Category Archives: Productivity

Reasons for Corporate Executive Coaching

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1. To enhance performance, increase productivity and profits, and career Development:
Accountability partnerships

2. Protect company’s assets from potential legal challenges.
Behavioral corrections: harassment, anger management, conflict management, and “last chance” support for poor performance.

3. Management Team team building: Enhancing communication, EQ, team productivity, OD

4. Retention of Key Personnel (and Loyalty): Incentive Bonus Package, Benchmarking top performers and learning what motivates your key people (to keep them satisfied and productive.) Creating an “Attraction Package” for hiring success (use Benchmarking for selection process.)

5. Honoring organization’s Mission Statement of support for executives, leaders, and managers. Offering “Continuous Life Long Learning” investment, skill development or enhancement (leadership and managing,) and career management (perk.)

Costs of Executive Coaching should be more than offset by increased productivity, reduced turnover, and risk containment.

Areas of Experience with Executive and Management Team Coaching:
• Skills for Productivity and Performance Enhancement – Accountability
• Leadership Development for Executives & Managers
• Communication Development for Executives & Managers
• Sales Skills Development and Accountability
• Meeting Management
• Time Management
• Goal Setting and OD Planning
• Work/Life Balance
• Stress Management – Reducing Stress Related Health Challenges
• Customer Service
• Anger Management and Mitigating Harassment
• Manager/Supervisor Skill Development
• Team Building Skills for Managers
• Motivation Skills for Managers
• Presentation Skills Development
• Career Management
• Leading Change
• Conflict Management
• Emotional Intelligence (EQ)
• Negotiation
• Assessments, Benchmarking Success, 360 Degree Feedback, EQ

Visit the Stress Education Center http://www.dstress.com for more information regarding Executive Coaching. Or Call the Stress Education Center at (360) 593-3833.

7 Steps to Prosperity and Wealth

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3 P’s (Productivity, Performance, and Prosperity) Process: Life Prosperity Program

What is prosperity and wealth to you? If you are willing to work and you can find the correct vehicle to create financial success, then here are the seven steps to attain your goal.

I qualified the offer because this is not a get rich quick scheme or a win the “Lottery” fantasy come-true article. It requires that you have a desire to work for the success that you deserve. Sometimes a key to success is to find the business or service that you are most passionate about and a way of presenting this to potential consumers. There are other articles and coaching that can lead you to the discovery of the best financial endeavor for you…

The 7 Steps are:
1. Set Your Goal
2. Overcome your barriers to success… Take Responsibility!
3. Create your plan… Map your path
4. Visualize your Success (and Create Affirmations that lead to your Goal)
5. Work Your Plan… Dedicate some time and energy to Achieving your dream
6. Let Go of Expectations that will Prevent your Success
7. Show Gratitude for your life and Success and find a Positive way to give “Back”

Are you ready to get to work? This will be your basic outline of the steps you need to move to success.

1. Set Your Goal
Think Big! What do want to achieve? How do want to be living? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? How much money do you want? How soon do you want it? Can your business endeavor allow you to reach these goals? For example, if you are working part time at WalMart can you expect to acquire $3 Million Dollars by Christmas? Probably not! You will need to find and develop another financial vehicle to get you to your dream, and to do this by the upcoming Christmas Season may be a challenging time frame.

Without a solid, articulated and specific goal, you can not get in the game. Many people require assistance with this first step. There are small business support organizations and business mentors from an organization known as SCORE (look for score.org to find a local office in the United States.) Do not let them steal your dreams, but get advice regarding how your business might start or how to enhance your venture’s operations. They can even help you develop funding after you create a solid business plan. (Do not be afraid to ask for help or, at least, feedback from people who know business These people will be your Role Models or Mentors, or Coaches or possibly your partners…)

Do not skip through the first step! You will need to establish a Goal to set your sights on. The more specific you can make this, the better, and faster, you will get your best results.

2. Overcome your barriers to success… Take Responsibility!
If you have never been financially successful before…. WHY? You would really benefit from knowing why. What are your limitations? What have you learned from the past? How can you accept responsibility for any obstacles that you have encountered in past endeavors? You may even have to ask the hard questions about why you needed to “attract” the past lack of success. If you look to blame external sources, you may be missing an opportunity to learn how to control these situations in future situations. Taking Responsibility is difficult for the people who need this the most. It is too easy to quit when you can find a reason or excuse that is beyond your control… I repeat, this is easier said than done, so be prepared to reach out for assistance overcoming limitations and barriers.

For many people, their fear of success or distrust of money (or wealth) can be major barriers to achieving success. Do not become a victim to past programming or childhood experiences. You are ready for success and you deserve the benefits of financial security and wealth. Do not give in to negativity or bad habits. It is time to behave like a winner! This is a challenging, but important, step that often requires personalized attention.

3. Create your plan… Map your path
You need a “road map” that will take you to your goal. You need to break down the small steps that will lead you down the pathway to your success. Some people forget these details. They might act too quickly and fail without a good, thoughtful plan. Some people over plan and do not act. You need to find the balance. Create a workable time frame. Get the resources you will require to execute your plan.

Reward yourself for each small achievement. Celebrate the steps that you take on the path to your success. If you are moving toward your first $1 Million dollars, you should celebrate your first $100, then your first $500, and your first $1000, etc. I did not say go out spend all your profits, but you need to acknowledge the victories along the way. Let these help to build your momentum.

Also, remember that along your path, you may find alternatives or additional sources of revenue that will get you to your goals more quickly. Be open to these and be flexible.

4. Visualize your Success (and Create Affirmations that lead to your Goal)
After you have created your plan, then you must visualize this plan succeeding, not in the future, but as if it were happening NOW!. It is best to visualize, or see, success coming to you. Also, FEEL the success. Feel all of the excitement and joy. Bask in these great feelings as you desire the success, again, as if it were already occurring. HEAR the sounds of success. What would this victory sound like to you?

There are skills that you can learn and use for creating positive affirmations. You repeat these several times throughout your day. The affirmations are the positive advertising that you need to develop the unconscious habit patterns that will lead to your success. Powerful affirmations that are in the present, positive, and emotional will work the best for achieving your goals. Build a “Vision Board” with pictures of your desired lifestyle and post this where you will view it daily.

5. Work Your Plan… Dedicate some time and energy to Achieving your dream
You have to get out there and work your plan. Talk to everyone. Network. Market. Sell! Produce your product or service… Demonstrate your passion, skill, and enthusiasm. Do not miss an opportunity to share your dream and visualize your success. When you are exercising, visualize your plan and its success. Before bed and right after waking, say your affirmations. Make your calls. Send your letters or e-mails. Learn about the things that you can do to better market yourself and your product. Learn about additional successful strategies that you see your successful role-models using.

Habits can be difficult to change. We do not like change, most of the time, but we have to gradually allow ourselves to push through to new habits of success. It can take time, so DO NOT GIVE UP! Getting discouraged and quitting is all too common for many of us. People like to work very hard and then succeed though hard work does not guarantee success. However, you may be surprised how easily your success will manifest when using these 7 steps.

6. Let Go of Expectations that will Prevent your Success
The harder you TRY, the more challenging success can get. Have you ever NEEDED a job or NEEDED a relationship? Did it seem like the more you needed or wanted your desired outcome the more obstacles seemed to appear? The more you push, the less success you get. You must learn to have powerful visualizations but less “Attachment” to the outcome. Be pleasantly surprised and try to drop your expectations. Expectations screw things up! Learning to “Let GO” physically, then emotionally, and then spiritually, will serve you well, but again, is easier said than done. Our Ego gets in the way and does not allow the success to flow freely to us. Our Ego wants to push and to “Own” the success. When our dream arrives or our goal is achieved, it will be more a “gift” from the universe… A gift you must celebrate… A gift that you deserve!

7. Show Gratitude for your life and Success and find a Positive way to give “Back”
Be grateful for all the blessings you have, no matter how small. Appreciate the assistance and guidance that you get along the way. Celebrate and share your prosperity by assisting others. This does not mean giving all your money, or all your time, or all your resources away, but be willing to support and honor, with respect, any and all travelers you meet along the way. We are all in this together, on some level, and we must be willing to “give back” in some way…

Mentoring others can be a great networking opportunity and a way of giving support.

These 7 steps work best when you get them tailored to your specific requirements. You may need to find mentors or coaches to assist you developing and executing your plan. You may require an accountability partner (or coach) to help keep you focused. You may want to develop a supportive Master Mind group that will assist you in moving toward your success. Very few of us can make it through all of these steps alone, so consider the assistance that you require to clarify these steps and then to help you to maintain your focus as you move down your path toward your goal.

Celebrate your Productivity, your Performance, and your Prosperity.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Success & Executive Coaching and Training. His new “Life Prosperity” retreat process guides his clients to personalized success strategies that lead to increased productivity and prosperity.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at Stress, Stress Management, Coaching, and Training for articles, free newsletter signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833.

Social Skills: Are They Necessary?

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Social skills: are they necessary to get along in the society?

Are social skills really necessary in present-day society? Has the use of technology reduced our ability to function socially and to communicate effectively? How do you develop good social skills and use them most effectively?

I am sure that you have experienced people in this world who seem to lack even the most basic of social skills. They are socially awkward and they are lacking in interpersonal communication skills. There are many people in this world who march through the world as if they are the “bull in the china shop,” he socially. These people do not seem to recognize that other people exist and must function in the same world, or in the same space, as they do.

In social relationships, these people may seem awkward and difficult to communicate with. They may seem insensitive and sometimes disruptive. They do not seem to understand basic social interactions and so they seem to blunder through social experiences in often entertaining ways. (It is entertaining only if you have the right attitude and can identify the shortcomings of these people. When you are not in the right mood, these behaviors may be very irritating and annoying. And the sad thing is, that these people do not even realize that they have been annoying or that their behaviors have been lacking in good social skill.

In business, the lack of interpersonal social skills can be a real detriment to success and to long-term positive business relationships. There are many job descriptions where the lack of social skills is more accepted and perhaps even valued, however, it can create very difficult and awkward in situations in the higher functioning business activities. In social and business situations, you are often, but not always, given one chance to make a good impression and can be forgiven for a single social faux pas. Repeated social awkwardness can label you as unworthy for long-term business relationships. Depending on the business situation, there are behaviors, vocabulary, dress codes, and presentation skills that can either support or deter business relationships. If you do not know the appropriate behaviors, your blunders may really get in your way.

But where do you learn good social skills that can help you in interpersonal relationships and business situations? Many children, very early in their lives, learn by watching and interacting with the people in their lives. If their parents do not have social skills or if they are left too long with their young peers, they may find it difficult to get along in school, business, and interpersonal relationships. It can often be embarrassing and from this embarrassment a person can either choose the path towards greater self-awareness and development of social skills or they can continue to isolate themselves. All of us have had our socially awkward moments, but most of us who have gained success, have learned from our mistakes or awkwardness and have developed better interpersonal skills and effective ways of communicating and leading other people. There are even some leadership programs such as Toastmasters where people can develop better communication and leadership abilities. People who refuse to develop these skills can still be successful but may have a more difficult path to follow.

With the use of technologies, more young people do not have face-to-face contact and the opportunities to develop good verbal and nonverbal communication skills. This may cause social awkwardness in school, in business, and in developing important interpersonal relationships. Sometimes we have to quit text messaging and actually sit eyeball to eyeball with another person to learn the skills of both verbal and nonverbal communication. An important consideration is that we learn to trust our gut feelings in social situations and learn to read the people that we are interacting with. Again, there can be many times when we make mistakes and come across as “communication challenged.” We must learn from these important experiences.

Sometimes we need to find a mentor or a coach who can help us develop our own personal insights, awareness, and interpersonal skills. Since these skills are not always taught in school, even in college, we must honor the importance of these experiences and abilities and pursue them to be able to achieve our highest levels of success. I challenge you to find the best situations and mentors so that you can develop these social skills and find the success that you deserve. (Organizations like Toastmasters may be a good place to start.)

Please send any comments or questions to the Stress Education Center regarding these blogs. Please take good care of yourself.

6 Keys to Sales Success & Personal Prosperity

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Sales Prosperity – Success Tips
Including Tips for Sales Managers

#1 Know Your Strengths and Challenges

If you want to more productive and prosperous in your sales activities, you must begin by knowing where you are strong and where you have challenges. You will not benefit from “sticking your head in the sand.” By knowing and understanding what you do well and what requires more attention, you can improve your productivity. There are several ways to gather this information.

Assessments which are specific for determining skill levels in the sales process can be very helpful. This works especially well when we can “benchmark” the top performers in your organization, so you can compare your skills with the most effective sales personnel. Assessments which measure your behaviors and motivations can also be powerful tools to better understand your unique skills and motivators. These behavioral assessments will also tell you about your style of communication and can assist you in learning how to be more effective in communications with your clients. Interviews with clients and people who know you and your work can also be useful for this assessment process.

