Workplace Stress Archives - Sharon M Weinstein

June 20, 2021 By Sharon Weinstein

The Big Reset…who owns a great work environment?

It’s been more than a year since we pushed the reset button. During this time, many of my clients and colleagues began to be “home-based” members of a team. Moms have been pushed to the limit with work, schooling, child-care, and stress. There was a time when it was taboo to talk about the stressors of work/life balance in the physical workplace. My clients report that now is the time when it is okay to make the personal professional. After all, how many times, when on a Zoom or Teams call, has a child entered your workspace (whether it is a real space, the kitchen island, or a bedroom)?

Some companies pushed reset by shuttering satellite offices, knowing full well that employees are perfectly capable of maintaining productivity in a home setting.

We have become much more flexible, and there are many facets to flexible:

Shifting work hours or job-sharing to accommodate school schedules and drop-offs plus the formidable child-care crisis that occurs between 3 and 5 pm
A shorter workweek which has been successful in Europe for many years
Support for those who work from home, including a budget for a desk, chair, or desktop monitor

Who owns a great work environment? It is a shared responsibility that is owned by the employer and the employee. It’s time to push reset and acknowledge that shared responsibility. The employer can ask direct reports about their preferred styles of working and what support they may need. Continue to schedule remote or hybrid team meetings to enhance engagement. If onsite, maintain a safe setting and reread the three facts of flexibility!

The employee can maintain boundaries, advising kids and partners of dedicated work time, and may need privacy. Keep regular hours, whether remote or in-person. Take the time to take care of yourself, allowing downtime, hydration, and small talk to support your own physical, emotional and social needs.

It’s been more than a year, and we are ready to return to the workplace or to maintain a more flexible workspace no matter where that may be. The Big Reset is here…and we all own the responsibility for making that work environment a great one! Are you ready to push reset?

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

April 24, 2021 By Sharon Weinstein

Join me for a Nurses’ Week Celebration…2021

National Nurses Week begins each year on May 6th and ends on May 12th, Florence Nightingale’s birthday.

International Nurses Day is celebrated around the world on May 12th of each year, and this year, once again, the theme for Nurses Week continues…the year of the nurse and midwife.

The Coronavirus has shifted priorities; hospitals and health systems would now be finalizing plans for The Year of the Nurse, and the opportunity to celebrate nurses and nursing. Nursing the World to Health is precisely what we are doing!

Priorities may have shifted, but nurses remain on the frontlines 24/7/365, providing care, often with limited resources, and making us proud.

In the midst of social distancing, anxiety, and fear of the unknown, and to honor all that you do, I’ll provide a series of complimentary sessions addressing key topics for the nursing community:

Wednesday, May 5, 2021 – 11 am ET

Compassion Fatigue

Today, more than ever before, compassion fatigue is a possibility. Awareness of the problem is critical to developing an intervention. We find ourselves wanting to be all things to all people, and we realize that we cannot do it.

Objectives:

Discuss signs of compassion fatigue
Describe coping strategies
List possible interventions

Friday, May 7, 2021 – 11 am ET

Life as a Balancing Act- Family Matters

We all have responsibilities, whether caring for children or elderly parents or pursuing personal interests, activities, or hobbies. Some of us are in the “sandwich generation; we’re juggling the challenge of homeschooling and vulnerable parents or family members. We must be equipped to resolve personal and workplace issues, juggle conflicting responsibilities and balance personal and workplace roles. Are you ready to learn how you can balance your act – when family life matters?

Objectives

Identify challenges of work/life balance during a pandemic
Discuss the power of three
List 3 ways to ensure that family matters

Sunday, May 9, 2021 – 11 am ET

Stress and Crisis Management

Watching TV, listening to special reports, reading the newspaper (online or live), we have been inundated with reports that stress us to the point of exhaustion. Our ability to interact as members of teams drives our sense of belonging, inclusivity, collaboration, and trust. The Coronavirus has shifted our focus, leaving team members frustrated, tired, and anxious. As a team, you care for others, well aware of their fears, while concern mounts about transmission to your own family, exposure, and overall well-being. Social distancing has removed our ability to reach out and touch someone, to hold a hand, to wipe a brow, and to enjoy fellowship.

I’ll share tips for surviving and thriving during a pandemic. Yes, you can make time for yourself, stay in touch, exercise, stay safe, and keep your distance. This is your chance to learn how.

Objectives

Describe anxiety levels around Covid-19
Identify tips for surviving and thriving
Discuss the gratitude gap

Tuesday, May 11, 2021 – 11 am ET

Self-care is not selfish

Now is the time to be your own cheerleader; I’ll share content related to Self-Care along with a 32-page Playbook featuring a special section on Tips and Techniques for Self-care.

Objectives

Discuss healing environments
Read and interpret your body’s signals
Describe mindset

Attend this 4-part series of FREE programs in honor of nurses and nursing. Enroll now, at no charge, and receive a copy of the 32-page Playbook! http://bit.ly/3lx9cez

March 21, 2021 By Sharon Weinstein

Is ZOOM the new fatigue?

Times have changed, and for those of us who spent a fair amount of time in meetings, conference halls, and on the road…we have seen a shift to online meetings, video calls, and so much more! Are you overwhelmed by too many hours in front of the “screen” during your day? Let’s face it…video interaction is the new normal, and maybe the next normal through the remainder of 2021.

Video is great; it is also tiring. How do you cope, and how can you create a strategy for avoiding the new fatigue? Here are 3 suggestions for pre/during/post the call.

Pre-call:

Define a workspace and “own” it; do not allow distractions that are not life-threatening and block the time

During the call:

Remain engaged; let others “see” you; avoid distractions and be present

Post-call:

Go offline and take a break; hydrate and unwind from digital overload

While video call overuse can lead to stress, anxiety, and fatigue, you have an opportunity to overcome the overwhelm by following these 3 steps. Enjoy the interaction and the face-to-face connections. Then, initiate a digital divide and take that much-needed timeout!

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!

To start the process: