Work Smart Live Smart with Beverly Beuermann-King

EP 1206 – It’s Time To Clean Off Your Desk

How we organize ourself can either help or hinder us in the way that we deal with stress. Clutter can add more chaos. But, being too worried that everything is in its place can stop us from being productive and creative as well. Your personal organization should help you to move forward, give you a sense of control over your space and help to decrease the stress that you feel.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Clean Off Your Desk Day:

Try cleaning off your desk and see if you notice stress relief from being more organized and neater.

Purge periodically – it takes time but gives you more space and you may find that it can trigger your creative juices.

Use baskets to gather project materials together, unread magazines/journals/computer accessories etc

Ensure that you have enough desk area to work comfortably

Don’t touch junk mail more than once – do something with it or throw it in the recycle box

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

EP 1205 – Life Requires Change

Everyone hates change.

So many people I know believe that this statement is true.  However, the truth be known, people don’t really hate change, they may just dislike the process of changing. 

I know that people will only change when the behaviours that they have been using stops getting them the results that they want. 

With the start of the new year, many of us have taken the time to reflect on the past year’s events or our life.  We may have set some goals for the upcoming year based on these reflections.  When we set our goals for the future and aim to be more on purpose with who we want to be, we need to see and feel the past as uncomfortable and realize that life requires change.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Living On Purpose Month:

Know Your Why. To reach your goals, you need to identify the reason for the change in the first place.

Sometimes it helps to write this ‘why’ down and keep it available, because sometimes when we are in the midst of moving forward and the path becomes difficult, we may forget the reason for the change and give up on it, before we get through it.

Remember that change is not bad, and we don’t need to hate it. Whether the change you are making is a New Year’s Resolution or a life change to live more on purpose, always be kind to yourself.

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

 

 

EP 1204 – Are You Thankful

“What do you say?”  “Thank you”

As parents, we probably said this a lot, as we taught our children to be thankful for the gifts that they received or when others did nice things for them.

Are You Thankful?

I think as adults we sometimes forget to be thankful.  We often focus on the difficulties and on the things that are not going right and sometimes we lose sight of the things that are going well and the blessings that we have received.

A line of wisdom goes…You cannot welcome more abundance into your life until you have said thanks to the universe for all that you have. January is the month of new beginnings.  Let’s kick it off by being truly thankful. 

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Thank You Month:

Make a list of all that you are thankful for in your work and personal life.  Be specific.  True blessings are the things in your life that resonate importance and touch your core.

Know that when we are full of thanks, we radiate this to the people around us and we impact them in a positive way.

Hang out with people who are truly thankful.  It is contagious, and you will feel energized, and inspired.

Discover how to take small steps towards a healthier, happier, less-stressed you by visiting my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

EP 1203 – You Need To Get Over It

Do you hold a grudge?

January is the month of new resolutions.  It is also the month to Get Over It.  Whatever ‘It’ is. 

‘It’ can be very destructive emotionally and physically.  It is not to say that feeling hurt or angry is bad, but holding on to hurt and anger for a long time is.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Get Over It Month:

Weigh the risks.  Holding a grudge takes energy and has a negative impact on your health.  It can keep you awake at night. It can cause excessive dread and worry and negatively impact your digestion.  It can bring about Depression.  Weigh out the risks of hanging on to that grudge or negative emotion and see if it really is worth the energy.

Learn to accept what is.  You may not hear an apology.  The person may never admit their mistake but that shouldn’t be the goal in trying to get over something.

Often hearing someone say sorry doesn’t make us feel better.  Only you can change your perspective and focus, so start today and Get Over It.

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

EP 1202 - Fighting The Winter Blues

The alarm clock goes off, but you would rather roll over and continue sleeping. You get up, look in the mirror and you feel dumpy and grumpy. You go to the cupboard and instead of something healthy, you pull out one of those sugar cereals. You are not sure what is happening, but there are days when life is definitely more of a challenge.

Reportedly 65% of us notice a difference in our mood and energy in the fall and winter. These people may be fighting the winter blues. This decrease in mood and energy colours the way in which we handle the other areas of our life that compete for our energy and attention.

Research into the direct causes of the winter blues is ongoing. However, the more severe form, called Seasonal Affective Disorder, is thought to be related to seasonal variations in light which negatively impact the production of neurotransmitters and hormones that affect our sleep, mood and appetite.

The winter blues are usually characterized by varying degrees of sadness, anxiety and energy. Winter blues differ from SAD in that the symptoms do not last as long and do not interfere significantly with everyday living.

Tips For Building Resiliency Against Seasonal Affective Disorders:

Increase your exposure to light. Spend at least 20 minutes twice a day.

Arrange your indoor environment so that it receives more natural light.

