Balance

Video

Advice That Rocks: Get Outside

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail
This 1974 gem from Robert Palmer perfectly evokes the ennui of the modern professional worker. The lyrics describe the frustration of being stuck, with no way forward but the slog.1getoutside The tempo and Palmer’s buttery vocals add a tangible feeling to the song’s intentionally depleted energy. Best of all, Palmer offers the perfect antidote:

Get outside.

As it turns out, Palmer was way ahead of his time. Contemporary scientists would approve. Give him a listen, and consider these benefits of the great outdoors:

  • Outdoor time counteracts the negative health impacts of prolonged sitting and Vitamin-D deficiency (two markers of office work). 2AsapSCIENCE, “What if You Stopped Going Outside?”
  • Observing nature counteracts what psychologists call “directed attention fatigue.” When you return to your desk, you will be less distracted, less irritable, and less impulsive. 3Rebecca Clay, American Psychological Association, “Green Is Good for You.”
  • Time observing nature correlates with improved attention to detail. 4Rebecca Clay, American Psychological Association, “Green Is Good for You.”
  • Nature walks decrease activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for brooding. 5Gretchen Reynolds, New York Times, “How Walking in Nature Changes the Brain.”
  • Time in nature correlates strongly with enhanced creative problem-solving. 6University of Utah, “Nature Nurtures Creativity.”

Trust the science, and get outside — on behalf of your physical health, your psychological wellbeing, and your performance at work.

The world outside your office is simply irresistible.7Sometimes a pun just calls out to you.

Concept music. Music background with headphones and musical note

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

   [ + ]

Video

Advice That Rocks: Vacation

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

This 1980’s gem doesn’t need explanation. The Go-Gos say it all in the chorus:

Vacation, all I ever wanted.
Vacation, had to get away.

While you listen, consider this data from Project: Time Off’s 2016 State of the American Vacation report.

  • 95% of American workers report a desire to fully utilize paid vacation.
  • 55% of Americans forfeited vacation in 2015 — for an estimated total of 222 million forfeited days, and over $61 billion in forfeited compensation.
  • 65% of employees report either silence, mixed messages or discouragement on the topic of vacation.*
  • Employees taking 11+ days received higher and more frequent bonuses.
  • Advance planners take more time off, in longer increments. They also report greater happiness both at work and at home.

Let these numbers — and Belinda Carlisle’s pipes — strengthen your resolve to use your paid time off, use it wisely, and take a beat to relax.

 

* Bosses, do you hear me?

Concept music. Music background with headphones and musical note

Facebook

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

Long Live the Summer Reading List

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

Let me be the umpteenth person to point out that reading is a professional virtue. It not only conveys knowledge, but also fuels the imagination, supports emotional intelligence, and provides  a respite from the daily grind.

 

When I was a kid, teachers assigned summer reading each year. I inevitably completed the books in late August, rushing against the deadline. However, in spite of the frenzy, I remember those books well and am glad to have read them. Even more, I am grateful to have acquired a reading discipline.

 

With summer around the corner, do yourself a favor and set some reading goals. This is your chance to make up for wasted* reading time in the past–and establish better habits.

 

Tips for a Great List

 

Set a summer goal. It should be a reasonable stretch from your regular pace.

 

Page-turners are fine. Sometimes they are just the ticket to jump-start your stalled reading.

 

Still, don’t limit yourself to brain candy. Once your engine is purring, you will be ready for reading that takes more effort. Include some challenges on your list: literary novels, classics, poetry, short stories, and nonfiction. You can do it.

 

Incorporate professional development. Add a book or two that will sharpen your skills or make you think differently at work.

 

But not too much. If you limit your reading to professional development, you will miss the benefits of other genres. You may also start to resent “having” to read, and stop reading altogether…which is just sad.

 

Include diverse voices. Do all the authors on your list look a lot like you? Revise to pull in perspectives from other cultures, regions, ethnicities, and genders.

 

Be flexible. Stick to your list, or branch out. Just keep reading!

 

There is no shame in abandoning a book. I use a loose version of the 50-page rule: if a book doesn’t draw me in after 50 pages, I move on without shame. There are too many books in the world—too many masterpieces—to worry about this.