#2 Know Your Product

Any good sales people know that product knowledge and understanding your “USP” (unique selling proposition) is essential for setting you and your product in the best possible light thus enhancing the sales process. New sales personnel do not always have to be “experts” but they do need to know the strengths of their product and how it might compare with major competition. Developing relationships and getting the information you may not be able to answer to your clients questions becomes essential when you are new or are developing new relationships.

#3 Know Your Customer

Understanding your customer, in general, is important. Understanding your customer, in specifics, can be the difference in the sales process. You can not be lazy or make assumptions to have long term success. A tailored proposal based on your client’s specific requirements is necessary to close the deal, so do your homework. If you do not know THEIR “hot buttons” then they will not pay attention to you or buy your product or service!

Knowing the attitude and style of specific customers will be very useful when you put your presentation together. For example, your client may be a “detail” person, or perhaps a “cutting edge” person. Your sales pitch will vary to best connect with the unique character of your client. You can be coached in how to be the most effective in building your targeted presentations.

#4 Know How to Communicate Benefits to Your Customer, Effectively!

Understanding your client is essential. Knowing how to best communicate your “USP” in ways that solve your clients’ challenges will help you to most successful. So, knowing your product’s benefits, and your clients requirements, packaged for the unique communication style of your client will lead to sales. This is easier said than done, but can be learned and then practiced for the greatest levels of success.

#5 Know How to Focus and How to Follow-up

Understanding the sales process and setting goals is important. Perhaps even more important to sales success is knowing how to stay focused and releasing the distractions which can get in the way of your positive efforts and waste your precious time. Focus is a skill that can be coached and developed. If you have time to waste then this skill is not as important, but most successful people are very busy and need to be able to keep themselves clear and focused on their goals.

Appropriate follow up with clients provides the experience of professionalism, respect, and customer service that helps to build long term successful relationships. Great follow up will also lead to referrals and testimonials that will generate future business. Over performing in your follow up activities will be seen as exceptional service and this leads to greater productivity and prosperity.

#6 Know How to Prepare Yourself for Prosperity and Success

Wanting to be rich and successful is not enough to create this higher level of success. Preparing yourself for achieving your goals requires time, effort, and often feedback. Attracting success and prosperity has become a recognized part of the sales process for the most successful sales performers. You can read books on this topic or go to trainings. If you wish to take the quickest path to prosperity and to overcoming any personal blocks to success, you may want to consider getting coaching that is designed for your specific requirements. Everyone wants to be successful. Not everyone knows how to get there with some extra support from an accountability partner. (It can cost you some money to be successfully coached, but it can also pay major dividends to have this additional support.)

Sales Success Tips for Sales Executives-Managers-Owners

Do you want to get the most out of your sales force? Would increased productivity help your organization’s bottom-line?

Benchmarking your best producers is very useful. Knowing their skills, their motivations, and their behaviors will help you to avoid wasting time and money when filling your critical sales positions. Understanding your weakest performers can offer you the information you need to develop these low performers or to avoid hiring them for your unique sales situation. With your best sales performers benchmarked, you will be able to develop the most effective training programs to increase productivity in all your sales team. Each organization is unique so do not get outside consulting or training that does not fit for the specific requirements that you have.

Would you like to pay coaches or trainers based on your teams success and not on a flat fee basis? If a trainer or coach could help you or your sales team increase sales by 20% would you be willing to pay a 2% of this increase or 10% of your increased profit for this service? This is similar to a 10% “finders fee” for a productive referral. Besides benchmarking, your success may require coaching and training for your sales team. Consider a lower cost coaching/training model with an incentive driven compensation system. In some situations, I will coach sales teams and get paid a percentage of the increased sales business. For this to work, we need to do an assessment of your sales staff, research the market, and better understand the unique selling features of your product or service. If we can both profit from this sales development program, then we can discuss the percentage of compensation and the time lines for compensation. There are some fees for the assessment process which cover the costs of research and for program development.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the country’s leading stress management expert and the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Success & Executive Coaching and Training. His experience in guiding sales teams and individuals has succeeded in increasing profits and productivity. If you want to be more successful, call Dr. Mason for a proposal.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at http://www.dstress.com for Stress, Sales Management, Coaching, and Training for other articles, free newsletter signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833. www.dstress.com

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the http://www.dstress.com for Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.

What Makes a Manager a Bad Boss

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Survey Results

Do you want to avoid becoming a bad boss? Do you fear that you may already be considered a bad boss? Just want to commiserate with other people who have bad bosses? Here are thoughts about what makes a bad boss, well – bad?