Install full spectrum lights.

By increasing your exposure to light and monitoring your diet, sleep patterns and exercise levels you will be able to maintain your health, increase your energy and combat the winter blues.

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.

EP 1201 – Becoming a Fit Family

Are you and your family spending too much time as couch potatoes?

Although this is Family Fit Lifestyle Month, healthy habits should be a lifelong journey. I recently asked my sons what life lessons they have they learned from me (risky question but I wanted to know). I was proud to hear some of things that they said. Both of them said that one of the important lessons was around eating right and exercising often. They said that it has helped them to be good athletes and to feel good. (So all that harping around eating their lunch and working hard at practise has paid off after all). They saw me involved in fitness activities even when I was not naturally good at them. And they saw me having fun anyways.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Family Fit Lifestyle Month:

Reward participation in fitness activities. Be each other’s cheerleader.

Have fun. Fitness shouldn’t be boring or feel like drudgery. If it does that you haven’t found the right activities. Some of us prefer activities that we can do alone. Some of us need the watchful eye of a coach. Others prefer team settings. Fitness activities should be something that we look forward to.

This year, set a few goals for creating a healthier family.

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

EP 1200 – Someday We’ll Laugh About This

Humour can help you thrive in change, remain creative under pressure, work more effectively, play more enthusiastically, and stay healthier in the process.

Humour is an attitude focused on generating positive feelings in yourself and for others. It is an active state and a choice that we make.

One other advantage of maintaining a sense of humour and being able to freely laugh is that it provides us with a powerful sense of perspective and ability to build relationships with those around us.

Humour and creativity originate from a lively imagination and the ability to recognize and to appreciate the incongruities of life.

Tips For Building Your Resiliency and Celebrating Some Day We'll Laugh About This Week:

Our ability to look at the funny side of life can be developed with practice.

• Post a ‘Murphy’s Law of our Workplace’
• Develop a Humour First-Aid Kit and fill it with your favourite jokes, clippings, and stories
• Make up a humourous response to ‘How are you doing’’

Being able to laugh about our situation and ourselves helps us to release the tension, regain our perspective, accept that which we cannot change and experience joy.

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

EP 1199 - Everyone Needs More Sleep

I must have been sleeping. I missed the Festival of Sleep this morning. The celebration is an opportunity to sleep in, snooze, doze, nap, and catch 40 winks. However, I did doze off and I did go to bed early last night, so I guess that I unknowingly celebrated it anyway.

The Festival of Sleep reminds us that we all could use a little more sleep. Before the light bulb was invented, we use to get on average 10 hours of sleep. Now many of us are lucky to get 6.5 hours of sleep per night. Yet, we know that we need 7-9 hours per night just to stay healthy.

In fact, I think that we should celebrate the Festival of Sleep for two solid weeks – The week between Christmas and New Years and then the week after New Years. What a great way to end an old year and start a new year.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating The National Festival Of Sleep:

Obvious tip alert – Go to sleep.

Watch for those things that interfere or prevent you from getting a good night’s sleep. If you are like the majority (65%) of the population who do not get the right kind or length of sleep, you need to find the right strategies to get a good night sleep. Go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time. Keep your room cool. Block outside noises. Watch the kinds of foods that you eat prior to bedtime. Don’t exercise right before bed.

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

EP 1198 - Transform Your Thinking

The pressure is on! Too much to do. No time to think. Be productive. Do more. Uncertain economy. Climate change. Make the right decision. Make it now.

Your thoughts create your emotional and physical state. How you think and react at any given time determines the decisions or actions you take. Successful people realize that by transforming their thinking that they can master the essential skills for thriving in these turbulent times.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Transform Your Thinking Month:

Look at the decisions that you have made in the past. Have they been the best ones that you could have or should have made? If not, evaluate how you made those decisions and see if there is something that you need to work on.

Do you have enough tools in your strategy tool belt to deal with the issues and challenges you are facing? Using the S-O-S Principle can help ensure that you deal with issues, stay healthy and are supported during stressful times.

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.

EP 1197 - New Years Resolution Week

“This year, I am going to earn my CSP.” That is what I said several years ago at this time. And thankfully, I can say that after many hours of sweating it through, I received my Certified Speaking Professional designation in San Diego, California July 2007.

For many of us, New Year’s Resolution Week is a time to reflect on the changes that we want and need, and in doing so we compile a list of resolutions. Unfortunately if our resolutions happen not to work out as we had hoped, we tend to put off trying again until the following year.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating New Years Resolutions Week:

Visualize It

Many experts agree that the resolution itself is too often equated with the plan when it is only one part of the overall plan. One tip is to visualize the future.  Identify and visualize what feelings will come about by you achieving your goal. Replay this image regularly. The more details the better!

Everyday is a new challenge to live the way you intend to, according to your passions and purpose. Remember, it takes less effort to stay the same than it does to change. Most goals require stepping outside of your comfort zone and that is why many people give up.

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

EP 1196 - Interrupting Interruptions

On the last working day of the year, the office is quiet and you are prepared to take advantage of it to get caught up on your work.  The phone rings.  You sigh. Another stressful interruption.

According to Fast Company the average office worker is interrupted and taken off task every 11 minutes. Even worse, they say that it takes basically that much time to refocus on the task at hand.  Often, we end up compensating for interruptions by working faster and harder, which results in us experiencing more stress. We get frustrated, impatient, annoyed, angry, defeated.  The key to avoid interruptions at work is to find productive ways to minimize and deal with them and keep our emotions in check.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Dealing With No Interruptions Day:

Plan for interruptions.  Know the type of interruptions that you usually encounter and when they are most likely to occur. 

Limit the opportunities for people to distract you.  If you need time to concentrate on a particular task, block it off in your schedule and let colleagues know that you are not available until a certain time.  Turn off your phone and your email notifiers.  Shut the door.  Book a meeting room just for yourself.

Watch for your own personal interrupters.  A messy desk, hunger, thirst and curiosity all get in our own way of being as productive as we can.  Organize yourself prior to starting your focused time, not during it.

Discover how to take small steps towards a healthier, happier, less-stressed you by visiting my website at worksmartlivesmart.com

 

 

EP 1195 - A Year In Review

It is almost the last day of the year. This is the day that many news programs offer up a year in review. What happened that was newsworthy? Good, Bad and even the Ugly.

This is a good time of year to do the same for our own personal life.

What was great?
What successes did you achieve?
What challenges did you face?
What didn’t go the way you would have liked.
What lessons did you learn?

All of these questions can help you to put life in perspective and help you to recognize the skills that you have developed that have aided you along the way.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating the New Year ahead:

Reviewing Your Life Allows You to Know Where You Are. If you don’t want to live this upcoming year exactly the same as your last year, you need to take stock of all that has happened. It is only when you stop and reflect, that you are able to find out, if what you do, is getting you the results you want.

Ask yourself the question, What Am I Working Towards?
 If you are serious about living your ideal lifestyle, you must take stock of where you are and where you would like to be.

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

 

 

EP 1194 - Read For Relaxation

I loved reading. I would read between homework assignments, favourite TV shows, or on the bus. I loved to stay awake until the wee hours if the book was enticing enough. That was before children. It seems that for many of us, our daily reading habits center around tweets, Facebook updates, or the ingredients of our morning cereal’ We read on average 5 or less books a year.

I find it difficult to add reading to my long list of daily to-dos. For me, the holidays give me the opportunity to slow down a bit and pick up a good book.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Read A Book Month:

Obvious tip alert – pick a book that you have an interest in. But also pick a book that you have time to read as well. If the book requires your unbroken attention and you have small children running around you or you plan on reading during your lunch hour, this may not be the book for you.

If you like to read, indulge yourself during the down times within your day or during your holidays. Reading can be a great way to regulate the rhythm of your day.

And finally, don’t let reading negatively impact your sleep. Poor sleep habits such as reading late at night or in bed can leave you sleep deprived, foggy-headed and often grumpy.

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

EP 1193 - Are You A Chocoholic?

I am a chocoholic. I love milk chocolate. Creamy. Rich. Sweet. Delicious. It picks me up when I am down.

Is this wrong?
 Not terribly. We all have comfort foods and mine is chocolate. I don’t eat it everyday. My addiction is quite mild most of the time. But there are days when I just have to give in. I have scavenged the cupboards looking for any type of chocolaty morsel. And when I do indulge, I try to do so with very little guilt, (which isn’t always possible).

It’s About Moderation

Contrary to popular belief, chocolate isn’t its own food group, but treats are not all bad. Moderation is the key. Eating healthy around the treats is also well advised.

But I do like my chocolate and I am always glad that my Christmas stocking, is lovingly filled with….Chocolate. My boys use to wondered why Santa only brought mommy chocolate…I told them, it was because daddy wanted mommy to be happy so he wrote it in his letter to Santa to bring me a stocking full of chocolate. And Santa hasn’t let me down yet.

So hats off to the Mayans and the Aztecs for creating the first chocolaty drink.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Chocolate Day:

I don’t have any, other than to indulge responsibly

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

EP 1192 - It’s About Time

Are you overworked, over-scheduled and just plain stressed out?

There is a quote that says, “Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you don’t let other people spend it for you.”

