Strength Archives - Sharon M Weinstein

April 24, 2021 By Sharon Weinstein

Survive and Thrive

As an advocate of work/life balance for nearly 20 years, necessitated by working 100 hours weekly, 3 countries per week, with no life of my own, I believe in sharing the merits of life in #balance. I believe that our biggest goal for 2021 and beyond is to #Survive and #Thrive! How about you?

In a time when our work and home lives have intertwined like never before, do we really ever turn off our devices? Do we set boundaries, or do we let the world of connectivity overwhelm us? If you are open to setting boundaries, I suggest the following:

Presenteeism – You know that there are those who take up space, but who are not present in the moment. When you are working from home, be present. When you are homeschooling your kids, be present. When you are on those continuous-feed Zoom calls, be present. Work hard when you are working, and relax when it is high time for social and family encounters.
Prioritization – Everything does not have a “now” deadline. Separate your must-do list from your to-do list and share the accomplishment of crossing off what has been done and look forward to more must-do’s tomorrow
Self-care – We all have responsibilities, some more than others. We are all on the same journey, but perhaps in different boats or cars. Schedule time for yourself (in your calendar) and take that time to rest, relax, reset your battery, and be good to yourself.

If you are employed, be grateful, but take time for yourself. If you are freelancing, job hunting, working from home, self-employed, or finding yourself, take the time for balance. Your greatest task for the remainder of 2021 is to Survive and Thrive. Answer this question, “Do you work to live, or live to work?” What’s your story?

Artwork credit: Bhavya Poonie/Mashable India

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 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!

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.”

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!

To start the process: