Evidence-based leadership resilience, executive presence, burnout prevention, and stress management for leaders under pressure. Keynotes, coaching, and practical systems by Snowden McFall.
Management Tip: Catch People in Act of Doing it Right
At a recent networking function, I hugged a business associate and praised her for her recent accomplishments. She said “I wish they treated me this way at work.”
How sad that so many workplaces don’t emphasize praise, but rather just numbers and performance. Your employees will run through walls with a little praise and your resilient leadership skills in the face of adversity. While sales are more important than ever, the people making the sales are often overlooked.
To motivate your people, you MUST praise them, find out what is important to them and reward them. A handwritten card can go a long way. Catch people in the act of doing something rightand specifically praise them for a job well done. Go on an active search for success in your people.
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Stress Tip: What You Eat Matters – Eat Local, Fresh, Whole
Welcoa leader David Hunnicutt says one of the keys to better health is to eat local, as much as possible. That means fresh food from your own garden, local farmers’ markets and your grocery store. The more you dine out, the less control you have over pesticides, etc. Eat whole foods, not processed foods, as they have very little nutritional value. Up your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables to 5-8 servings daily.
We’ve all heard this, but here’s why it’s true: they are chock full of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Vitamin C has been shown to lower blood pressure and help cortisol levels return to normal. Mix it up – try to eat several different colored fruit and veggies a day! Blackberries have more than double the amounts of vitamin C, calcium and magnesium than blueberries. Both boost your memory and are great for you! Choose organic ones to prevent pesticide ingestion.
Note: My husband and I started an organic container garden years ago. We grow fresh lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and more. There is nothing like the flavor of fresh picked vegetables! And if you’re too busy, try picking up local produce at a farm stand, farmer’s market or farm co-op. The fresher and the more local the food, the better and healthier for you.
To sign up for Snowden’s ezine newsletter on stress, happiness, marketing and motivation, go to: http://firedupnow.com/firedupemailregister.html
At the end of each day, record 10 small successes you’ve had that day. Anything you intended to do and did is a success. Catch yourself in the act of doing things right and see how much happier and more fulfilled you are.
My birthday is in July and it was a joy to celebrate twice, once with women friends at lunch and then at a party my husband threw for me. Celebrating life’s little moments of success and joy is so important to our stress levels, happiness and overall performance at work. It’s rare that the huge successes happen; what matters is to acknowledge all the small achievements you have every day.
I love this quote from Norman Lear:
“Success is how you collect your minutes. You spend millions of minutes to reach one triumph, one moment, then you spend maybe a thousand minutes enjoying it. If you are unhappy through those millions of minutes, what good are the thousands of minutes of triumph? It doesn’t equate. Life is made up of small pleasures, Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. If you don’t have all those zillions of tiny successes, the big ones don’t mean anything.” Norman Lear
Here’s a tip: at the end of each day, record 10 small successes you’ve had that day. Anything you intended to do and did is a success. Catch yourself in the act of doing things right and see how much happier and more fulfilled you are.
One of the most effective burnout prevention strategies is also one of the hardest skills to practice: saying no.
Many people who appear calm, effective, and resilient are not managing more than everyone else. They are managing their boundaries better.
Why Saying No Protects Your Energy
If you have a demanding professional life and want to sustain performance without sacrificing your health or family life, limits matter. Evenings filled with constant commitments quickly erode recovery time. More than two nights a week of work or community obligations often begins to tax both energy and relationships.
When pressure is already high, adding new responsibilities compounds exhaustion. Saying no is not avoidance. It is discernment.
How to Say No Without Burning Bridges
An especially effective way to decline additional leadership or board work is to be clear and respectful:
“I only want to give you 100% effort, and right now I can’t do that with all my current commitments. Please ask me again next year so I can re-evaluate.”
Most people appreciate honesty. They would rather have you at your best than overextended and disengaged.
Learning when and how to say no is one of the most reliable ways to prevent burnout before it takes hold. Explore additional strategies leaders use to protect energy and performance at Prevent Burnout.
Water and Food Make a Big Impact Many people are working longer hours and doing the work of several people. Hunched over a computer or isolated in a cubicle, these folks’ very work environment is not conducive to health. So change that. At least 3 times a day, get up, stretch, go for a walk outside, and drink a full glass of water. A 5% drop in body fluids will cause a 25-30% loss in energy. 80% of NorthAmericans are dehydrated!
Add lemon since the scent of lemon cuts keyboard mistakes in half. And eat some pistachios or walnuts to cut inflammation, boost your energy and prevent depression.
Pay Attention to What Brings You Joy!
