Monday Morning Coffee

Many organizations have been compiling information to help us get to a “new normal”, as well as helping businesses get their offices, and employees, back to work.  I pulled a few from sources listed below to share ones I felt were important and immediate. Workplace Readiness: ¹  Prepare the Building: cleaning plans, pre-return inspections  Prepare the Workforce: mitigating anxiety, policies for deciding who returns, employee communications  Control Access: protocols for…

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When you’re working from home, it can be really hard to transition from work mode to personal mode, but it’s more important than ever to keep the distinction clear. Here’s how to make the switch. First, establish a routine that eases you into work mode. Maybe it’s putting your dishes in the dishwasher, getting a cup of coffee, and then sitting down at your computer. Or maybe it’s doing a…

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If your team is working from home for the first time, chances are they might be feeling somewhat disconnected and out of the loop. You can help them by being transparent and making sure that everyone knows what’s going on. Communicate what’s happening at the organizational level around finances, client relationships, and big-picture goals. People may be nervous about revenue goals and other deliverables. Share as much information as you…

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During stressful and uncertain times, it’s normal to feel anxious and scared. Chances are, most people around you feel it, too. It’s easy to infect each other with anxiety and fear, but we can take steps to protect ourselves from these emotional contagions. To start, cut down on how often you engage in venues where fear feeds on itself, such as social media, cable news, and frenzied conversations with friends…

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As the Coronavirus continues to spread, most people who are used to working in an office environment suddenly face the reality of a new workspace – their own home.  Meanwhile, schools across the country have closed their doors meaning that the majority of families are now going to be spending extended periods of time stuck in the house together. Here are some tips to help everyone survive! Don’t Panic!   Give…

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With many professionals working from home do to the CoronaVirus, I thought it was timely to share some tips on how to stay motivated during this time. Create and follow a schedule – If you work from home every so often, it’s likely that you work similar hours to your colleagues in the office. If you’re self-employed, set yourself working hours and stick to them. You don’t have to work the traditional 9-5,…

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When you’re leading a meeting, it’s tempting to hold the floor. After all, you called everyone together, right? But no one wants to go to a meeting where one person talks the whole time, and you’re unlikely to get what you need from the group if you’re delivering a monologue. To keep yourself in check, try three tactics. First, make notes and stick to them. Give yourself a time limit,…

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As a coach, I am always working with my clients to make sure their number one priority is themselves, period. If you don’t take care of yourself, you are not in a position to take care of others. That doesn’t just include your family, but your clients as well. If you have traveled by plane, the safety instructions are always, “Put your oxygen mask on yourself first, before assisting others.” …

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When difficult conversations at work go wrong, they can rapidly devolve into unproductive arguments. Keep your discussion on track by minding the A-BCDs: Avoid Blame, Contempt, Defensiveness, and Stonewalling. Blame. Try not to make assumptions about what your colleague is thinking, and don’t make groundless accusations. Keep the conversation focused on facts. Contempt. Acknowledge when you’ve lashed out in exasperation, and do your best to avoid making judgments. Defensiveness. Take…

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Burnout is a serious problem at work. It can make you feel emotionally exhausted, cause cynicism, and hinder your job performance. If you notice these signs of extreme stress, resist the urge to beat yourself up — that will only make the situation worse. Instead, have some empathy for yourself and what you’re going through. Start by considering how you might be creating unnecessary stress: For example, are you setting…

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It’s the morning after the Super Bowl and wow, what a game.  If you are a San Francisco fan, you are wondering what in the world happened to the 49ers.  If you are a Kansas City fan, you may be a bit tired from the late night celebration from the Chiefs not having won a Super Bowl in 50 years!!!!   So what happened?  Both teams obviously were physically prepared to…

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Achieving a long-term objective, such as getting in shape, paying off debt, or switching careers, takes persistence. Recent research has found something that can help: incorporating immediate benefits into your pursuit of longer-term goals. Make the short-term activities fun. If you want to work out more, select a fitness class that you enjoy. If you want to eat healthier, build a diet around healthy foods that you actually like to…

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