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating It’s About Time Week:

Schedule downtime. At least once during the day, you should allow yourself the luxury of having a period of time to decompress. The simplest and easiest strategy to use is deep breathing. It can be done by anyone, anywhere and in any circumstance.

Create off-work zones. Determine what times during the day are off-limits for working, including no e-mail, or text messages. By defining these zones such as at meal-time, bed-time and days off, we are creating the space for rejuvenation and connection.

Learn to say no. Say no to things that are outside of your priority. Say no to working late, especially if it is self-imposed. Say no to extra activities if you are feeling stretched to thin. Saying no now, does not mean that it will be a no forever.

When you feel like it is a priority and you have the time to dedicate to the activity without compromising yourself, then it is okay to say yes.

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

EP 1191 - Whiny Whiner

We can be a nation of entitled whiners.  “It’s too cold.”  “I am the only one around here who does anything.”  “Blah, blah, blah” or should I say “whine, whine, whine.”

Hunger, tiredness, boredom and feeling unwell are factors that can precipitate whining sessions at work, but some colleagues have learned from a very early age that whining gets them the attention that they are seeking.  Whining has become second nature and their predominant way of communicating.  Their behaviour is draining on relationships and it can poison a workplace.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating National Whiner’s Day:

If you catch yourself whining:

Try moving from an attitude of entitlement to one of gratitude.  It is hard to be whining when focused on the positive and being thankful.

Focus on problem solving.  It is okay to vent, but that venting must be followed by problem solving otherwise it is whining for whining’s sake.

If you are going to confront a whiner:

Understand that they are looking for attention, but give them attention for solving the issue, not for whining about the issue.

Finally, minimize the amount of time that you spend with the whiner.  They will zap your energy if you aren’t careful.

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

EP 1190 - Christmas Day

It is Christmas Day for those of us who celebrate this time of year.

As we go into the holidays, I wanted to share this little blessing with you.

To you I wish all the blessings of Christmas.

May you experience the warmth of home,

The cheer and good will of friends,

And the hope of a child-like heart.

May love work its magic into your life,

And may you touch every life you meet.

May you provide compassion to those in need,

And have the courage to stand up for yourself.

May the stars light your way.

May you have unmatchable success in life and the ability to handle it with grace.

Have a blessed Christmas.

EP 1189 - Christmas Eve

It is Christmas Eve for those of us who celebrate this time of year.

As we go into the holidays, I wanted to share this little blessing with you.

To you I wish all the blessings of Christmas.

May you experience the warmth of home,

The cheer and good will of friends,

And the hope of a child-like heart.

May love work its magic into your life,

And may you touch every life you meet.

May you provide compassion to those in need,

And have the courage to stand up for yourself.

May the stars light your way.

May you have unmatchable success in life and the ability to handle it with grace.

Have a blessed Christmas.

EP 1188 - Recognition That Boosts Their Health And Yours

Thank you! Good work, as always. Thanks for getting this done. You are a lifesaver.

Thanks for your help today.

One step to emotional wellness is being able to learn to give to others. Recognize and tell someone that they are doing a good job. Research says that you will be boosting their health and yours.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Tell Someone They Are Doing A Good Job Week:

Don’t forget that your people want to do well. Before getting frustrated with someone remind yourself of that, and then decide how to provide constructive feedback.

When someone does something well, tell them that you notice. As a leader it is easy to forget to mention it. Most leaders wait until something goes wrong before they even think about giving employee feedback. And then it’s only negative. Block out some time during the week to reflect on positive contributions your team has made over the week

However, don’t overdo it. If you are sending people emails everyday then your positive feedback becomes diluted and meaningless.

Finally, don’t use phrases like "great job" or "nice work" as these are so vague as to be virtually useless. Use the opportunity to teach which of their terrific behaviors you would like to see repeated in the future.

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

EP 1187 - The Sound Of Silence

What would a day of complete silence be like?

Would you love it or hate it? Would you be lonely?

Some people dislike being silent as they equate it with being alone. Would you know how to cope with silence for a day?

We live in a very loud world where TV, music, and smartphones fill the void with white noise. Many of us, never take the opportunity to sit and enjoy silence.

Tips For Building Resiliency and Celebrating Be A Lover Of Silence Day:

Silence and solitude give us the space to think, act, and play "catch up" with our mind, and can be very healthy for our physical and mental wellbeing. By keeping external silence we are allowing our internal thoughts to be heard.

Shut it off. Noise has a negative impact on the brain, which can lead to elevated levels of stress hormones. Researchers found that silence can release tension in the brain and body in just two minutes. It was even more relaxing than listening to "relaxing" music.

Finally, if you can’t keep silent for an entire day, start off small. Engage in deep breathing exercises or meditation. This helps calm your mind and quiet it at the same time.

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.