Month: May 2023

Mental Health: What Leaders Can Do To Help Themselves and Others

On By Mindful Living AsiaLeave a comment

As much as 70% of people say that their managers have the greatest impact on their mental health, significantly more than their doctors or psychotherapist. Managers Have Major Impact On Mental Health: How To Lead For Wellbeing (forbes.com)

Wow, this is staggering. It makes you reflect on the significance of the role of a leader and the impact to the mental health of the people and to himself.

Leaders are already under a lot of pressure. They must add value to the impatient boards, demanding stakeholders, changing consumers while keeping ahead of the ever-aggressive competition. And, on top of that, keep the organization sane, happy and productive.

Here are some ways a leader can work better to improve the mental health of the people without forgetting his/her own:

1. Increase self-awareness – Understand your own strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Use tools to help you measure your impact and effectivity. Watch out against your own biases and defensiveness. Don’t be surprised if you find out that you are the problem. Self-awareness, owning and working on your gaps are the key steps towards personal mastery.

2. Communicate, communicate, communicate – Do not under-estimate the power of your presence as a leader and being accessible. Talk about the big picture – Vision, Mission, Purpose. Remind the people of the ‘Why’ you are all working together.

3. Listen deeply – Listen with genuine curiosity on what they have to say.  Create an environment where people can speak freely on how to improve productivity, effectiveness and results, without risk of judgement.

4. Take ‘the right’ action – People mistrust leaders who care only for their careers and take actions that only benefit themselves. Equally frustrating are leaders who take no responsibility for their actions, and those who are indecisive/does not take action despite having enough information.

5. Be clear, prioritize and stick to the plans – Once the plans are set, communicate and stick with them. Prioritize so people don’t get overwhelmed and confused. Don’t keep changing plans or priorities unless there are new and sufficient information. Clarify conflicting directions or priorities. Changing plans and unclear priorities waste a lot of efforts and a huge source of stress.

6. Celebrate – Take time to celebrate the results AND also the people. Recognize the people behind the result. Use this opportunity to connect people especially in a hybrid organization.

7. Work on your mental fitness – Sleep well. Eat well. Exercise. Re-charge alone and with your loved ones, whatever works for you. You cannot help others take care of their mental health if you are not mentally fit yourself. Seek help and support, if needed. It is not a sign of weakness. It is working smart.

What else would you add to this list?

❤️ Barbara

#leadership
#wellbeingintheworkplace
#mindfullivingasia

Mental Health: What Leaders Can Do To Help Themselves and Others

On By Mindful Living AsiaLeave a comment

As much as 70% of people say that their managers have the greatest impact on their mental health, significantly more than their doctors or psychotherapist. Managers Have Major Impact On Mental Health: How To Lead For Wellbeing (forbes.com)

Wow, this is staggering. It makes you reflect on the significance of the role of a leader and the impact to the mental health of the people and to himself.

Leaders are already under a lot of pressure. They must add value to the impatient boards, demanding stakeholders, changing consumers while keeping ahead of the ever-aggressive competition. And, on top of that, keep the organization sane, happy and productive.

Here are some ways a leader can work better to improve the mental health of the people without forgetting his/her own:

1. Increase self-awareness – Understand your own strengths and weaknesses as a leader. Use tools to help you measure your impact and effectivity. Watch out against your own biases and defensiveness. Don’t be surprised if you find out that you are the problem. Self-awareness, owning and working on your gaps are the key steps towards personal mastery.

2. Communicate, communicate, communicate – Do not under-estimate the power of your presence as a leader and being accessible. Talk about the big picture – Vision, Mission, Purpose. Remind the people of the ‘Why’ you are all working together.

3. Listen deeply – Listen with genuine curiosity on what they have to say.  Create an environment where people can speak freely on how to improve productivity, effectiveness and results, without risk of judgement.

4. Take ‘the right’ action – People mistrust leaders who care only for their careers and take actions that only benefit themselves. Equally frustrating are leaders who take no responsibility for their actions, and those who are indecisive/does not take action despite having enough information.

5. Be clear, prioritize and stick to the plans – Once the plans are set, communicate and stick with them. Prioritize so people don’t get overwhelmed and confused. Don’t keep changing plans or priorities unless there are new and sufficient information. Clarify conflicting directions or priorities. Changing plans and unclear priorities waste a lot of efforts and a huge source of stress.

