Month: April 2022

Have you forgotten?

Have you forgotten?

When was the last time you walked into a room to get something and forgot what you went in there to get? Recently, Elizabeth Bernstein wrote an article about memory for the WSJ, and reports that “short term, and goes on to report that “short, temporary instances of forgetfulness are happening to more of us these days” according to memory experts. Why?

We are experiencing a tremendous amount of change in our world, chronic and cumulative stress is not helping either. As one expert said: “our brains are like computers with too many tabs open right now. This slows down our processing power, and memory is one of the areas that falters.”

The advice? 1. Don’t force yourself to remember, it has the opposite effect. 2. Stop multitasking, you need to commit it to memory in the first place. 3. Help your brain calm, take a walk or meditate. 4. Be socially present, it is such a gift we give others.

#WiseWords

Forgetting happens. If you stress about it, it’ll happen even more.

Lisa Genova, author

Worth the Share

Did you know that your smart phone could be one of the culprits that is robbing you of your memory? How can that be? We all rely on those devices and in fact, on average, look at our smart phones 58 times a day.

This article talks about the importance of sharpening our memory and presents a valid business case for doing so. Our memories are critical for us to build relationships and remember those details about our clients and colleagues that really matter to them and make people feel heard.

Take a minute to read: How to Build a Stronger Memory and maybe try the suggestions offered by the author, Philip White. You will be glad you did.

And Finally...

Speaking of advice, I learn so much from my clients. The other day, I had the privilege of giving a brief talk at an awards luncheon, and spoke about five things I have learned that encourage us to live our best lives:

1. Take care of yourself physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
2. Give yourself grace. Perfect is the enemy.
3. Have a sense of curiosity and wonder, it opens everything up.
4. Laugh … a lot. It releases several good hormones that make you feel like you are exercising, meditating and having sex all at the same time (I’m serious!).
5. Give back to others at home and it your community, it will make a huge difference in your life.

What do you want more of this week?

Have a great couple of weeks,
Mary Jo

To learn more about my 1:1 executive, communication or business growth coaching, custom virtual workshops, the Career Transition program or just to connect, you can reach me at info@mjrcac.com

How to stop burnout

How to stop burnout

Burnout is on my mind. One of my long time clients is an amazing writer, speaker, and workshop facilitator. Recently she started coaching programs on burnout, and quickly learned that it is not her thing. Her insight… “Burnout happens in part because of bad managers. Management is more art than science.”

I think that is absolutely true. Smart leaders know that developing new and mid-level managers is critical to the success of the business. I remember years ago, when I was in a leadership role at Working Mother which published an annual list of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. Renowned companies like Deloitte, IBM, Johnson & Johnson and Unilever were on the list. However, women at these very same companies made it crystal clear to me that even their companies had bad managers.

As leaders, invest in your new and mid-level managers and weed out the bad ones. Not everyone is cut out for management!

#WiseWords

Good management is the art of making problems so interesting and their solutions so constructive that everyone wants to get to work and deal with them.

Paul Hawken, author

Worth the Share

Burnout is a real issue, as is sheer exhaustion from all that is happening in the world. This well-researched article “Joy as Antidote to Burnout” includes a variety of stats and quotes to support the power of joy and the importance of connecting with others.

Shawn Achor, who is known for his work in happiness, “found that when our brains are in a positive state, we’re 31% more productive than when we’re negative or stressed.” That is an impressive stat.

Plus, the impact on work is real. This quote by Toby Haug from SAP brings to life the importance of living a whole life. “Many people still think we have work on one hand and life on the other. Yet we have one life, where work is a major part. If we’re not well and happy, that will affect both home and work.”

Take a few minutes and read this article from Thrive, then find some joy and share it with others.

And Finally...

Years back, a friend from grammar school was cleaning up her mom’s bedroom after she had passed on to the next life. My friend “Catherine” found a slip of paper between the mattress and the box-spring. Written in her mother’s beautiful penmanship were three simple words, “LIVE LIFE JOYFULLY”.

This women, like most of us, faced hardship in her lifetime, and yet, her guiding light was to be joyful. I love her intentionality around the choice she made to be joyful… and that slip of paper demonstrated it’s importance in her daily life. I will always remember Mrs. L’s smiling her big Irish smile in spite of so many challenges. Can you make the choice to “Live Life Joyfully”? .

Have a great couple of weeks,
Mary Jo

To learn more about my 1:1 executive, communication or business growth coaching, custom virtual workshops, the Career Transition program or just to connect, you can reach me at info@mjrcac.com