 

Give Goodreads a try. This is a pro-tip for folks who really love to read. Use it to track books, make lists, find reviews, see what your friends are reading, and follow your favorite authors. Best of all? It’s a low-noise social media that adds value without becoming a time-suck.

 

Need Inspiration?

 

Terrific, because I need accountability. It’s a win-win.

 

Here is my summer 2016 list. I set an ambitious pace of 4 books per month, eased by a few light reads. Because, hey, it’s summer.

 

  1. An Untamed State, Roxanne Gay
  2. Betterness: Economics for Humans, Umair Haque
  3. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King
  4. March: Book One, John Lewis
  5. Orbiting the Giant Hairball: A Corporate Fool’s Guide to Surviving with Grace, Gordon Mackenzie
  6. Invisible Fault Lines, Kristen-Paige Madonia
  7. Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman who Saved the Appalachian Trail, Ben Montgomery
  8. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, J.K. Rowling
  9. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi
  10. Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well, Douglas Stone & Sheila Heen
  11. Look Homeward, Angel, Thomas Wolfe
  12. Petty: the Biography, Warren Zanes

 

Happy reading!

 

*I know, “wasted” seems harsh. We’re all so busy doing actual work, right? But, let’s face it, most of us could easily trade nightly phone surfing for reading without missing a professional beat. Ditto that for TV-time. (Don’t feel bad; I’m guilty too.)

Facebook

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

10 Ideas To Free You From Your Desk

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail

From time to time, your office will feel stale. Maybe even oppressive. You may be procrastinating, in need of vacation, butting heads with your boss, or just drained by fluorescent lights.

Whatever the reason, recognize your restlessness for what it is. Don’t deny or judge it — just flip the script by changing your routine.

Try a change of scenery.

Hit the library. Libraries are free, quiet, and designed to enhance focus. While you’re there, take a few minutes to wander the stacks and soak up some literary inspiration.

Grab a cup. Coffeeshops offer soothing background noise, free wifi and unlimited caffeine. Need I say more?

Try co-working. Co-working studios have transformed my work more than once. In fact, I’m writing from one right now. They typically offer modern aesthetics, entrepreneurial energy, and a variety of workspaces (mine has carrels, sofas, shared desks, reading nooks, conference rooms, and outdoor seating).

Work from home. Treat yourself to a day at home, complete with your favorite tunes and your stretchy pants. Seek out the brightest room in your house — take advantage of that natural light while you can.

Reserve your office conference room. Can’t pull away for a half or whole day? Reserve your organization’s conference room for a window of time and escape from distraction right down the hall.

No laptop? No problem. 

Cultivate a reading list. Maintain a folder of articles and either print or bookmark them for easy access. (Bonus points for actual books.) If you think can’t afford to  slow down for this, you are wrong. Very wrong. You can’t afford not to.

Schedule a walking meeting or call. Stay alert for meetings that will not require note-taking. In my experience, this works best when your teams are reporting on status and for informal discussions with a close colleague. Do you sometimes find yourself pacing in your office? Take that nervous energy to the streets.

Schedule email sessions, and hit a park bench with your phone. This serves the dual purpose of removing you from your desk and imposing better email discipline. Turn off your email client in the interim. (I know, this one feels impossible. All the more reason to try it.)

Keep a running list of tasks that you do better offline. In addition to reading, my offline list includes outlining, theoretical work, reviewing client notes, proofreading, and task management. Grab your notebook and relocate.

Are you goal-setting regularly? You should. Goal-setting requires a fresh perspective, so it is tailor-made for unlikely settings. Try a sunny patio, a yoga mat, or even a bar stool. Wrap your week by reflecting on accomplishments and setting the next week’s focus. Allow yourself extra time at the end of the month and quarter to consider upcoming projects, performance review goals, and personal aspirations.

The idea is to experiment.

These ideas are low-risk, but substantial enough to alleviate the grind.  Try one for a re-engagement hack, or incorporate them all to revitalize your work life. If your otherwise awesome job lacks flexibility, discover alternative spaces within your organization. Keep your manager abreast of where you will be and why.

Whatever you do, challenge the assumption that you must be tethered to your desk or computer. Get off the treadmill and take a walk in the woods.

Facebook

Facebooktwitterlinkedinmail