6. Celebrate – Take time to celebrate the results AND also the people. Recognize the people behind the result. Use this opportunity to connect people especially in a hybrid organization.

7. Work on your mental fitness – Sleep well. Eat well. Exercise. Re-charge alone and with your loved ones, whatever works for you. You cannot help others take care of their mental health if you are not mentally fit yourself. Seek help and support, if needed. It is not a sign of weakness. It is working smart.

What else would you add to this list?

❤️ Barbara

#leadership
#wellbeingintheworkplace
#mindfullivingasia

Mastering Sleep – Part II

On By Mindful Living AsiaLeave a comment

😴 Mastering Sleep is probably your single biggest secret weapon to improve your personal productivity.

Sleep>energy>productivity.

We all know how it feels like when we don’t get to sleep well – feeling sluggish, groggy, brain is foggy, no energy, feeling drained even upon waking up.

🛌 Where do you begin to fix your sleep? Well, you have to wake up at the SAME TIME, EVERY DAY.

What does waking up at the same time have to do with sleeping well?

🌞 When you wake up, and the sun hits your face/skin. The melatonin production of your body shuts down. Melatonin is your sleep hormone.

Not only does the sun shuts down your production of Melatonin, it also resets when it will kick in again – 14 hours later.

🌛 So, assuming you wake up at 7am and exposed yourself to some early morning sun. Melatonin production shuts down and it kicks back again around 9pm. You can start winding down at around that time. And then, you can sleep an hour or two hours after.

💡 Why do you have to wake up at the same time everyday including weekends? Because the body wants regularity. That is how the circadian rhythm works (the waking/sleeping cycle of our body).

What do you do when you want to catch some sleep or feeling tired? Go and get some rest that the body wants for 10-20mins (not more). Sleep Doctor Dr. Michael Breus, PhD suggests avoiding sleeping too early or sleeping too long to “catch up”. It disrupts the normal circadian rhythm of the body.

#mindfullivingasia

#productivity

#sleep

#energy

#wellbeingattheworkplace

Getting Sunlight in the Morning Can Help You Sleep Better – Master Your Sleep (Part 1)

On By Mindful Living AsiaLeave a comment

Do you wake up in the morning feeling refreshed and ready to face the day? Or are you sluggish feeling you did not have enough rest?

Sleep affects our whole mind and body well-being not to mention our productivity and performance both at work and in other areas of life.

Lack of sleep can have a significant negative impact on productivity in a number of ways. Here are some ways how:

  1. Impaired cognitive function: Sleep is essential for optimal brain function, including cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and decision-making. Lack of sleep can impair these functions, making it more difficult to concentrate, remember important details, and make good decisions.
  2. Decreased motivation: When we are tired, we often feel less motivated to engage in activities and may have lower energy levels. This can lead to a decrease in productivity and work quality.
  3. Slower reaction time: Lack of sleep can also slow down our reaction time, making it more difficult to respond to unexpected events or emergencies.
  4. Increased mistakes and errors: Fatigue can cause us to make more mistakes and errors, which can be particularly problematic in work environments where accuracy is critical.
  5. Lowered creativity: Sleep deprivation can also lower our creativity levels, making it more difficult to come up with new and innovative ideas.

But what is the one thing that we can do to immediately help improve the quality of our sleep?

GET SOME SUN

Believe it or not, what you do in the first few hours of waking up affect the quality of our sleep.

HOW SUNLIGHT AFFECTS THE BODY

Sunlight in the morning can have a positive effect on sleep quality by regulating the body’s circadian rhythm, which is the internal biological clock that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles.

Exposure to natural light, particularly in the morning, can help reset the body’s internal clock and promote a more regular sleep-wake cycle. This is because exposure to light in the morning helps to suppress the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep and is typically higher in the evening and at night.

In addition to regulating the circadian rhythm, exposure to sunlight in the morning can also improve mood and energy levels, which can in turn improve sleep quality. Sunlight exposure helps to stimulate the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that is important for regulating mood and promoting feelings of well-being.

Getting exposure to sunlight in the morning can help you sleep at night because it helps reset your body’s inner “sleep clock.” Light is an important cue for your body’s sleep cycle. The light you are exposed to during the day helps your body figure out when it’s time to go to bed (and when it’s time to wake up).

Research suggests that direct exposure to bright natural light in the morning for as little as 10-15 minutes can help to reset the circadian rhythm and promote better sleep-wake cycles.

Sunlight is less intense first thing in the morning. It can still damage the skin, but not as much as it would later in the day. Wearing sunscreen can help keep your skin safe.

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO GET SUNSHINE?

Try to get out in the sun within the first hour after you wake up. The timing of sunrise can vary depending on your location and the time of year, so it is important to be aware of when the sun is rising in your area and aim to get outside during this time.

When you are travelling, follow the time of your new location. Morning sunlight is the best ‘fix’ for jetlag. Do the same thing, get out in the sun within the first hour after you wake up and get as much sun as you can during day time a few hours before retiring to sleeping.

If you are feeling sleepy after lunch or mid-afternoon, hold off reaching to a cup of coffee. Sunshine can have as much impact to waking up your senses and jumpstarting your energy as much as coffee.

HOW TO GET MORE EARLY LIGHT

Taking a walk first thing in the morning gets you sunlight and exercise at the same time. If you have a porch or patio, you could have your breakfast outside.  If the day is overcast and cloudy, you can still get sunshine. Light from the sun that is filtered through clouds or rain can still have positive effects.

Once you figure out what works, stick to a regular schedule. Waking up at the same time every day and getting morning sunlight is a good combination.

IN SUMMARY, getting sunlight when you first wake up in the morning can help you sleep better at night. If you are not sleeping well at night, look for ways to get more sunshine right after you wake up in the morning. When you sleep well, it has positive effects on other areas of your life. 

How to stop procrastination NOW!

On By Mindful Living AsiaLeave a comment

How many times have you found yourself staring at the same to do list? What is the cost of missing out deadlines for you? Are you disappointed with yourself for not acting fast enough?

Well, you are not alone in trying to wrestle with procrastination. It is a common problem that can lead to stress, missed deadlines, and reduced productivity. So, what can you do to stop procrastination? Here are some tips for you:

  1. First, IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAuSE: Understanding why you procrastinate can help you develop strategies to address the problem. Do you have a fear of failure, are you lacking motivation, you don’t know why you have to do what you have to do or feeling overwhelmed? By identifying the underlying cause, you can develop targeted strategies to address it.
  2. If you are feeling overwhelmed and do not know where to start, BREAK THE TASKS INTO SMALLER STEPS. Large tasks can be daunting, which can lead to procrastination. Breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable steps can make them less intimidating and easier to start.
  3. Set specific goals and deadlines: Setting specific goals and deadlines can help you stay focused and motivated. Once you start accomplishing smaller tasks, you would feel good and motivated to do the next big chunk of tasks. Break down larger goals into smaller milestones with clear deadlines to help you stay on track.
  4. USE TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES: Effective time management is critical to avoiding procrastination. Strategies such as prioritization, scheduling, and time blocking can help you stay focused and make the most of your time. Your calendar can be your best tool so know exactly when and what time you need to do what. Or even a simple to-do list can work. It feels good to strike off to-do items from your list and seeing accomplishments per day.
  5. MINIMIZE DISTRACTIONS: Distractions such as social media, email, and other interruptions can be a significant source of procrastination. It is easy to drift into social media and before you know it, time passed without you accomplishing anything. Minimize distractions by turning off notifications, blocking social media sites, and creating a distraction-free work environment. Block off the time to work on the hardest things without distractions.
  6. PRACTICE SELF COMPASSION: Be kind to yourself and avoid self-criticism when you do procrastinate. Avoid telling yourself ‘You are lazy’, good for nothing or incapable’. Remind yourself ‘you can do this’. Focus on taking action to address the problem and developing strategies to prevent it from happening in the future. Take micro breaks if you need but be mindful of time and get things going.
  7. Finally, SEEK SUPPORT. Don’t be afraid to seek support from friends, family, coworkers, or professionals like coaches and psychotherapists. Talking about the problem and getting feedback and support can help you stay motivated and on track. But own your progress. Keep pushing until you have a more productive habit.

Overall, addressing procrastination requires a combination of self-awareness, goal setting, time management strategies, and support from others. By taking steps to address the problem, you can improve your productivity and achieve better results.