Juggling Elephants Blog

No, this post is not about the tune from the Beatles. It's about a quick stress reduction method you can quickly use when around your immediate family members.

According to a study by researchers at Brigham Young University (See USA Today, September 29), a supportive and caring touch like holding hands can lower stress hormones and blood pressure. Especially among men! The study involved couples, but the results were expected to be similar to other loved ones.

I accidentally affirmed their research this weekend. I was rushing around attempting too many acts in my circus when my 4 year old daughter took my hand while we were walking down the steps. I mentally, physically and emotionally came to a screeching halt. I could feel the tension leave my body. It was amazing! The next few moments were quite different.

This doesn't mean that the next time you feel a high level of stress that you should grab a co worker's hand-that could increase your stress even more. It does, however, give you a fast way to reduce your stress-and probably help you focus on your purpose a little more clearly.

Labels: stress reduction

Following our last post about a lack of focus in the workplace, I found an insightful article written by Geoff Colvin of Fortune magazine. Entitled, "Recession... Or Not?" he cites psychologist Judith M. Bardwick and her thoughts about why people seem so intent that a recession exists when so many facts say otherwise. Colvin brilliantly sums up much of her comments with, "If I am afraid that my sky MAY be falling, then the sky itself IS falling."

Labels: focus, psychology, recession

I heard an HR professional make a powerful comment about some of the employees in her company. She said, "I wish more people would stop worrying about losing their job and actually focus on DOING their job. If they spent more time on the latter, they wouldn't have to worry as much about the former." Well said.

It is difficult to stay focused in these uncertain times, but spending time worrying about the worst case scenario does little to improve the situation. In fact, it may become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Multiply one person's lack of productivity by just half of the people within an organization, and sure enough-their worst fears may come true.

Look for tips and strategies on helping others maintain their focus in our next monthly newsletter.

Labels: focus, worry

I came across the following quote yesterday. It reminded me of the importance of staying true to my purpose and not to be negatively influenced by those who are searching for very different ouctomes for their circus:

Labels: purpose

I had the privilege and opportunity to hear Hyrum Smith speak many times. One of his personal convictions was a philosophy that he called "the magic three hours." He would encourage those in his seminars that said, "I just don't have time to do what I want to do," to consider the 3 hours before going to work or the 3 hours before going to bed. Which 3 hours you consider would depend on whether you are a morning person or an evening person. The concept is to focus on those 3 hours and make them an effective part of your day. Now you may be saying, "I go to work at 8:00 AM. Does that mean that I have to wake up at 5:00 a.m.?" Well, the answer is YES!

The magic 3 hours for me are in the morning (I am usually exhausted and my brain is toast by the evening). I find that I get so much more done when I get up early and have some "uninterrupted time." Uninterrupted time is important-especially with a young family (a blog for another day).

My magic 3 hours include exercise, reading, planning my day, spending time with my wife and daughters before school and work (breakfast, packing lunches and last minute homework, planning dinner), playing the guitar and then getting ready to get out the door for work.

I find that I do better at work when I have had a successful "magic 3 hours." I am more focused, more relaxed and have more energy. I will admit that it takes some time to get accustomed to 5:00 AM. But, if you are consistent and try it for 3 weeks, it becomes a habit and whole lot easier. If you are not a morning person, focus on the late evening. Keep your time clear and make that your magic 3 hours. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish.

Labels: planning, scheduling, time management

Last Friday afternoon I was preparing for a ritual that takes place in the southeastern US every September and October-I was preparing to make a persimmon pudding. For those of you persimmon-challenged, the persimmon is a unique fruit that ripens each Fall, dropping to the ground. Each fruit has multiple seeds that many times occupy a higher percentage of the fruit than the "pulp" which is used for making the pudding or cakes.

The process is not an easy one. After gathering about a gallon of the orange fruit, you must mechanically separate the pulp from the seeds, follow a somewhat involved recipe and then bake for over an hour. And my 4 year old was helping. As I looked at all the items on the counter to make the dessert I asked myself, "Is it really worth the effort?" While I wasn't sure, I trudged ahead.

About 3 hours later my family and I were all sitting around the table, enjoying the "fruits" of my labor (and that of my 4 year old). It was delicious. Worth the effort? You bet.

Isn't the same true with many of us when it comes to making a change in our lineup? It IS alot of work to change your attitude, work routine or deeply ingrained habits. Many people say it just isn't worth it. For those few that do make the effort however, there is nothing sweeter than the taste of success.

Labels: change

I believe that it was Groucho Marx who said, "Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana." I am sure there is some deep meaning in that quote somewhere but for me it is just funny.

It is important to have some humor in our lives and to not take ourselves so seriously. Laughter is important-it is healthy. There are a lot of things to worry about in life. Life can be very serious and stressful. Even so, we need to sometimes "clown around," tell some jokes and have fun. It sometimes takes work to smile and find something to laugh about. Maybe it is as simple as renting some movies by the Three Stooges. What can you do around the office to have some fun? Brainstorm some ideas with your coworkers.

So in the spirit of trying to get a smile, here is my attempt at humor (it made me smile):

"A sales rep, an administration clerk and their manager are walking to lunch when they find an antique oil lamp. They rub it and a genie pops out. The Genie says, 'I'll give each of you just one wish.' 'Me first! Me first!' says the admin clerk. 'I want to be in the Bahamas, driving a speedboat, without a care in the world.' Puff! She's gone. 'Me next! Me next!' says the sales rep. 'I want to be in Hawaii, relaxing on the beach with my personal masseuse, an endless supply of Pina Coladas and the love of my life.' Puff! He's gone. 'OK, you're up,' the Genie says to the manager. The manager says, 'I want those two back in the office after lunch.'"

Moral of the story: Always let your boss have the first say. (Well, at least it wasn't a knock knock joke.) Have a humorous day.

Labels: humor

After a keynote to an association annual meeting yesterday, I had someone talk with me about a situation they faced with a coworker. It seems that the coworker has this need to feel like they are in control of certain information-even though there is no legal or ethical reason to keep the information private. This person gets very frustrated when they try to get regular reports of these number because the person simply says, "If someone needs any of these numbers, tell them to come see me." Control indeed.

In the spirit of being a general manager I asked him if he had looked at it from their perspective and tried to determine ways to meet their need but still get the information. "She just wants to be in control and I don't want her to have control," he said. A critical mistake.

Being the "General Manager" often means that you put your needs second to those of others-so that the greater purpose can be realized. We have to ask, "What's the most important result we need to achieve in this situation?" If it's to have a report of the information, our pride or own desire for control may have to take a back seat. If it's to simply say, "I didn't give in," that has its own consequences as well.

As you look at the performers in your lineup today, how could you be a better "General Manager" and best meet their needs to insure a better total performance.

Labels: conflict resolution, teamwork

I picked up a local newspaper Wednesday morning and laughed out loud when I got to the "Life" section. There was an article entitled, Winning Tomatoes-Home cooks make magic with summer specialty. It was complete with a gorgeous picture of homegrown tomatoes. Let's review, class. The date of the article: September 3, 2008. While it was a good read, the timing was less than ideal. Most tomato plants in our area are producing little or no tomatoes, and the ones we can pick are often small, tainted by disease or insects and lack the taste of the ones produced a month or so ago.

Imagine the impact this article would have had back in late July when tomatoes were abundant. Many avid gardeners would have been thrilled to see the article and use the recipes contained within it. Now, the article is merely a tease for next year's growing season.

As humans we often attempt to improve our circus by performing the right act at the wrong time. The act is a failure or at best a limited success because the timing just wasn't the best. Some examples include:

• Exercise: We try to start exercise programs in the evening. Research (and my own personal experience) has shown that morning is the best time.
• Healthy Eating: Many people try to begin healthy eating immediately after a holiday. What a shock to your system. A better solution is to begin moderating DURING the holidays so the transition is not as difficult.
• Managing Others: Instead of dealing with smaller issues in a simple, non-threatening way, we wait until they magnify into much larger ones and create a negative work environment.
• Dealing with Interruptions: How often do we wait until the interruptions have completely derailed our day-and then attempted to do something about it? Imagine the difference if we proactively planned for those interruptions before they stifled our productivity.

The next time you plan your lineup, ask yourself, "Is this the best time to bring these acts into my lineup?" If the answer is "no" try to move them to a more appropriate time. You don't want people laughing at you when your act is less than a success.

Labels: planning, scheduling

While my family and I have maintained somewhat of a daily "schedule" we have often strayed from it to accommodate things that in reality were not important or could have been done later. We also just got lazy from time to time.

A few weeks ago my wife and I decided to make a change. We created a daily schedule that includes both a morning routine and our afternoon/evening routine. We built in regularly weekly activities such as piano practice and church events. We also included the weekly family "intermission" as well as time for just mom and dad. We didn't just put in the things we "had" to do, but also the things we wanted to do.

It is incredible how liberating it has been to everyone in our family. Each of us know when/where we need to be and what has to accomplished each day. It has helped us to "police" our own personal schedules and get the most important things done so we are ready for family events. I have personally benefited from the increased focus time in the evening. I'm finally getting the personal reading time I have been looking for. Our stress level as a family has diminished, due in large part to having "no surprises." Before going to bed each night, we talk as a family about the next day, and see what changes might be needed to keep our lives in better order.

Yes, there have been some adjustments and changes made. The benefits, however, have been terrific-for all of us.

Labels: family, scheduling, time management