Stress: just how unhealthy is it?

Really, really unhealthy.

A documentary recently aired on PBS that follows Stanford professor, Robert Sapolsky's, detailed study about the effects of stress - http://killerstress.stanford.edu/

The gist:
Animals living on a Kenyan National Reserve experience high levels of stress for a few moments when trying to escape being eaten and then returning to normal

Typical humans in western civilization experience equally high levels of stress for rather mundane, non-life threatening situation, and have a hard time letting those stress levels go back down to the original - non-stressed levels.

There's also a section where he talks about his own stress - and he's a pretty high-strung guy. In it he shares how, while it works for others, meditating for a few minutes a day would cause him even more stress. Of course it would, it's not easy from having a head that's been running around quite quickly shift into low gear. That would be like reliving one of my worst cinema double-feature experiences - watching Run Lola Run followed by The Straight Story.

Yet, we still have to ask ourselves - is the damage being done by maintaining the faster pace worth the "productivity"?

(Thanks to Scott for the link that inspired this post).

Trying to solve a problem? Take a nap

I've always been a big proponent of naps - and can pretty much take one regardless of the environment.

The NY Times recently ran an article about a study that shows significant increases in memory and creativity immediately after sleep, and discusses the benefits of companies that have introduced nap-pods at the workplace.

No wonder I'm most productive in the morning!

(click on image for the cool blog post from highbridnation.com where I got the image)

5 essentials for an effective resume

The key to an outstanding resume is getting into the head of the person reading it. How? Follow these tips!

1. The job posting is the key - Each posting lists a short description of the company, the job responsibilities and the qualifications you're expected to bring. Use a highlighter to mark the most important skills and talents they're looking for and make sure they're in your resume.


2. The resume is a sales letter - The purpose of the resume is to get the interview. So write it with that purpose. Include enough information to make it clear that they should talk with you and not more.


3. The resume is not a biography - Too many people include every detail of their life "just in case." You wouldn't put your mom's name on your resume, so don't include every detail of what you've done in school or past jobs, just the ones that would be of most interest to the person reading it. If it's not stated or heavily implied in the job posting leave it out.


4. Make the most of what you include - Employers are busy people so choose phrasing that will be the most specific and require the least thinking from them. You're the one who needs to explicitly state that as head of your science project team you delegated assignments for its 5 members and finished 2 weeks ahead of schedule.


5. Spellcheck is not enough - Read your resume aloud - twice! Then ask at least two other people to do the same in front of you too. That way you'll catch it when you write that you have 'prefect' attendance.
   

Coaching misperception

Partnering with a coach

is not
asking for help
with things you can't do;

it's
getting support
for things you want to do.

Outline for an intimate, touching, stress-free wedding speech

I recently returned from a wedding where I was asked to give a speech – with less than 30 minutes to prepare. If you’d like to share a few words at a similar gathering I offer you this outline for an intimate, touching, stress-free wedding speech:

1. Select a theme that illustrates a trait about the groom or bride (like how they're imaginative, caring, terrible dresser).
2. A short introduction on how/why you know the groom or bride.
3. Share a little-known anecdote that illustrates their wonderful trait (the more people present you can refer to in the anecdotes the better it will be received).
4. Share another anecdote that illustrates how the bride (or groom) helps make that trait even better (or fixes a bad one).
5. Pause for a moment, raise a glass, and toast the bride and groom with the lesson from your theme.

Extra tips:

• Smile and make eye contact with tables in each area of the room while you’re talking.
• When you talk about a specific person, look at them. If you’re telling an anecdote where you can’t look at the person you’re talking about pick a different one (seriously).
• You’re not out there to look smart, clever, funny, etc. – just make everyone feel good and you’ve succeeded.
• Keep it short - 2 to 5 minutes at most.
• Talk slowly – there’s a natural tendency to talk quickly when addressing a large audience. You’ll be better understood if you make a point of talking slowly.
• Practice in front of a mirror or friend.

Keeping it together: Five actions that make employees (or relations) want to stick around

Employee turnover has a tremendous cost to any organization - lost productivity, cost of recruitment, lower morale for the remaining staff, etc. Here are my top five methods that any organization can use to significantly boost retention. (Families can use them to run more smoothly as well.)

#5: Clearly defined expectations - employees often run ragged trying to figure out what their job responsibilities really include, how much is enough, and when they're pushing too hard. (Are you sure your kids, parents, siblings, or friends know what you expect of them? Is it written down?)

#4: No jerks in the office - Managers should be aware of who is ruffling the most feathers and disturbing an otherwise smooth workflow (they may need to look at themselves).

#3: Ask them what bothers them most and fix it - Managers must feel comfortable sitting down and conducting an honest evaluation about what their staff is experiencing.

#2: Do more of what is working - There's no need to reinvent the wheel. Expand policies that employees are already enjoying. Do them bigger, better, and more often.

For example, make them available to families when both decision-makers feel like they are being treated well, two (or more) opinions have to change for one employee to leave.

#1: Vision pairing - Ensure that the department's goals the same as its members. People get excited about working on something that they believe in and are proud of. Sometimes this means revisiting the hiring process to make sure the best-fits are brought on board.

Costs = zero or minimal
Effectiveness = huge. Particularly when you consider the various impacts that turnover has on a company - both on those that leave, but especially on those that stay.

Implement these methods and you'll get to confront problems such as employees sporting these on their desks.

How Ikea can tear you apart or bring you closer

Which mindset will you choose the next time you shop?

Tear apart:
www.nysun.com/style/brken-up-by-ikea/26328/

Bring closer:
urbanprankster.com/tag/ikea/

(Sometimes Ikea works both angles - like with their advertising campaign's slogan, "Just pack up, ship out, find a place of your own. And for all your new things, you know where to come. Make a fresh start.")

(Thanks to Alex for the link that inspired this post)