The Most Important Thing to Do Today

Is Not Necessarily What Your Boss Wants You to Do

Setting priorities in today’s world can be challenging. All of us have so many demands on us and managing multiple priorities can be like juggling with boxing gloves on- something’s sure to fall. Practicing resilience as a leader is critical in today’s high pressure business environment.

The place to start is with meaning. What is most important to you in your life? Is it taking care of your family? Making more money? Prestige? Being the top of your field? Showing your wife or husband that you love them? Getting a new promotion? Being there for your kids since your parents were not there for you? What drives you?

If it is taking care of your family, then it may well mean doing what your boss wants you to get done first and foremost, so long as you can leave work on time to get to your son’s baseball game. If you want to be the top in your field, you are going to have to work harder than others, study more, advance yourself and spend a good deal of time away from home. Is that Ok with you?

We recently took time off from work to visit my brother and his family for my nephew’s high school graduation. It was a lot of driving (16 hours) but it was worth it. That’s him with me in the photo. It was meaningful for me to be there.

The critical element here is you and your joy and purpose. Know what gives you meaning. Know what drives you. And then prioritize your day to fulfill that meaning. Otherwise, you will burn out and not be good to anyone.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Could Stress Actually Be Good?

New Research May Change How You Think About Stress

Most of us know that stress is bad for us. It’s epidemic, costing business and industry in the US $300 Billion annually. 80% of all doctors’ visits are stress-related.

And yet new research has come out that says stress may actually be good for you– in a few specific ways.

Dr Kelly McGonigal of Stamford says that new research which studied 30,000 Americans over 8 years shows much of how you reach to stress has to do with how you view stress. If you view stress as negative and bad for you, you are more likely to get sick. But if you view stress as something that strengthens you, energizes your body and makes you feel more alive, you will react better to stress.

A University of Wisconsin-Madison study found that people who experienced high levels of stress but didn’t think it was harmful thrived. Apparently, your perception of stress makes a huge difference in its impact on your body.

Another positive result of stress is it makes you more social, according to a 2012 study at the University of Freiburg. When you are stressed, you naturally reach out to others.

What does all this mean for you?

Start viewing stress as something that makes you stronger and more resilient. When you are stressed, look at the upside. What did you learn from it, what can you do differently? Your perception can make a huge impact on how stress affects you.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Recharge Your Brain with Down Time

“We need quiet time to examine our lives openly and honestly -spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to renew itself and create order.” Susan Taylor

Access Your Creativity Through Quiet Time

Most busy professionals have very little time for themselves. Deadlines, quotas, meetings, family, life obligations all take a toll on our personal time. Your brain never turns off. You probably have “cerebral congestion.” Creating intentional downtime to restore clarity, creativity, and energy is essential to leadership resilience under sustained pressure.

Recent study by LexisNexis of 1,700 white collar workers in the U.S., China, South Africa, the U.K. and Australia showed employees spend more than half their workdays receiving and managing data rather than using it to do their jobs; 50% confessed that they were reaching a breaking point.
Most of our best ideas come from quiet time. Many great concepts that later became life-improving products originated in the shower. Several companies encourage employees to take one day a week to work on whatever project they want- whether it’s part of their job description or not. Some of these companies’ best innovations resulted. But if there’s no time, no quiet space, no daydreaming, there’s very little room for innovation.

How Can You Get More Quiet Time?

• cut down on meetings and shorten them. Ask- could this be accomplished in an email or memo? Make a guideline that all meetings get done in 15 minutes or less. Tell people in advance to laser their thoughts.

• exercise nearly every day-and instead of watching TV, talking on the phone or reading emails while you’re doing it, just be quiet. Play soothing environmental music. Or get outside. Let your brain wander while you are in nature.

• sleep at least 7 hours a night. Sleep is critical to your overall health, well-being and memory. In true restful sleep, your brain synthesizes through various levels of consciousness and replenishes itself. The quiet of sleep is absolutely necessary for sanity, not to mention performance and achievement.

• meditate. Even if it is only for 10 minutes a day, taking the time to be quiet and go inside, listen, and breathe deeply can give the brain a vital rest.

• take your vacation time. In 2013, most Americans left 4 vacation days on the table. No laptops or emails or phone calls on vacation. Be truly off the grid and come back refreshed and revitalized.

• get outside in nature. The new field of ecopsychology demonstrates that spending time in nature relaxes the brain, restores the body and spirit.

Your brain has great wisdom and gifts to share with you. It can only do so when it truly has a chance to recharge. Give it that time.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Feeling Overwhelmed?
Discipline and Letting Go

http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-images-business-woman-cubicle-overworked-stressed-image5934154

Why Discipline and Letting Go Must Work Together

Guest contribution by stress reduction expert Melissa Heisler.

You are not alone. Many professionals are experiencing sustained overload. Opportunities increase. Deadlines accelerate. Responsibilities expand. The pace can feel relentless.

When overwhelm rises, two seemingly opposite strategies become essential: discipline and letting go.

The Power of Discipline

When circumstances feel chaotic, structure restores clarity.

This is the time for routines, checklists, scheduling, and focused execution. It is the time to reduce distractions and recommit to what truly matters. Discipline creates stability when external conditions feel unstable.

Strong daily systems prevent reactive decision-making and reduce cognitive fatigue.

The Power of Letting Go

Discipline alone is not enough. Overwhelm often intensifies because of internal pressure.

Let go of the belief that you must do everything alone. Let go of emotional overinvestment in outcomes. Let go of the idea that rest must wait until everything is finished.

Letting go reduces unnecessary stress and restores perspective.

Self-Care Is Not Optional

When workloads increase, self-care is often the first sacrifice. Skipping meals, reducing sleep, abandoning exercise, and neglecting quiet time may create temporary productivity. But it is not sustainable.

Physical health supports cognitive clarity. Mental clarity improves decision quality. Sustainable leadership depends on both.

If overwhelm is becoming chronic, explore practical ways to prevent burnout before it escalates. You may also benefit from strengthening your daily systems through the Leadership Resilience System and practical stress management strategies.

When you feel overwhelmed, restore discipline. Clarify your true priorities. Protect your self-care practices. Then let go of everything beyond your control.

You can only accomplish so much. Trust that what truly matters will be completed in its time.

And do not forget to breathe.

It’s Not about YOU!

Other People’s Behavior is ALWAYS about Them!

I recently had lunch with two great women who have achieved substantial success in life and business. However, like so many people, they were taking way too much responsibility for others. As I speak around the country about burn-out, I see this trend over and over.

You are NOT responsible for the actions of others. If someone comes into work in a bad mood, it’s not your fault. Nor do you have to fix it. Women in particular are great “fixers.” Stop. Focus your energy and attention on being the best you can be, and let go of worrying about the behavior of others. You can’t control them anyway, and you certainly cannot change them. Let every individual make their own choices.

How to Stay Clear of Over-Responsibility

• Don’t Take it Personally If someone is rude, short-tempered or curt with you, recognize it’s about them. They may have been in a fight or lost a loved one or been cut off in traffic. It’s not about YOU.

• Take a Good Look at Your Schedule How much of it is taking on others’ tasks and responsibilities? Have you over-committed? Are you doing the work others should be doing? Stop, renegotiate those commitments, and don’t take on anything that isn’t yours.

• Lighten Up Life is so hard if you continually worry about others’ opinions and problems. Yes, it is appropriate to give back to the community and do service work. But not at the expense of your health and well-being. Focus first on your life, your needs and your issues, and allow yourself to relax and have joy, freedom and peace of mind.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Having a Pet Could Save Your Life

Pets Heal on So Many Levels

“Cathy, Eric and their son Michael Keesling had retired early after handling a flooded basement and setting up a gasoline pump to empty it. Their beloved mellow cat, Winnie, sat in the window enjoying the sounds of the evening. All of sudden, Michael passed out in the hallway. Cathy and Eric soon lost consciousness as well, because of a gas leak. The normally gentle Winnie sprang on Cathy, pulled her hair and yowled in her ear to wake her up. Cathy kept blacking out, but Winnie insisted. Finally, Cathy called 911 and the family was rescued. If Winnie had waited 5 more minutes, they would all be dead!”

Pets are amazing healing agents and powerful lifesavers. Trained dogs today can detect bladder cancer by sniffing urine and fire dogs can identify arsonists by smelling gasoline on their hands. Service pets save the lives of their owners every day. They are also great stress relievers.

One study cited on WebMD found that 48 stockbrokers who adopted a pet had lower blood pressure readings under stress than non-pet owners. Another study found that those suffering from serious diseases, such AIDS or cancer, are far less likely to be depressed if they have a strong tie to a pet.

According to the the University of Minnesota’s Stroke Research Center, simply owning a cat can cut the risk of heart attack. After studying subjects for 10 years, those who owned a cat were 40% less likely to die from heart attacks.

Pet ownership:

• lowers blood pressure
• prevents depression
• reduces incidence of stroke
• helps improve physical activity
• helps people be more social
• reduces loneliness.

So if you are battling stress like 80% of Americans, consider adopting a pet at a shelter. It could save two lives- yours and theirs.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Women are More Stressed Than Men

According to American Psychological Association’s Work and Well-Being Survey,women are more stressed than ever.

