or illegal is taking place is critical.

So how do you get past the feeling of not wanting to cause trouble for someone else?

It’s by understanding that the consequences of keeping silent can be significant and harmful.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Ethics Awareness Month:

Create a culture within your organization that encourages employees to report wrongdoing. Work with your teams to understand that the cost of silence is high. This silence may impact the safety of colleagues or damage the reputation and bottom-line of the organization.

According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, a survey of 195 global leaders located in 15 different countries reported that high ethical and moral standards were the most important leadership trait in the workplace.

Those whose word is their honor and who can be absolutely trusted to be fair, honest, and forthright, are more likely to command the respect of those around them.

High ethical and moral standards create a safe and trusting environment in the workplace where employees can thrive. When employees feel that they can depend on and trust their leader, they feel safe and will go the extra mile for the organization.

While leaders have an obligation to set the ethical tone of the organization, it is everyone's ethical behavior that matters.

Looking for resources to build your healthy workplace? Check out my top 10 tips under Resources and Courses at worksmartlivesmart.com

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2719 – Don’t Wait. Go Solo

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Have you ever wanted just to get away, but the timing didn’t work for your partner, children, or friends?

Why wait for the timing to be just right? Why not go solo?

Vacations are a great way to restore resiliency. They can be rejuvenating, and energizing.

And going solo is one of the best ways to learn about yourself.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
So here are Today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Plan A Solo Vacation Day:

There is no such thing as the perfect vacation. But planning, especially when going solo, is essential.

The first step is to pick and choose your location and activities wisely. Choose a location and activities that meet with your particular goals. Decide if your upcoming vacation will be focused on relaxation, celebration or adventure. Then chose activities that meet those needs.

Don’t be afraid to step outside your typical vacation comfort zone and say yes to new experiences.

If you find yourself craving company, find a group tour of the city or local area. Or strike up a conversation with the bartender or barista and you will be sure to find out some insider secrets to exploring your vacation area.

Going solo means that nobody is going to kick up a fuss about whatever plans you decide. It’s your trip, your way.

If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2718 – Why Connectedness Matters So Much

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Did you know that people with few ties to others had 2 to 5 times the death rate as those who had more ties?

Support and connectedness can be a powerful tool in preventing illness by acting as a buffer to the effects of stress. We benefit from the emotional support of a community during difficult times.

Connectedness is so important to our overall well-being that workplaces are also recognizing the value of support to the success of their organization.

It is unfortunate that the busier we become, the easier it is to let our existing friendships go by the way-side, let alone develop new connections.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating International Friendship Week:

Look up. Smile and say hello to those around you

Try to connect with your co-workers about things other than the task at hand

Participate in social programs

Call, text, or email those friends that you have lost touch with

Connectedness and group involvement have exceptional powers in decreasing our stress, if we venture to put ourselves ‘out there’.

Looking for resources to build your resiliency?
Check out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com

TIP 2717 – How To Stand Up To The Bully

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A friend confided that her co-worker was a bully, intimidating, and demeaning.

He used innuendos to put other people down. She spent most of her energy trying to stay out of his line of fire.

Dealing with harassment can be very difficult and unfortunately more than 1/3 of employees have experienced it or been impacted by it.

It can trigger a variety of stress-related illnesses, cause relationship difficulties, and upset productivity and engagement.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     

Here Are Today's Tips For Building Resiliency During Bullying Prevention Month Using The Steps Of The Proactive Personal Response:

Number one tell the offender.

Number two document everything.

And number three if it continues, let your supervisor or designated officer know.

Educating around sexual harassment and developing strong policies and procedures to deter It, are the most effective means of minimizing its occurrence and impact.

It's not easy to stand up to a harasser, but use the policies and supports that you have available to help you to stand up to the bully.

Looking for better ways to build your resiliency? Take my free online vulnerability test at WorkSmartLiveSmart.com, under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2716 – How To Grow The Seeds Of Greatness

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Our greatness is limited only by our imagination.

Your road to your greatness takes courage, energy, and persistence. It is about being hungry for more for yourself, but also enjoying what you have achieved along the way. If greatness is the ever-expanding concept of your potential, you must have an internal urge to become your best.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Building Resiliency and Celebrating Plant The Seeds Of Greatness Month:

Pay attention to what is happening around you. Take time each day to think about your life and the opportunities for growth.

Be willing to try new things, take different approaches, and experiment. Ask different questions that will create a different reality. Greatness involves failure. It involves taking calculated risks. It is about learning through the journey. You’ve got to believe that you can make the changes necessary in order to achieve greatness in your life.

The more we learn, the larger our capacity for growth becomes.

And finally, have a picture of the best version of yourself. What does greatness look like for you? How would you act towards your self? How would you act towards others? What would you have achieved? This picture my change as you grow, but striving in this direction will put you on the path to your greatness.

If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2715 – Appreciate The Silence To Boost Your Health

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“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be.”  Anne Frank

Studies show that even low-level chronic noise increases aggression and decreases cooperation and is associated with increased risk for peptic ulcers, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.