Survey Results from a readers survey conducted by Susan Heathfield regarding:
What makes a manager a Bad Boss

1. 37% reported: The Manager provides little direction.
2. 21% said The Manager micromanages or “nit-picks.”
3. 15% said, The manager belittles and puts down staff.
4. 12% said, Little or no recognition for success or hard work.
5. 8% said, The manager is indecisive and seemingly changes direction at whim.

Bad bosses, in order of their frequency in the survey, do the following.

Love “brown nosers”, tattletales, and relatives who report to them. They choose favorite employees and cover up and make excuses for the poor work of their incompetent favorites. They ignore selected people and discriminate against many employees.

Fail to communicate, and may not even have, expectations, timelines or goals. Bad bosses change their minds frequently leaving employees off-balance. Bad bosses change expectations and deadlines frequently.

Use disciplinary measures inappropriately when simple, positive communication would correct the problem. Bad bosses ignore employees until there is a problem, then pounce.

Speak loudly, rudely, one-sidedly to staff. Bad bosses don’t provide the air time for staff to respond to accusations and comments. They intimidate people and bully staff. They allow other employees to bully employees.

Take credit for the successes and positive accomplishments of employees. They are equally as quick to blame employees when something goes wrong.

Fail to provide rewards or recognition for positive employee performance.

Additional characteristics that were reported included the bad boss:
1. Is not qualified for the boss job by either skills or experience.
2. Will not let go of problems or mistakes. The bad boss returns to discuss negative events continually and searches for faults in employees.
3. Will not accept constructive feedback and suggestions for improvement. The bad boss can’t deal with disagreement from employees who have their own opinions about work related issues.
4. Lacks integrity, breaks promises, and is dishonest.
5. Does not have the courage to deal with a difficult situation despite knowing that it is the right thing to do.
6. Causes dissention among staff members by his or her actions and comments.
Comments also made the point that a lot of bad boss behavior is enabled, or at least allowed, by the boss’s bad boss.

Many managers have great technical: training, experience or skills, but have not been coached or mentored as managers. If you are looking for coaching or management development, please consider the Professional Management Coaching Program for manager skills training.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at Stress, Stress Management, Coaching, and Training for articles, free newsletter signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.

#1 Waste of Time and Energy

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A Case for Executive Coaching:

There has always been a huge amount of waste in America. Heck, we have made a fine art of wasting our resources, but the catastrophic effect of wasting our time, our money, our energy, and our health on our lack of positive attention to the excessive stress in our lives is mind boggling stupid!

If we could avoid accidents and focus better on present assignments, we could save a huge amount of time and energy. This will save us money and improve our productivity… A very simple concept, but an easily ignored solution to our huge problem of wasted resources.

An executive vice president of a large financial institution was referred to me for Executive Coaching. He was actually sent by his physician because he was challenged by high blood pressure and GI complaints as a habituated response to his daily work stress. Let’s call him Bob. Bob was very successful and in his mid 50’s. He admitted that his real motivation in seeking coaching was that he was suffering from “Burn-out.” We decided to help him to manage his stress related symptoms because these “distractions” were keeping from enjoying his work. I gave him background information regarding the physiology of stress to help explain how and why the stress response manifests in physical or emotional symptoms. I also explained that stress wastes his time, uses up his energy, and creates distractions that can lead to wasteful mistakes. Bob agreed to listen to some guided relaxation CD’s that would teach him to control his habit of holding stress in his circulatory system and GI tract.

We met once a week to check in and to upgrade his stress management strategy. There was a huge struggle in the first few weeks because Bob could not “find time” to listen to the 20 minutes guided relaxations. At our fourth session, I “fired” Bob. I explained that it was a waste of our time and his money to continue this work if he was not going to follow through. (Note: the understanding of the theory of stress and stress management is almost never enough… one actually needs to practice stress management to master it to get the best results.) Bob had never been “Fired” from anything and he pleaded with me to give him one more chance… He figured out a way to use the CD before work. In two weeks he returned with a positive response. It was not that his blood pressure had dropped, because that requires 8-12 weeks of regular practice for most people. Bob said his GI complaints were a little bit better. But, Bob’s biggest revelation was that in 2 weeks of practice he could get his 8 hours of work done in 6.5 hours and this freed time to work on “back burner” projects (that were more interesting to him.) He was getting more done in less time AND having more fun! His “burn out” (due to overwhelm) was slipping away. Bob was sold on this stress management process because he was feeling better and being more productive. He realized how much time and energy he had been wasting!

Bob’s story is far from unique. I have heard this hundreds of times. Americans have a difficult time “sitting still” and resist practicing stress management to prevent problems or to improve their quality of life. If you found the “right” stress management technique, one that will work for you, the practice will free up your time, energy, and improve your focus. Research indicates that 20 minutes of deep relaxation can re-place the need of up to 2 hours of sleep. The sleep that you do get will be deeper and more restful. That is another huge problem for Americans, we do not get enough quality sleep/rest and our health and productivity suffers.

If you could feel better, save time, improve your productivity and focus, and have more energy would you spend 20 minutes of your valuable time practicing stress management? Stress management can even help to slow the aging process and may help you from the eating habits that make you gain weight.

Getting trained or coached in stress management is not expensive. The skills you will learn will last a life time and may prevent, or reduce, the need for costly medications. You might be able to minimize, if not eliminate, stress related symptoms that impair the quality of your life and negatively affect your productivity.
My challenge to you after reading this article, will you get up and do something to manage your stress or will you just stick your head in the sand and re-enter your state of denial??? Effective stress management often includes a combination of regular relaxation (or meditation,) some physical exercise, and a decent diet that avoids caffeine… Also remember that alcohol, medication, or drugs are not good long term solutions for stress management.

Please take good care of yourself.

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the country’s leading expert on stress management and the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Success & Executive Coaching and Training.
Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at Stress, Stress Management, Coaching, and Training for articles, free newsletter signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833.

If you are looking to promote your training or coaching career, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Training and Certification Program for a secondary source of income or as career path.

Caffeine Cause Anxiety Attacks

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Since the dawning of the “Information Age” in the early 1980’s the pace of change has accelerated in our society. To keep pace with the explosion of new information and this rapid rate of change, many people have adopted a new coping strategy of increasing their consumption of caffeine. Caffeine is a drug. It is a stimulant which increases many of same physiological responses as the survival response known as the “Flight-Fight” response. It is this reaction by the body to the stimulation from caffeine that can trigger an anxiety-type physical reaction. Many people are unsuspecting and naïve regarding the full extent of this response to which often includes a common, and even, celebrated “rush” of energy. Knowing about this response can keep you from being a victim to caffeine related anxiety attacks.

As a stimulant, the effect of caffeine can be different from one person to the next. The amount of caffeine consumed, and then the amount actually absorbed by the body, can contribute to the range of reactions. It is not uncommon for caffeine to cause an increase in brain wave activity that can arouse a tired mind. This is the most desired response for many sleep deprived people. This can backfire on many people who may have a day long response to their morning coffee (or other caffeine source) because many people can not sleep well at bedtime as a response to this early caffeine consumption. This “vicious cycle” will then cause poor quality sleep/rest which requires more caffeine to get “up” for the next day’s activities.

The stimulation caused by caffeine can also increase heart rate and for some people increase their blood pressure as it simulates the release of excitatory hormones like adrenaline (epinephrine.) This rapid heart rate, when severe, can scare people, triggering the hormonal release which can cause a greater anxiety reaction. The frightening response to the physical associations of an anxiety attack can cause fear and can even drive people to the emergency rooms with the concern that the patient believes that they going to die from a heart attack. We have enough anxiety in our society without pushing ourselves over the edge with the stimulation of caffeine.

Caffeine can cause an increase in skeletal muscle tension as it triggers the classic flight response. This muscle tension can be distracting (loss of focus), cause fatigue, and in many cases increase the likelihood of increased muscle spasms and so, muscle contraction pain. In this way, caffeine can contribute to muscle tension headaches from the tightness of muscles in the jaw, neck, and shoulders. For people suffering from chronic muscular tension pain, this can contribute to their tension and pain. It will often cause an increased anxiety driven response to their pain which can intensify their chronic pain complaints. This is especially true for lower back pain and neck/shoulder pain, as well as the peripheral pains in the arms and legs that can be associated with back pain.

For those of you who use caffeine regularly, you should also know that there are plenty of cases of physical and psychological addiction to this drug. Many people feel withdrawal symptoms that are not comfortable when they try to discontinue their caffeine habit. If you want to discontinue, the best way to do this would be gradually over time. Substituting ½ de-caf into your morning coffee and minimizing other caffeine laden products will be helpful. Be patient and drink extra water!

