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.

Before judging, pause and ask yourself this question

Oftentimes, we rush to judge others and we assume that people are in full control, and that they're just acting rude, loud, etc. anyway.

But let's remember that we've all had moments where we struggle!

We struggle with our emotional health.

We struggle with the people around us.
We struggle with our finances.
We struggle with our physical health.
We struggle with our circumstances.

We are constantly struggling! And because of this struggle we don't always have the optimum awareness and sense of how we should be interacting with other people.

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.

Tales of an Introverted Leader

They thought that I was hiding. Or worse, disinterested.

As an introverted head of school, I would often close my office door.

It helped me focus, think, and get more done.

And I didn't think much of it.

But others did.

Largely because my predecessor kept an open door policy.

And was always accessible.

When people lack information, they typically assume the worst case scenario.

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)

4 Dangers of Digital Communication and 8 Tips to Avoid Them

It’s no surprise that we use email and text for so many of our communications. It’s often faster, it’s neater, and it can easily be saved for future reference without paper sifting and clutter. Digital communication allows us to send and reply at our own convenience. And you can communicate with several people at one time,

But there are also some serious dangers that, unless managed properly, will turn these advantages into a huge disadvantage.

Your Net-Work is Your Net Worth

Every time that I share my story...

the pain and the suffering as well as the comeback and success...

multiple people tell me how inspired, motivated, uplifted, and empowered they feel.

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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