Stress Management

 I once heard a lecturer explaining stress management to an audience.

The lecturer raised a glass of water and asked, how heavy is this glass of water?

Answers called out ranged from eight to twenty ounces. The lecturer replied, the absolute weight doesn't matter.  It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem.  If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes and that's the way it is with stress management. 

If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, as the burdens become increasingly heavy, we won't be able to carry on. As with the glass of water, you must put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.  When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden.

So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work/life down.  Don't carry it home with you. You can always pick it up tomorrow. Whatever burdens you're carrying now, set them down for a moment if you can.  

Relax; pick them up later after you've rested. Life is short!

Out Of Office

Do people notice when you're out of the office? You know those auto-reply messages we set in our email? I recently took a two-week vacation and left my team to manage things on their own. Now I’m not sure they even need me.

How does your team function when you're not immediately available? The answer should be just fine!

White Space

 

There is a design concept called white space. It refers to not overcrowding a design and allowing space between components. The concept is used by artists and graphic designers to create more comfortable and pleasing designs that avoid clutter. Think of a wall with a group of pictures or a magazine photo layout. Too little white space can feel uncomfortable, making the content difficult to absorb or understand. Visually, we need white space.

We should apply the concept of white space to our calendars. I manage my days, and my life for that matter, in an Outlook calendar. I don’t like having a day that is back-to-back appointments booked all day long, or a week with little or no open time. We need white space in our schedule. We need blocks of time to be productive and blocks to recharge. All jobs and schedules are different, but we all need some open time in our lives.

At the end of the day, it is your calendar. Design your calendar like an artist, create your white space!

PS: TJ – Please note above!

Fight Fire with Fire?

 

There is an old saying that states, "You have to fight fire with fire".  I am not sure that is always true, nor wise. When the fire is an argument or disagreement, adding more fuel is not helpful.  If you take the analogy literally it would seem that you should fight fire with water, after all that is what puts out fire.  Fighting fire with fire escalates arguments and wastes energy.  It can make existing problems larger, hotter, more volatile.  The use of calming water can make them smaller, cooler, more manageable.  It may even put the fire out entirely. 

Be calm when dealing with a difficult situation, don't spread the fire.  Consider using a dose of cool, calming water the next time you have a fire to fight.

Directions

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.         ~ Gen. George S. Patton

I did not know that Patton said this, but it is a favorite concept of mine.  I have always enjoyed finding new, improved and more efficient ways to get things done.  I especially don’t like being confined by how things have been done in the past.  This quote especially on point for me.  It is how I have preferred to be managed over the years and it is how I like to lead people as well.  People need to understand why they are being asked to do something.  As leaders, we should provide them the desired result upfront and let them determine the best way to get there.  If they do not get there at all, then you have another leadership opportunity.  Often they may find ways to get there that you have not considered.  They may actually give you more than you asked for.  Not only will you get a better and possibly more creative solution, you will have empowered your followers who will appreciate the confidence you have placed in them.  Everyone enjoys a good challenge; give them one instead of dictating their methods.