In its defense, caffeine can be helpful for some types of headaches such as migraine headaches which can be reduced by caffeine or associated cafergot. (Cafergot is a brand name of the combination of ergotamine and caffeine.) With its stimulating effects on the digestive system, caffeine may also work as a laxative to minimize problems with constipation. Historically, European coffee “salons” were places where intellectuals could meet and have lively discussions while drinking brewed coffee which was more healthful than the untreated available water which was often contaminated with deadly diseases of the Middle Ages. The other alternative beverage for most Middle Age Europeans was to drink beer or alcoholic drinks which did not encourage good discussion, thinking, or productivity.

Since the 1980’s, our society has seen an explosion of coffee houses and Espresso stands. You can not get through any American city without being confronted by easily accessible purveyors of liquid coffee refreshments. Both young and old are caught in this “glamorous” habit with expanding zeal. A gift of choice is the insidious gift certificate for the expensive coffee houses. This has gotten to be big business.

Besides coffee or espresso drinks, caffeine is found in many products. Black teas, green tea, soft drinks, chocolate candy, and as an additive in many other products are but a few of these additional sources for caffeine. There are even a few products with commercial names like: Jolt, Red Bull, and RockStar that cater to the young caffeine crazed generation that seem to require higher concentrations of caffeine. I do not want to deprive people from indulging in these products, but people must be aware of what the effects of these products can do to their body’s and to people who interact with caffeine saturated folks. Many cases of “road rage” may be traced to the negative effects of over-caffeinated, stressed drivers.

Let’s have some common sense. Moderation is a great rule to follow, especially if you are one the people who are most sensitive to the effects of caffeine. Coffee businesses are not bad or the enemy, we just need to learn how use their products in the most appropriate ways.

If you are looking for wellness coaching, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Coaching Program (train the trainer) at http://www.dstress.com

L. John Mason, Ph.D. is the country’s leading stress management expert and the author of the best selling “Guide to Stress Reduction.” Since 1977, he has offered Success & Executive Coaching and Training.

Please visit the Stress Education Center’s website at Stress, Stress Management, Coaching, and Training (at http://www.dstress.com) for articles, free ezine (newsletter) signup, and learn about the new telecourses that are available. If you would like information or a targeted proposal for training or coaching, please contact us at (360) 593-3833.

Tips for Getting Better Sleep

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Since 1978, I have been coaching my clients on improving their sleep. I am L. John Mason, Ph.D. and founder to the Stress Education Center. In this blog, I would to offer the best tips for getting the sleep you require and deserve.

Add any or all of these tips to your life until you find the ones that work for you.
1. Create your own bedtime ritual for preparing for sleep. Use a regular bedtime and allow as much time for sleep as you require (and we are all a bit different in this requirement.) Some clients will take a warm bath or shower to relax before heading for bed. Other people may read calming books or articles that do not stimulate too much thinking. TV news is NOT ideal before sleep for most people.
2. Avoid stimulants like caffeine. Many people find that even one cup of coffee in the morning can affect their sleep at night. Be aware of how much caffeine you use and when you consume it.
3. Limit your bed activities to sleep and sex, so you do not get into the habit of being awake in bed. (Even though TV, reading, work, and telephone calls are possible activities, these may not help your bedtime sleeping.)
4. Avoid eating big meals or drinking alcohol late in your day for these can reduce your ability to get quality sleep.
5. Create a calm, safe, dark, warm (enough,) quiet space to sleep. Avoid unnecessary stimulation.
6. If your mind is racing and filled with clutter, consider making a list or using a journal so you do need to keep all this information in your head.
7. Eat a healthy diet. (Remember to not eat too late and avoid caffeine and stimulants.)
8. Get regular exercise but not too close to bedtime.
9. Avoid using sleeping pills regularly.
10.Avoid naps, if you are having difficulty sleeping at bedtime. (Though meditations have be helpful and can take the place of some need for sleep.)
11.Consider using relaxation techniques especially ones that will aid in muscular relaxation and in slow down your mind. More in the next blog but using simple breathing techniques can be great at bedtime.
Two other online articles and resources can be found at:
7 tips for sleep from the Mayo clinic http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/sleep/HQ01387 7 is stress reduction
12 tips for sleep from Harvard medical center http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/getting/overcoming/tips no stress
Please take good care of yourself and get enough good quality sleep.

