The often griped-about “winter blues” may not sound like something to worry about, but as the days get colder and shorter, Seasonal Affective Disorder could be infiltrating your workplace without you knowing! Winter depression can arise from seasonal changes in sunlight exposure and temperature. Combine this with the ongoing cost of living crisis, and it’s never been more important for managers to recognize and combat stress within their teams. Managing the Winter Blues Low mood or depression can affect anyone, so it’s vital that managers take support themselves, as well as supporting their te ..read more

What makes you feel insecure? Maybe it’s public speaking. Perhaps making a mistake leaves you down on yourself. Maybe your “hot button” is feeling rejected. Most of us have something (or multiple things) that trigger a sense of low self-esteem. Even if we usually feel OK as we go about our day, running into that thing makes our anxiety spike – and we start telling stories in our head about what an inadequate person we are. You might think of it as your inner demon or the dark side of your brain. Self-Esteem’s Bottom Line While reading Melanie Fennell’s ground-breaking and practical book “Overc ..read more

Balance in work is not better time management, but better boundary management. Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices. – Betsy Jacobson How Can I Help You When I’m Exhausted Too? Under the best of circumstances, work can be exhausting. Too many projects, conflicting deadlines, and resource shortages may combine to cause stress and anxiety and drain our energy. (Have you noticed that while there are often resource shortages, there’s never a shortage of projects?) Mike Barzacchini How to Help Team Members Avoid or Recover From Exhaustion I’ve helped lead teams for nearly three ..read more

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Deadly airborn virus invades planet earth, global supplies plummet, and inflation skyrockets! Lately, the news has left me feeling a little strung out, to say the least. Just as I wrap my head around one life-altering event, my phone chirps sadistically to tell me that doomsday is nigh… again. The Cost of Living The latest threat to life as we know it? The cost of living crisis. As prices surge, people across the globe are suffering from the emotional strain of financial insecurity, forcing many to make difficult decisions about their money. While for some of u ..read more

Society has long held stereotypical perceptions of how men handle their emotions. Men suffer from antiquated ideas of burying feelings, using alcohol or drugs as a coping mechanism, and even becoming physically abusive to avoid tackling the problem. Obviously, none of these methods are healthy. And perpetuating these stereotypes does nothing to help men find an outlet without feeling overshadowed by judgment. Men are just as prone to anxiety, depression and emotional difficulties as women. While it can be hard to be vulnerable, particularly if you’ve had a lifetime of experience shutting your ..read more

Loneliness is a companion that many of us have become all too familiar with over the past couple of years. Last year, a quarter of Americans reported feeling loneliness for much of their day. And now, while many offices have reopened in the wake of the pandemic, working from home is still the norm for most of us who are able to work remotely. This means we’re missing out on valuable watercooler chats in the office, carpooling with old friends, and meeting new co-workers in person. Working from home certainly has its perks, but it sure can be lonely. It’s no surprise, then, that the theme for t ..read more

The one thing that I was certain of when I arrived in post-lockdown was that I’d learn from my experience – I wouldn’t just go back to my old ways. No way would I book myself up again like I used to. After all, I’d grown to secretly love this new space to breathe, to step off life’s merry-go-round and stop a while. To watch it all go by. My Changing Social Habits Fast forward two years, am I out any less? Am I any less busy? Hmmm, slightly, I would say. But I do love going out so “slightly less” is still a lot. These days, though, I’m more inclined to act when I find myself thinking, “You know ..read more

We all know that our body language can give off signals to those around us about how we’re truly feeling. Crossed arms or “closed body language” suggest that we’re feeling defensive and aren’t really receptive to the person we’re “listening” to. Fidgeting suggests that we’re bored. And poor eye contact or blushing can suggest that we’re lying (surely not!?). Body Language: Speak up With a Power Pose One major development in the field of body language that hit the headlines is the “power pose.” This is a theory put forward in 2011 by U.S. social psychologists Amy Cuddy, Dana Carney and Andy Yap ..read more

Click mouse. Nothing. Click, click. Still nothing. Panicked click-click-click. The big screen on my desk is dark. Frantic clickclickclick. And it’s dead. My mind goes into a tailspin. It feels as if a vortex of apocalyptic thoughts rips through my brain – I visualize the debris of my life hurtling toward a black hole and disappearing. A computer malfunction isn’t something I can absorb right now. Then I see it: a cable dangling from the screen. Wait… what? Mind Tools Coach and #MTtalk host, Yolande Conradie. It looks like the cable that should be plugged into my laptop to connect it to the scr ..read more

Mind Tools recently introduced flexible working. Genuinely flexible. We can work where and when we like, as long as the job gets done to deadline, to the same high standards, and with consideration for the needs of the wider team. Two things soon became apparent. First, my already positive experience of working for Mind Tools was raised another few notches. Second, I found that in practice it just didn’t feel right! The first point is probably the most important from the company’s point of view. The degree of trust it places in me and my colleagues feels good. And it seems to stem from the fir ..read more