Health & Wellness Archives - Sharon M Weinstein

December 27, 2020 By Sharon Weinstein

Say goodbye to 2020, a stressful infodemic

What a stressful year it has been! Call it what you want, but 2020 has been the year of Information Overload, aka info anxiety, info explosion, and in some cases, an infodemic. In the past, thoughts of information overload stemmed from a packed inbox and the fact that we were drowning in information. We had an abundance of content and little time allocated to processing. At the time, information overload was considered by some to be a source of stress, reduced job satisfaction, disruptions in social and professional relationships, and poor health. The symptoms were benign, and those afflicted often suffered in silence.

Expectations about information and response times changed, and smartphones, social networks, smart TVs, and other devices flooded us with information and left little room or time for a personal recharge. While technology plays a crucial role in information management, how we manage that information, and the choices that we make, affect our ability to deal with the disruption. Those choices include delegation, escape, filters, and rejection. Have we changed amid the current disruption of a pandemic? Is the coronavirus an infodemic in addition to being a pandemic?

One thing is sure, the pandemic took stress levels to an all-time high, and it’s the first pandemic in history in which technology and social media have been used on a broad scale to keep people, safe, informed, productive, and connected. When we reflect on the year 2020, consider the thought that this tsunami of information, online and offline, included attempts to undermine the global response and impair control of the pandemic. Misinformation cost lives according to the World Health Organization (WHO) briefings. We’ve all been over-exposed to a huge quantity of information; to navigate the challenge, we must assess the source, go beyond headlines, identify the author, check the dates and facts, examine supporting evidence (science), and manage our personal assumptions. As we bid farewell to 2020, let’s focus on flattening the curve of misinformation, an overload that made 2020 the year of “too much.” It’s time to say goodbye! If you need help in managing pandemic-related stress, reach out…to me. As the stressbuster, I’ve been dealing with stress and crisis management for individuals and organizations for over 18 years!

November 24, 2020 By Sharon Weinstein

Take a Break…you deserve it!

We want to do the best job possible. We want to perform at the highest level. We want to succeed. Sometimes the environment itself impairs our ability to do so. When I worked in Eastern Europe, my nurse colleagues did not have healthy work environments. At the time, they worked without electricity, without an emergency generator, without adequate food for patients and staff, and in less-than-desirable conditions. I still recall seeing a full-term infant pass away because it wasn’t possible to control the baby’s body temperature in a nursery that was as cold inside as it was outside. But the nurses, with conviction, did what needed to be done; they performed at their best.

Providing a Wellness Environment

There is no doubt that a healthy, healing work environment is conducive to staff satisfaction, optimum performance, and good results. By embracing a workplace of wellness replete with circles of wellness in which staff may relax, rejuvenate, and rejoice, we take the first step toward total wellness. Staff feels appreciated, valued, and recognized in a meaningful way.

Performance levels drop as work periods become longer and sleep loss increases. Staying awake for 17 hours has the same effect on performance as having a blood alcohol content of 0.05%. The most common effects associated with fatigue are:

Sleepiness
Lack of concentration
Impaired recall
Irritability
Poor judgment
Reduced ability to communicate with others
Reduced fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
Reduced visual perception
Slower response times

What can you do, here and now, to enhance your performance and be a better version of yourself? It’s simple… take a break! Ongoing breaks are critical to our performance and to our health. Where can you start? Start Maintain a personal and professional environment that sustains, rather than drains, you, by following these tips:

Intentionally build breaks into your day; schedule them on your calendar or in your diary
Start the day, your calls, and your meetings with mindfulness
Keep those appointments with yourself

I was inspired by my nurse colleagues in Eastern Europe. They performed at their best, and so can you. That said, you must take a break! Remember, in the words of Mohandas K. Gandhi, “There is more to life than increasing its speed.”

March 20, 2020 By Sharon Weinstein

Life as a Balancing Act…working/schooling at home

Coronavirus has given us a new appreciation for our “spaces.” While many of us are fortunate to have a designated home office, others are not. While some have a designated play space for kids that can be converted in to a mini-schoolroom, others do not. What can you do to keep the balance while confined during this pandemic?

Tips from B is for Balance, 2^nd edition offers this advice:

Create a Designated Work Area at Home

When you are in your home “office,” that’s the time to work, to respond to calls, complete electronic banking, update social media, and reply to electronic mail. When you are finished, walk away from the office and computer. Set aside specific times for checking messages. Then, reward yourself with personal time.

Master Efficiency

Many of us are teleworking; keep in mind that many professionals find it difficult to adjust to working from home, even those who have done it forever. The freedom of working in casual clothing (or not getting out of your pajamas), of not reporting for work at a specific time, and of not being directly supervised by others creates an environment that may become lax. You must be responsible for your own efficiency, effectiveness, and efforts. Is your work environment efficient and ergonomically correct? Does it lend itself to a high level of productivity in a short time span? Are you a morning person—someone who works best in the early hours of the day? Set a schedule to plan your work at home, and then work according to your plan.

Manage your Time Wisely

You schedule appointments with other people in your personal planner, so why not schedule time with yourself? Make appointments for regular exercise or meditation (even more now than ever before). Regardless of whom we are and what we do, we still have the same 24 hours in each day. Do you delegate, or you the one who must do it all to get it right?

Know What Is Important and Why

In his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey showed that for many of us, the day is filled with tasks that attract our attention and seem urgent, but they may never need to be done. Weed those out and make time for the important tasks. The important duties that are also urgent require our immediate attention. Learn to prioritize. Know which of the things you must complete today, or this week, are most important and engage in systems that can help you to stick to your schedule. This is a great time to master prioritization; you may be “in” for quite some time.

Identify homeschool space

Perhaps your peers have homeschooled for years; suddenly, you find yourselves in the same situation, and by chance, rather than choice. Identify a dedicated space where your child or children can work on class assignments with good lighting, connectivity, and a sense of ownership. Encourage downtime, and recess; for yourselves and your kids.

And, for those of you out of work, again not by choice, and struggling with what to do to maintain a sense of calm, I offer these tips:

No one knows you better than you; work that to your advantage
Become a master of efficiency
Identify those areas of life most important for your well-being and balance and integrate them within your lifestyle
Know your limits
Treat yourself with kindness

What matters most is, do your best! There is no playlist…hundreds of thousands of moms, dads, and grandparents will be forced to balance homeschooling with their day-to-day work responsibilities. Life is a balancing act─ now more than ever before. All of us need downtime…be sure that you take the time in your day to appreciate life, be grateful, and be kind.

January 31, 2020 By Sharon Weinstein

There is no box…not even on the golfcourse!

When I learned to play golf at age 50, the topography was beautiful and challenging. As we approached the 14th fairway one Sunday afternoon, my husband said, “Start thinking about how you will manage that water hazard.” Hazards on a golf course may be lakes and rivers, man-made hazards such as bunkers, or a tall tree or thick rough. If it gets in your way, it is a hazard. I looked ahead and then said, “Water, I don’t see any water.” Of course, there was water ahead, but I knew that I could not let it get in my way. It is that concept that has taken me through a myriad of countries, opportunities, challenges and success stories.

We all face challenges in our personal and professional lives. By looking beyond the hazard, or outside of the box, we see opportunity. We forge ahead and achieve success. See what I mean here!

I grew up in a big box and was told that I should not ask, nor should I try, because I would never amount to a thing. Moving beyond that box opened many doors and a chance to ask for what I needed and get it. Many of us are stuck in that box…unable to get out because of perceived barriers to change. We must encourage others to thrive and survive. I am who I am today because I learned how to ask. A storyteller, I go beyond “once upon a time” to a place we’ve all been – where obstacles stood in our way and held us back.

President/Founder of SMW Group and the Global Education Development Institute, I educate and train others to be the best version of themselves. A native of Philadelphia, I completed my nursing education at Pennsylvania Hospital, followed by undergraduate and graduate degrees in Florida and Texas. I’m a graduate of the Kellogg Executive Management Program and a recipient of the Frist Humanitarian Award. I use my nursing platform to create change and empower others to succeed.

#removethebox #mindset #leadership #serviceexcellence

December 14, 2019 By Sharon Weinstein

Is it the end of just the beginning?

With just two weeks remaining in 2019, the time has never been better than to address your stress-relief goals. You have the chance to finish this year and begin 2020 with a new mindset and new results.

What are your three greatest stress triggers? After a few relaxing days off, are you eager to get back to your job, or anxious because of that job? Think about it! You’ve had a great vacation, or even a great weekend. Now, it’s time to get back to reality—to whatever stressed you in the first place and necessitated that important respite. There is so much to do and no time to get it done. The first few days are hectic until you settle back into your routine. Emails and snail mail remain unanswered. Your voice-mailbox is full. What you thought would be an easy transition has become a life challenge, and you wonder how you will get through each day with your mind intact.

Life can be challenging and stressful. Creating work/life balance is critical to success and survival. Living the dream, and overcoming the pain is something else.

In today’s economy, stress may be attributed as much to having a job as to not having one. Layoffs around the country impact workers in all settings. If you fear the loss of your job—even a job you don’t like—you experience stress. How will you feed your family? How will you pay your bills? Will you have to think twice before making routine purchases? We all have different stress triggers, but work tops the list.

Causes of work-related stress include being unhappy in your job, a heavy workload, long hours, unclear expectations of your work, bullying and toxic work settings. Is that what you want to return to? Vacations and holidays come and go, but stress is ongoing. This is reality!

“Reality is the leading cause of stress among those in touch with it.”

– Lily Tomlin

How will you cope now and in 2020?

Apply these simple strategies for finding life balance, and begin to deal with the challenges you would otherwise face:

Create realistic goals.
Manage your time wisely.
Eat healthy.
Learn when to say no and when to let go!

Minimize the pain by choosing one to two strategies to tackle; this process will put you on-track—starting now! Enjoy the holiday season and say hello to being stress-free!

To start the process: