Give, and you shall receive!

“More than the calf wants to suckle, the cow wants to nurse.” Talmud (Pesachim 112a)

Parents are natural givers.

They want to give even more than their kids want to take.

Which is why it’s so gratifying to be able to spend quality time with our kids and contribute to their happiness.

So, as much as my son was excited for me to join him at a camp water park a couple of weeks ago, I was happier to be able to bring him joy with my presence and participation.

This Talmudic principal, in my view, applies to teachers and coaches as well.

Set up your people for success

Eighty-six percent of employees say they’re most productive when they work from home, as cited by Fundera. Seventy-seven percent of employees report greater productivity while working off-site, according to the Remote Collaborative Worker Survey by CoSo Cloud. Sixty-four percent of global business leaders said flexible working had a positive impact on productivity, Condeco reports. Telecommuters are 14% more productive than their office-bound colleagues, according to a study released by Stanford University. Research found that working from home increases job performance and productivity while also decreasing the number of sick days taken.

Eat That Frog!

Retired U.S. Army four-star General Stanley McChrystal gets a lot done. And it starts with his mornings, which are organized with military precision. Since his day is booked with work, he wakes up each morning at 4:00 AM to get in a 90-minute workout in before he heads into the office. This is the advice he dispenses for all of us to improve our own morning routines.

“Find certain things you know you should do, don’t like to do, or make excuses to avoid, and then do them every day or every other day, and then it just becomes a habit.”

How big should your goals be?

Now that we have determined which tasks we need to be doing, the next step is to set clear, actionable goals that will help us get our tasks done. Goal setting is a critical component of any growth process, personal or professional.

There are many benefits of setting goals, including:

Clarity and focus: Goals motivate us to cut through the weeds and get focused on what’s really important
Planning: Goals help us map out the necessary steps to achieve our desired result
Accountability: Goals force us to set and meet deadlines and be accountable to others
Transparency: When shared, goals help others understand what we’re focused on
Self-esteem: Goals raise our self-confidence as we see ourselves grow and progress

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐰? 😟

We all tend to get dragged down and overwhelmed by things that accumulate over time and end up cluttering our minds.

When we identify them - even if we're not prepared to do anything about them right now - we raise our awareness and naturally start to handle, fix, and resolve them.

Start by making a list of what you’re putting up with at work and at home to determine what might be cluttering your mind and slowing you down!

Examples could be: incomplete tasks, frustrations, problems, other people’s or your own behavior, clutter, shoulds, unmet needs, crossed boundaries, unresolved issues or guilt, lack of exercise, eating habits, being indecisive, procrastinating, lack of sleep, etc.

What to do when you're not feeling it

When you're feeling down or just "not in the mood"...

just take action!

This morning, I woke up feeling anything but "up."

I wasn't in the mood for my morning workout and was feeling a bit down in general due to some recent developments (nothing major, thank G-d.)

So, what did I do?

I remembered William (Bill) McRaven's "Make your bed!" motto and I decided to take action.

Tips to Manage Workplace Stress

Building passion is also a great way to manage and reduce workplace stress. Stress is a serious drain on productivity and had a direct effect on worker health and absenteeism. Stress-related illnesses cost businesses an estimated $200 billion to $300 billion a year in lost productivity, as reported in Stress in the Workplace. A study by Health Advocate found that 1 million workers miss work each day due to stress. This absenteeism costs employers an estimated $600 per worker each year. Twelve percent of employees have called in sick because of job stress. This is not surprising because most people respond to increased stress with added caffeine and alcohol consumption, smoking, and prescription medications.

How Gritty Are You?

I recently talked to a staffing agency about the importance of being gritty.

Grit is about tenacity, resilience, and a willingness to keep pushing through despite obstacles and our own natural inclination to take the easy way out.

Staffing recruiters, like most salespeople (and who isn't in sales?) need to be gritty in the face of rejection, radio silence, ghosting, and, even worse, angry clients.

It's what allows them to meet more people, make more referrals, and close more deals.

And live up to their mission of improving the lives of employers and employees by making the connections that grow businesses and provide opportunities (not their exact mission, but my take)

How to build workplace passion

Productivity begins with engagement and passion. Disengaged, dispassionate workplaces are much less productive.

It is well-documented that many folks are not passionate about their work. According to Deloitte research, “Up to 87.7 percent of America’s workforce is not able to contribute to their full potential because they don’t have passion for their work.”

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