Recently, a China based company introduced the concept of “Unhappy Leave” which quickly gained popularity among other Chinese firms and made headlines across the Western business world. The idea of offering employees the option of taking a few restful days to address their mental health issues sounds like a compassionate and caring step towards physical and emotional …
Unhappy Leave Gains Traction as Companies Tackle Burnout Read More »
Great minds discuss ideas Average minds discuss events Small minds discuss people ~ Eleanor Roosevelt Gossip can bring excitement to the boring office life, almost giving us an adrenaline rush. It can sometimes feel like a natural part of socializing. However, when you consider the impact of gossip on employee mental health, it can lead to …
Whispers in the Workplace: How Office Gossip Undermines Employee Health and Wellness Read More »
Balancing parenthood and a job can feel like a juggling act. The long sleepless nights, the guilt of not being present for every moment, combined with the everyday challenges of a job, can create an overwhelming sense of stress and anxiety when transitioning back to work after parental leave. These feelings can be even more …
Balancing Parenthood and Work: How to Manage Stress and Anxiety After Parental Leave Read More »
Imagine a workplace where everyone feels empowered, valued and appreciated for the work they do. How would you describe such an environment? A workplace with equal or equitable relationships? First, let’s unpack the difference between equity and equality: Equality is when all employees are given the same resources, treatment and opportunities, regardless of their individual …
Why Equity, Not Equality, Is Key to Employee Health and Wellness Read More »
Ever sent a message to say you’re too sick to come in, only to get a reply that’s short, transactional and completely devoid of any empathy? In workplaces where high IQ meets low EQ, moments like this can feel isolating and frustrating – especially when the emotional support you expect to come from your direct …
Leading with Empathy: 7 Tips to Thrive in a High IQ, Low EQ Environment Read More »
Picture this! You are part of a closed-knit team. You know where exactly you stand in the organization and the next day it all changes. With the announcement of a fundamental corporate re-structure, uncertainty looms. The impact? More than just the shift in roles and responsibilities, workflow disruptions, addition of some new departments and removal …
How to Minimize Employee Stress and Improve Company Culture During Re-Organization Read More »
Peanut butter and jelly, mac and cheese, tomato and basil, sushi and soy sauce …. Consciously or unconsciously, we all prefer certain food combinations. This is because some foods taste or make us feel better together. Think about all your favorite snacks, meals, deserts, spices, and drinks! Food combining principles for health benefits originated in …
This with That – The Art of Food Combining for Enhanced Energy and Productivity Read More »
In the previous article, we talked about the power of feedback and how it can position us for success. Feedback can easily turn into destructive criticism if it’s not done properly. If you’re you working in an environment where people are exposed to endless criticism with no touch of empathy, you appreciate the importance of feedback …
Breaking the Burnout Cycle: The Power of Empathy Statements Read More »
Feedback can be very powerful. Those who seek feedback and accept it, position themselves to be more successful. Without feedback we are navigating in the dark. We need feedback because others see things we don’t: our strengths and our weaknesses. Giving performance feedback is a growing trend. As we give and receive more feedback, it …
Dealing with Employee Burnout? It Could be the Way You Are Giving Feedback Read More »
Organizational change in business, like any other change, is perceived to be difficult. We turn to business books and literature for tips and quick fixes on how we can change negative experiences to positive ones we desire. Most of these tactics are employed to shock ourselves or our colleagues into meaningful action. The results in …
Each year more than 50% of the working population give up paid time off. Considering that over 50% of managers feel burned out, it is clear what not taking time off is costing us. It doesn’t matter what your profession, experience, expertise, or position is. Taking vacation is simply a tool to help you reach the level …
Taking Vacations Can be Good for Business – Here Are 7 Reasons Why Read More »
Anxiety affects millions of people. Globally, 4% of the population is currently struggling with some sort of an anxiety disorder. Symptoms of anxiety can range from having difficulty concentrating, feeling irritable and sweating to having trouble sleeping. Anxiety can rob you of simple pleasures in life. Oftentimes, what we feel as anxiety is related to our …
A Nutrition Guide to Anxiety for Busy Professionals Read More »
Gemba walk is derived from the Japanese word “Gemba” or “Gembutsu” which translates to “the real place”. It is about taking the time to watch the process of how things are getting done at the workplace. It involves taking a tour of the actual workspace, talking to those who are in charge of the job …
Observing the Work Process – The Gemba Walk and Its Impact on Workplace Stress Read More »