• 37% of women feel stressed at work, versus 33% of men.
• Only 48% of women feel work is an equal playing field for both genders, while 54% of men do.
• Only 43% of women feel they are paid enough, compared to 48% of men.
• Only 35% of women feel they have the chance to move up, versus 43% of men.
•To manage their stress, 34% of women say they have enough resources to do so versus 38% of men.
Women are under greater pressure in part because they are responsible for an increased share of their households’ earnings and because they are still trying to juggle more of the home workload.

How to Reduce Your Stress:

• Get at least 7 hours of sleep a night. Any less and the World Health Organization labels it a carcinogen. You carry an extra 20 pounds of weight and are 3 times more likely to catch a cold or flu.

• Drink water- lots of it. 80% of North Americans are dehydrated, and that leads to overeating, high blood pressure, and sleep disturbance.

• Exercise in a fun way, preferably with a buddy- at least 4 times a week. All it takes is 15 minutes. Exercise is good for you on so many levels, especially as a stress reliever.

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

70% of American Workers are Disengaged at Work

Which Means They Are Not Happy and Not Productive- What Can You Do?

One of the most important areas to focus on when dealing with disengaged employees is really very simple: Tie their work to your purpose.

Connecting daily work to a clear sense of purpose strengthens engagement and motivation, both of which are critical to leadership resilience and sustaining team performance over time.

Research on happiness shows people are most joyful and effective when they believe that what they do makes a difference. Show them how the end results of their work benefit others. What is the purpose of your business or corporation? How does it make the world a better place? How do they contribute to that?

Give very specific and clear examples of how their work directly impacts the lives of others. Let them know that every effort, no matter how small, results in this impact. Give them a reason to come to work every morning and to share their enthusiasm.

Consider how to tie work to purpose:

• posting photos in the employee lounge of those who benefit from the work

• posting stories in employee Intranet about how the company makes a difference

• sharing testimonials from customers/ clients/ recipients of the work

Source: 2013 Gallup poll

To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, please go to: http://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html

Kindly share this post if you liked it.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Is Your Job Worth Your Life?

When Work Stress Becomes a Health Risk

Chronic work stress is not just exhausting. Over time, it becomes physiological. When pressure remains constant and recovery never happens, cortisol stays elevated, sleep erodes, decision-making declines, and immune resilience weakens.

Burnout is not a character flaw. It is a biological response to sustained overload.

If you are seriously asking whether your job is harming your health, that question deserves careful attention. Leaders often ignore early warning signs until performance, relationships, or health force a reckoning.

Unchecked stress does not plateau. It compounds.

What to Do When Stress Has Crossed the Line

Interrupt the pattern immediately.
If possible, take structured time away. Even a short reset allows the nervous system to calm enough to restore perspective.

Clarify what you actually need.
Many professionals discover that title, compensation, or expectations are misaligned with their wellbeing. Define your non-negotiables for sustainable leadership.

Rebuild clarity before making major decisions.
Extreme stress creates urgency. Clarity creates strategy. Stabilize first. Then evaluate options from a grounded position.

Leaders who develop structured recovery habits early are far less likely to reach crisis levels of burnout. Sustainable performance is built intentionally, not reactively.

If work stress is becoming unsustainable, explore practical leadership strategies to prevent burnout before it escalates at Prevent Burnout.

Learn more about building long-term resilience through the Leadership Resilience System and practical stress management strategies.

Choosing your health is not weakness. It is disciplined leadership.

The Absolute Best Stress Reliever

The #1 Stress Reliever: Fun Exercise

We all know exercise is important, and truly all the research points to exercise as the best panacea for relieving stress, extending life, removing toxins from your body and preventing serious diseases like obesity and diabetes. The key to sticking with exercise is to make it FUN and find a way to squeeze it into your day.

For my husband and me, the big three are salsa dancing, bicycling, andyoga. And when we don’t have time for anything else, walking for 15 minutes will do.

How to Fit Exercise Into Your Busy Day

I recently started a short-term consulting project that takes most of my day, and it means my healthy habits have been pushed aside for meetings, etc. I’ve been trying to incorporate more exercise into these busy days and here’s what I have learned so far:

– take the stairs whenever possible

– park far away from the entrance to increase your walking

– get up every hour from sitting (sitting too long is sooooo bad for you)

– go to bed earlier and do an exercise video before work; often it is 20 min of yoga

– take a long walk at lunch time

– find an exercise class at lunch or early morning.

(And if I plan ahead and take a healthy lunch to work, I am less likely to eat the wrong things.)

What do you do to sneak exercise into your life? Love to hear from you – please share any suggestions you may have. Email them to me at orders@firedupnow.com and with your permission, I will share them in future posts.

To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, go to: http://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html