ManagingCrisis Archives - Sharon M Weinstein

January 17, 2021 By Sharon Weinstein

Let’s LAUNCH TOGETHER…

When you think of a New Year, you think about resolutions. When you think about a pandemic, you think, “What’s next?” Well, I have answers to both of these issues in my new book, Are You Ready to Reinvent Yourself? A Post-Pandemic Approach to Work/Life Balance, and I’d like you to join my launch team!

What’s involved?

First, say yes and follow the link on https://smwgroupllc.com or https://sharonmweinstein.com
Or, simply email me!
Receive a free, advance electronic copy of the book and read enough of it by January 31st to post an Amazon review
Spread the word about the book to those within your network
Receive an exclusive bonus as my way of thanking you

Are you Ready helps us to consider and make career and life choices via a practical guide based on reinvention, noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has provided us with a significant opportunity for such change. Of course, any life event whether large or small, can be an impetus for change, however as we all know, this life event has been one of the most impactful in our time. It’s a motivational playbook that walks you through how to REINVENT!

Who is Are You Ready to Reinvent Yourself for?

It’s for you if you want to shift gears post-pandemic, assess your options, select a career path, and deal with stress. It’s for you if you want to advance your life through the choices you’ll make. It’s for those with a job, those in transition, and those ready for a new chapter!

What’s in Are You Ready to Reinvent Yourself?

A deep dive into who you are and what you want.
SWOT Analysis.
Steps to personal branding.
Back to business…is it as usual?
How to survive and thrive a virtual life.
Networking with intention.
Managing fatigue and burnout.
Using your past to create your future.
Business mentoring tips.
What causes stress.
Thirty weeks to balance.
And so much more!

If Are You Ready to Reinvent resonates with you, I need you on my Launch Team to help me launch the book successfully on Amazon and spread the word! Let’s get started now!

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!

December 17, 2020 By Sharon Weinstein

It’s your CHOICE…postponed or canceled

Henry Miller tells us that, “Life, as it is called, is for most of us one long postponement.” The pandemic shifted many of our lives, postponing, and sometimes canceling booked events, meetings, conferences, and family gatherings. It’s one thing to postpone a meeting or event; it is another thing to put our dreams on hold. What gets in the way of our dreams, and causes us to hold off? How about time, money, family responsibilities, work priorities (if you are still employed), health challenges, fear of change, and uncertainty?

What’s holding you back and keeping you from getting better? Jim Rohn tells us, “Things don’t get better by chance; they get better by change.” I prefer, “Things don’t get better by chance; they get better by CHOICE.” So, what choice will you make as we approach a New Year and a chance to reset our respective buttons?

Refine your “Brand.” Personal branding is a brand called you; it conveys your work, your style, and your purpose. Make a CHOICE to commit to your brand in 2021 and beyond. Make a CHOICE to avoid postponements and cancellations, and advance to become the best version of yourself. Make a CHOICE to not allow people, places, and things to interfere with your dreams! Let’s make 2021 the year to overcome disruption, enhance well-being, and enjoy life!

May 19, 2020 By Sharon Weinstein

Keep your Distance…but stay close!

What a change a pandemic can make! Covid-19 has wreaked havoc in our daily lives, disrupted business and the economy, and taken its toll on human lives. What more can we expect, and how can we keep our distance, yet remain close?

I think about a colleague whose dad is quite ill; she needs to be at his bedside, and she is unable to be there, to have a presence, to provide support. I think about how that makes her feel, and I am saddened by her inability to be physically close. I think about my career as a nurse and how how the opportunity to hold a hand, to wipe a forehead, and to smile beyond a mask brought joy to those for whom I provided care, as well as to me.

I think about today’s students at all levels of their education who are having a transformational experience…whose connection is across networks, and who are learning as much about life as they are about required core curriculum. I think about the Class of 2020: the 3.7 million high school seniors for whom natural trauma has been a constant. Born right after 9/11; they were fifth graders during Sandy Hook, and they were sophomores when a gunman attacked Marjorie Stoneman High School in Parkland, FL. Our country has been at war since they were born, and the current war, the Coronavirus Pandemic, has reinforced life’s lessons that change happens.

I think about those on the frontlines, the healthcare workers, first responders and all of those who are working in “essential industries,” who risk their lives and those of their loved ones each and every day so that we may remain safe.

As controls are lifted, and as some communities venture out into a new type of normal, please consider these best practices for distancing:

Limit your time in public; schedule your outings carefully
Keep your distance
Bring hand sanitizer; continue to wear gloves
Wash your hands
Cover your mouth; wear a mask to protect others

Remain close with phone calls to friends and loved ones, video chats, virtual game night (bring out those board games and decks of cards), virtual movie night, exercise videos and workouts online, mindfulness activities, and video games that connect you locally and globally. Use your devices to connect, to see others, to celebrate birthdays and milestones, and to stay connected. Keep your distance…but stay close!

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.

To start the process: