GET OUT THOSE LEGOSWritten by Dr. Dorene Lehavi
Many of my clients are working harder than smarter. This is not a put-down of their intelligence. It is a statement about conventions of way most of us live and work. Without a concerted effort to step back and take an objective look at how we function day in and day out, we find ourselves subject to old ways of doing things without periodic checkups to see if they are working. The first step to changing high stress road to burnout approach to your work day is to build in “joy breaks” or mini refreshers. It is not true that you get more done if you don't stop for lunch or other refreshing breaks during day. On contrary, I always remember days I sat at my desk searching for a solution to a particular problem. I tried very hard to come up with answer and was not successful. In afternoon of second day, I threw my hands in air, exasperated, and went out to pull a few weeds from my garden. That's when light bulb went off and I had answer. In order to have meaningful joy breaks a plan is necessary. Start by making a list of things you consider fun and refreshing that can be done in 5 or 10 minutes, a half hour, an hour or more. Then list supplies you will need to have on hand when you want to do that activity: magazines, puzzles, a musical instrument, books, CD's, running shoes, Legos, phone numbers of friends or family, gardening gloves, crayons, paints, jelly beans, yoga instructions, a basketball, a movie schedule, etc. Make sure that your breaks have NOTHING to do with your work.
| | Wishing and HopingWritten by Nan S. Russell
Years after Disneyland was built, after completion of Walt Disney World, story goes that someone went up to Mike Vance, Creative Director for Walt Disney Studios and said, "Isn’t it too bad Walt Disney didn’t live to see this?" Without pausing, he replied, "But he did see it, that’s why it’s here."If any outside figure influenced my life early on, it was Walt Disney. Maybe because when I was five, my favorite uncle took me to a wondrous new place called Disneyland. Maybe because I grew up in Southern California, visiting it every year or two, watching a man’s vision come to life and grow. Or maybe because I learned that "when you wish upon a star, it makes no difference who you are." Growing up on Wonderful World of Disney, I learned how to dream. But as I got older I realized it wasn’t just dreaming and wishing that made dreams possible. It was doing. Like a Dusty Springfield song counsels, "Wishin' and hopin' -- And thinkin' and prayin' -- Plannin' and dreamin' -- Each night of his charms -- That won't get you into his arms." In my experience wishing and hoping are poor strategies for making dreams come true, yet that’s how many people approach work, often surprised at their results. They wish they could make more money. They hope they’ll get promoted or offered a more interesting job. They wish someone will notice how hard they work. They hope work environment improves, their boss comes to her senses, problem goes away or someone else solves it.
|