Today is the day to lower the noise level. Being quiet reduces your stress.

It allows the mind to focus and be more creative. It can boost your immune system.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Building Resiliency and Celebrating Quiet Day:

Breathe: Become aware of your breath and inhale and exhale slowly and deeply inhale for 5 minutes.

Try this meditation: Turn off the lights, light a small candle and watch the flame. This stills the optic nerve, and calms the nervous system.

At work, take advantage of a quiet room.  Many companies have developed quiet spaces where employees can take a moment or two during the working day to relax, have a break, meditate, pray or simply ‘take stock’ without the distractions and interruptions of office life.

Get out into nature:  Taking a walk along a park path or country road early in the morning or before bed can bring focus and serenity to one’s mind. 

Looking for resources to build your resiliency? Check out my Live Smart blog at worksmartlivesmart.com

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2714 – Positive And Successful People Expect Success. Do You?

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When you expect success, you become successful!

But it is not just a matter of thinking good thoughts and good things will happen.

Positive and successful people expect success and they look for ways to bring success into their life.

Research shows that high expectations lead people to work harder and commit to problem solving the challenges ahead of them. 

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Building Resiliency and Celebrating International Expect Success Month:

People who want to change their mental mindset:

1. Accept that life will have setbacks and disappointments and they don’t let the fear of failure cloud their judgment or allow them to aim too low
2. They build their resiliency by seeing the setback as only temporary.
3. They don’t quit trying just because there was a set back.
4. And finally, they wake up every morning and expect positive things to happen.

If you like today’s wellness tips, let me know. You can leave me a review on amazon or through your #alexa app.

Looking for more tips to build your resiliency? Look for my book on Amazon called Stress Out. 52 Weeks To Letting More Life In

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2713 – How Single Tasking Keeps You Productive

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Do You Find It Hard To Stay Focused?

Have you ever had your computer lock up when you have opened too many files or programs at once?

Sometimes when we try to multi-task, we may actually freeze up, lock up or quit performing at our peak. 

Researchers have studied human multi-tasking for the past 25 years or so and have found that the brain cannot fully focus when multi-tasking.  We take longer to complete tasks, and are predisposed to error. 

The pressure to get more and more done, and toggle between one task and another creates a great deal of stress and pressure on the mind and body. Developing the ability to focus completely on a single task can help in our energy management.  

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Building Resiliency and Celebrating Single Tasking Day:

Single-Tasking should be our main way of operating when needing to accomplish important tasks

Let go of the idea that the more we tackle at any given time, the more productive we are or will be

We have become like junkies in many ways, by needing a ‘fix’.  We check our emails, notices and webpages out of curiosity.  By setting time aside for these activities, we fill our curiosity, yet we are more likely to stay on task and complete that task more efficiently and effectively

 Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2712 – Making The Time To Nurture and Sustain Healthy Relationships

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There are so many different aspects to health.

We hear daily about eating right and exercising, but health also involves our relationships.  

February is Relationship Wellness Month and it reminds us that we need to reach out to others and build stronger social ties with family and friends.

One key to happy, healthy relationships is the opportunity to spend quality time with the people you care about. Relationship Wellness encourages us to develop better communications with those around us including the ability to share our feelings and needs.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
Building Resiliency and Celebrating During Relationship Wellness Month:

Relationships take time. Time to develop. Time to nurture. Time to sustain.

Spend time really listening to your family and friends.  Find out what is important to them.  What issues are they facing? Listening to someone else is one of the best things that we can do for them and it allows us to keep our own issues and challenges in perspective.

What is the one thing that you can do this month to pump up your relationships, on your road to a healthier you’?

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency? Take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr

TIP 2711 – How Not To Let Time Control You

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We never seem to be able to find ‘the time’.  Stop looking.  You will never find it.  It isn’t lost.  You are living in it.

So what kinds of things waste our time?

44.7% of the more than 10,000 people polled cited personal internet use as their #1 distraction at work.

Today’s Time Truth:

If we fail to control the events in our life, then the events in our life will control us. Planning is key to performance. Not planning wastes time and energy.

According to one survey the average worker admits to wasting away 2.09 hours per 8-hour workday, which is twice as much time as their employers expect.

Take One Action Today To Build Your #Resiliency!     
So Here are today’s Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Time Management Month:

Eliminate useless meetings. Insist on short, well-planned, morning stand-up meetings. They are the least likely to waste your time and interfere with your work.

Stop thinking that you can multi-task. Prioritize and then break up your day accordingly. Don’t move on to the next task until you’ve really completed the previous one. Not only will you do a better job when you’re focused, you’ll also force yourself to finish something within the time allotted.

Come up for air. Productivity declines after a certain period, so pump up your productivity with scheduled breaks.

Looking for more ways to build your resiliency, take my free on-line vulnerability test at worksmartlivesmart.com under the resources and courses tab.

#mentalhealth #hr