When you’re stressed out, your thoughts race at breakneck speed. You feel thrown off balance. And as you imagine extreme negative consequences for every scenario in your mind, you try to come up with quick solutions. As your brain start to get filled up with those negative thoughts, fear sweeps down your belly and chest, …
A study from the Federal Reserves Bank of St. Louis looked at the productivity of 10,000 “highly skilled” economists measured in terms of the research they published over the course of their careers. Over the course of 30 years, mothers outperformed women without children at almost every stage of the game. More evidence is coming out suggesting that …
It must be completed by this Friday! No Extensions! Not even a single day! Replied the Project manager as he adjusted his thick glasses on his nose. He looks frightened, confused, and extremely upset, constantly pulling on his left ear. She peeks at him and the sight of a near panic attack makes her regret …
What can be more important to your happiness than what you put into your digestive system? Imagine the same gut bacteria that sometimes make you glued to the toilet after eating Taco Bell are also in charge of producing 90% of the happiness hormone, Serotonin. Most of us would love to have a healthy and …
Cooking – A Self-Care Ritual for Busy Professionals Read More »
No one disagrees with the act of gratitude. “of course, we should be grateful!” Given the obviousness of the concept of gratitude, we still avoid expressing appreciation for our greatest gifts: it is as if we view them as given. If I help you as my friend with an issue or need, and you say …
7 Tips to Build an Attitude of Gratitude at Work Read More »
On the topic of self-care, you’ve probably heard a lot of advice telling you to rest your body. Rest – including sleep and relaxation is vitally important to our well-being. In fact, sleep is a more effective form of self-care than a two-hundred-dollar massage as optimized sleep is linked to many health benefits. Our unique individualism makes …
Meditation is a practical approach to mindfulness and peace. It deals with a person’s physical and mental energy, working beyond the sensory perception. Through meditation, we are able to eliminate the conflict between the conscious and subconscious mind toward balanced functioning of our entire being. For some people, meditation can be very challenging. It’s completely …
Open-Eyed Meditation – An Easy Mindfulness Technique for Busy Individuals Read More »
Maybe you’ve tinkered around with the latest empowerment tools and health advice: Exercise more, eat leafy greens, take supplements, drink more water, take a cold shower. While these tips and tricks help in combination with relaxation and rest, on their own, they cannot be effective solutions. Rather, they are just temporary stopgaps helping the physical …
“A Light exists in Spring Not present on the Year At any other period – When March is scarcely here A Color stands abroad On Solitary Fields That Science cannot overtake But Human Nature feels…” Emily Dickinson (1834) Spring feels like watching a newborn grow and thrive. Every movement is like a seed of hope, …
A Springtime Reminder on Selfcare-Oriented Leadership Read More »
In ancient Greece, Plato wrote that “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and life to everything.” Music is an ancient and powerful universal language. Hunters imitated the sound of animals from prehistoric times. Troops were rallied to battles to the beats of drums. Music is also …
6 Tips to Use the Magic of Music in Managing Anxiety for Better Work Performance Read More »
A nap is typically intended to enhance or complement a nighttime sleep, but it is often overlooked as an effective tool to get more rest. Scientists have found that people who nap have better word recall – a sign of good memory. Another study found that as little as eight minutes of sleep during the day was enough to significantly …
Leading a Corporate Cultural Change toward Power Napping Read More »
How much clutter do you keep in your physical and mental space? Take a minute to look around you, your home, or your office. It is likely filled with furniture, decorative items, tools, electronics, you name it. Your mind is at least equally cluttered with unwanted thoughts, feelings, and worries. Simply put, if you feel …
The Gift of Simplicity for a Cluttered, Stressful Lifestyle Read More »
You land your real-world “dream job” and it feels nothing like you had hoped for. You go through continuous interior monologues telling yourself you are not good enough. Sitting through a meeting with 10 other people, that inner voice is so loud and powerful, you hardly remember what you were going to say next. Your …
7 Tips on Turning Self-Talk into Self-Acceptance Read More »
We, like other animals, get physical and mental symptoms when we experience fear. These bodily reactions range from getting goosebumps to anxiety, sweaty palms, faster heart rate or butterflies in the stomach. The stress hormone, commonly known as adrenaline is responsible for reactions to emotional triggers. Unlike animals, the “adrenaline rush” caused by fear fallacy …
How Does Fear Fallacy Get in the Way of Self-Care and What To Do To Avoid It Read More »
It’s Monday morning and you’ve got a lot to get done around the office. You have 125 emails sitting in your inbox from months ago you just didn’t get around to. You have 3 back-to-back client meetings today. Plus, the pile of documents on your desk that need your review and signature… A research study examining 139 …
3 Practical Tips to Prevent Monday Morning Overwhelm Read More »