Harvard research shows the direct correlation between happiness and success; it’s the opposite of what many thought. Be happy first and then you will have greater success in all areas of your life. Happy, optimistic, motivated employees sell 56% more, and are far more productive in all areas of life.So focus on what brings you joy, and do that more often to cope better with stress and have a happier life.
Have you ever watched a young child have a really spirited temper tantrum – where they jump up and down, stomp their feet, make fists and holler? And then ten minutes later, they’re just fine. They let go of the frustration, move on and get back to being happy. Wouldn’t it be nice if we adults could deal with our anger that quickly?
Have you ever watched a young child have a really spirited temper tantrum – where they jump up and down, stomp their feet, make fists and holler? And then ten minutes later, they’re just fine. They let go of the frustration, move on and get back to being happy. Wouldn’t it be nice if we adults could deal with our anger that quickly?
Your body reacts when you are angry, from tense muscles to increased hart rate to accelerated breathing, soaring blood pressure, drops in blood sugar and more. It takes a long time for your body to return to its natural resting state. Prolonged stress and anger can lead to : heart attacks and stroke, memory impairment, stomachaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and even vision problems.
Tips for Handling Anger
1. Count to 10. Try it. Just take time to simmer down and think about the consequences of losing your temper or reacting badly.
2. If you want to hit something, hit a punching bag at a gym or pound pillows.
3. Breathe deeply at least 5 times. Put your hands on your abdomen, fill it up all the way and let it out…slowly. Do this several times to regain control and calm your system.
4. Take a time out. Those of you with young children in your life know how effective this can be. When you are really upset or angry, remove yourself from the situation.
5. Get moving. The Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports reported that runners were 70 percent less likely to experience high stress and life dissatisfaction. So go work out somehow and let off your steam.
6. Forgive yourself and others.This is one of the most dramatic and liberating ways to release anger. Liberate yourself from the energy it takes to hold negative resentments or hurt feelings against someone. You don’t forgive for the benefit of the other person, you forgive for yourself.
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According to a late 2008 report in Forbes, if you get less than 7 hours of sleep at night, you are at a “cognitive disadvantage;” your brain does not function properly. People who get less than 7 hours of sleep are three times more susceptible to colds and lack of sleep is a major cause of obesity and diabetes.
The biggest contributor to stress is lack of sleep.
According to a late 2008 report in Forbes, if you get less than 7 hours of sleep at night, you are at a “cognitive disadvantage;” your brain does not function properly. People who get less than 7 hours of sleep are three times more susceptible to colds and lack of sleep is a major cause of obesity and diabetes. Those who sleep between 7 and 8.9 hours a night on average have healthy weights; those with less do not. Typically, this is an extra 20 pounds of weight. Entrepreneurs are also very stressed. 13% of those polled by Fortune Small Business reported having trouble getting to sleep every night. So how do we handle it? What do we give up? All too often, we sacrifice precious sleep, which has become increasingly dangerous
So go to bed earlier, do NOT check email & social media before bed, do not take your cellphone to bed prepare yourself to sleep in a quiet, dark room. You’ll be more effective in everything you do.
A 2006 Journal of Advanced Nursing study showed that listening to music one hour a day for a week reduced symptoms of depression by 25%. Music, especially classical music, can also serve as a powerful stress-relief tool. Listening to Pachelbel’s famous Canon in D major while preparing a public speech helps avoid anxiety and lowers heart rate and blood pressure, which usually accompany public speaking. Music therapy can also elevate mood, improve immune system function, reduce fatigue and improve self-acceptance in people. Music therapy has been shown to have beneficial health effects on cancer patients, multiple sclerosis patients, and surgical patients.
I use different CD’s in the car. When I need to get Fired Up!, I have energizing, upbeat music that empowers me. When I need to relax, I listen to soft jazz and soothing instrumentals. Try this yourself, especially if you spend hours in the car each day. Make custom playlists on your MP3 player.
Believe it or not , there are several foods which can help you manage your stress , cut your cortisol levels and even handle depression.
• Eat walnuts to treat depression. Harvard Science Review published a study by McClean Behavioral Genetics Laboratory citing that walnuts are powerful antidepressants! If you don’t like walnuts, try molasses or sugar beets instead. They have the same benefits. Always consult your doctor first. 1
• Honey is very good for you, since it is a natural antibacterial agent. Many countries use it medicinally to treat burns and wounds, and in the United States, it has been proven to be effective in treating stress, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis. Recent reports of honey coupled with cinnamon every day show an improvement in blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 2
• Eat 5-8 servings a day of fruits and vegetables, especially brightly colored ones. They’re full of antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Vitamin C has been shown to lower blood pressure and help produce collagen, which keeps skin firm. Blackberries have more than double the amounts of vitamin C, calcium and magnesium than blueberries. Both boost your memory and are great for you! Choose organic ones to prevent pesticide ingestion.