Leadership Begins with Listening

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Both words begin with the letter “L” but these two concepts are tied together by more. All good communication training begin with the principle that to have a good communication you must first be ready to listen and to understand what your communication partner is attempting to convey. Good leadership involves good communication and so these management techniques are linked. With good listening and good communication a good leader will not only be able to develop the most successful course toward the goal but will be able to motivate the various team members to perform their roles with the highest level performance that they have available. If there are challenges and resistance to change then a good leader will listen, understand the issues, and be able to address these difficulties to help keep the positive movement toward the end goal on target.

Executives or managers who do not really trust or respect their team will micro-manage so they will still “feel” they are in control but they will not be able to develop the strength of a high performance team. These managers will not be good leaders and it often starts with poor listening skills. Managers who are “bullies” will not have long term success. In the short term, they may get progress through intimidation but then sabotage and burnout will develop and the cost of this negative leadership will reduce cost benefits. “Bullies” by their nature are not good leaders or listeners.

Good leaders will trust their team members to come up with positive solutions and answers when challenges occur. Good leaders will share the glory, the rewards, and the recognition with key team members as the goals are reached. This creates further motivation and builds trusting relationships that will endure into future projects. A reputation of good leadership will help advance an executive’s career especially when the good results and successes of their teams continue to polish their leadership image.

Good listening requires that your self-interests, self-needs, or self-distractions are kept to a minimum which is easier said than done. Keeping an open mind as you listen will assist the process. Understanding the background experience or perspective that your team member brings will help to give you the insight you require to develop the communication into the most productive interaction that is possible.

For more information and support with your leadership skills please consider the executive coaching approach used at the Stress Education Center which is found at www.dstress.com

“Finding Your Tone” – A Path to Empowerment

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Have you ever felt so strongly about an experience or a process of self-discovery that you know that you will never be same and the new knowledge feels like you are on a path toward “enlightenment?” You can feel it in your “gut” when the insight is “right.” 

In a similar way, have you ever “connected” with another person or a group so strongly that you can feel the power of acceptance and support which allows you to find deeper insights? If you “resonate” with an experience so you can evoke “deep” memories and emotions, you bask in a feeling of celebration of that moment of awakening. If significant enough, it becomes a new memory that you will never forget. As an example, in my early twenties I had several powerful meditation insights that I can recall as if they had just happened. One was a visualization that came to me in meditation that I was sitting with my back to a tree on the bank of the “river of life.” In my visualization, the river flowed from my right to left in its slow progression through life. The waters were golden in color made up of individual golden molecules of water that each represented a separate lifeform. I visualized myself as single molecule of water drifting with the current. As the river moved down from the mountains it pushed toward the golden ocean where the molecules could evaporate and the life reborn to start again as the rain that falls high in the mountains and begins the voyage back down the river of life. The most important insight for me has been that I am connected with all other living things as we flow down the river of life.Connected and not alone. This experience and insight is felt deep to my core. I can feel the connection with all other living things. Perhaps you have experienced a similiar feeling of connection and the empowerment that this allows.

You may resonate with this insight. You may feel the deep vibration that offers a feeling of connection with others in a similiar way. I challenge you to find the trigger for an experience that allows you to feel “your tone” as a way of remembering the insights and connections that you have experienced through the process of your path toward enlightenment. You may want to do your work alone in meditation or in a supportive group process or with a mentor or coach. No matter how you move toward self-discovery, you will benefit from sharing these insights with supportive people. The process of “sharing” adds perspective and deeper insights which can enhance the learning. I have had the experience of nearly ignoring the importance of a new insight until I shared the discovery with a supportive group and this sharing created an excitement from other members of group which caused me to feel the larger significance of the insight I had taken too lightly. That insight was about unconditional love and higher consciousness, and I celebrate the experience these 40 years later.

 

I believe that from past personal and professional experiences I have created a process worth experiencing. At some point, you may want to come along on a residential retreat process that can offer a way toward greater insight, self-discovery, and offers tools for increasing your consciousness. The working title for this process is “Finding Your Tone” because at the end of this experiencial process you take an instrument with you that reflects the specific sound (or vibration) that will allow you to resonate with the deepest discoveries that you achieve during this retreat experience. You will leave with a chime that connects you with insights that you experience. If you wish to learn more about this process or desire participation in this process, please contact the Stress Education Center at (www.dstress.com) or email us at wellness@dstress.com and ask to be placed on the list to receive the schedule of these 7 day residential retreats. If you can not wait for the group process, individual coaching is available. These professional services do have a charge due to the costs of materials & services as well as the time that is necessary to tailor this program to your specific requirements.

 

Please send comments and any insights that you have discovered in your quest for spiritual or emotional development.