• Eat pistachio nuts to cut inflammation, lower cholesterol levels, and improve your body’s response to stress. Just 1.5 ounces of pistachios provides a boost of energy and can slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the body when eaten together. One reason pistachios are so good for you is that they have large amounts of potassium.
•Have a cup of tea, especially green or white tea, several times a day. Drinking tea reduces stress and cortisol levels. Japanese women who drink lots of green tea live longer.3 Tea improves your concentration and prevents bone loss. A University of London study states one cup of tea can significantly reduce anxiety levels after suffering an upset.4
Whatever you eat this holiday season, be mindful. Instead of those Christmas cookies, have an apple instead. Watch empty carb intake, and instead eat whole grains, which boost seratonin levels “the feel good chemical”. And when you are really craving sweets, work out instead.
1. “Eat your way happy and healthy,” Woman’s World, May 5, 2008, p.12
How many live events have you attended this year? Conferences, seminars, trade shows, expos, retreats, boot camps, workshops, one day programs- all of these are considered live events, where you actually go and meet people face to face. Live events help you overcome the stress of working alone on your business, trying to come up with all the answers yourself, and they energize you and help you stay fired up. These are enormously valuable for so many reasons:
1. You meet great new people who fire you up and can become friends, business associates, affiliate marketers, partners in new ventures, international contacts and more.
Here’s what I mean. I went to Mark Victor Hansen’s Megabook Marketing conference in Orlando in June 2009, which I attended because my new book Stress Express! was about to be published. There I listened to and met the wonderful Carrie Wilkerson, the Barefoot Executive, who became my internet marketing mentor and friend. She is extraordinary, and it was my privilege to be a guest speaker on one of her CD’s and participate in her webinars. I attended her Boss 2009 weekend, which featured speakers and fascinating folks from all over the world, several of whom I have since done webinars and teleseminars with throughout 2009-2010. I also got to know the terrific Paul Evans, speaker, and fascinating David Frey, internet marketer. Both of these men are great people, very successful and caring individuals who make such a difference in the world. It was my honor to be on Paul’s blogtalk radio show last week and I have referred him for some speaking engagements we may do for the same client. We are growing our friendship- all because of we both attended live events. Those kinds of connections get me totally Fired Up! and fill me with gratitude and inspiration.
2. You learn in a different way than if you attended a webinar or read a book. That keeps you fresh and helps relieve your stress.
There is nothing like a live event where you can see the facial expressions, witness the body language and understand the nuances of the content being delivered. Many times, comments are taken out of context and they don’t quite make sense. At a live event, you get to witness the speaker and participate in their laughter, foibles, poignant stories and fun. You are part of the experience because you are there, engaged and involved, and you will more likely retain what you heard far more than if you listen on CD later on.
3. You are privy to upcoming news, specials, giveaways and more- which are often launched or announced at live events. That always fires me up!
Joel Comm, NY Times bestselling author of Twitter Power and hugely successful i-phone app creator, autographed his new book, Kaching, for us at Boss 2010, which we received because of his and Carrie’s generosity.
4. You stretch out of your comfort zone and start thinking in new ways, which is great for preventing burnout, and challenging the status quo.
I had the joy of attending Bob Burg and Thom Scott’s event, Extreme Business Makeovers, last spring and again met such interesting people and learned so much. I took three legal pads full of notes and implemented a great many things based on what I learned there. Thom modeled marketing innovations through his creative coaching. Bob is a phenomenal man, filled with heart and wisdom, and he gave us all so much to think about. Each speaker made us think differently about our approaches. Most of all, Bob epitomizes adding value and being a “go-giver,” which is the way I choose to live my life. (He also gives great hugs- which you would only know if you attended a live event!)
What live events are on your calendar for the next year? Start planning now for new ways to learn, grow, connect, expand and make a difference. Whether it’s a business seminar or yoga retreat, be sure you get the most out of it by taking the time to really get to know the other attendees, add value to them wherever possible, helping them with their businesses and goals, soak up as much information as you can, act on what you learn and continually grow yourself and your business.
How sad that so many workplaces don’t emphasize praise, but rather just numbers and performance. Your employees will run through walls with a little praise and your resilient leadership skills in the face of adversity. While sales are more important than ever, the people making the sales are often overlooked.
