Word-Of-the-Week #682: Guffaw
August 31, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #682: Guffaw
Guffaw – a hearty, boisterous burst of laughter.
When was the last time you experienced true, unforced laughter? Do you remember what triggered it and how it made you feel? Do you know that laughter can have a positive impact on your health?
This Chicago Tribune article by Marissa Levin, “FUNNY BUSINESS Cutting up at work offers host of benefits. Corporate America needs to loosen up” is so on target and a major point I make in my speeches.
“According to research from Wharton, MIT and the London Business School, giggles and guffaws offer several business benefits. Laughter can relieve stress and boredom, boost engagement and well-being and spur not only creativity and collaboration, but also focus and productivity, Harvard Business Review notes.
Babies laugh about 400 times a day; people over 35, only 15, Harvard reports. A recent study of Gallup data for the U.S. found that we laugh significantly less on weekdays than we do on the weekends.
With the onslaught of negative information coming at us these days, going to an office that values fun helps us to maintain perspective and optimism.
At my first company, Information Experts, we had a Good Times Committee (GTC) that was responsible for planning fun events. We had a line item in our budget for fun. No matter what the day held, we knew there would be some laughter along the way.
- This week features 2 ways workplace goofiness can improve your culture and bottom line.
Laughter keeps us focused on tasks.
In a study, psychological scientists David Cheng and Lu Wang of the University of New South Wales found that people who watched a funny video clip spent twice as long on a tedious task compared to people who watched neutral or positive (but not funny) videos.
“There has been increasing recognition that humor may have a functional impact on important behaviors in the workplace, and that exposure to humor may increase the effectiveness of employees,” Cheng and Wang write.
Laughter is a great natural team builder.
A study from the staffing firm Accountemps revealed that nearly 80 percent of executives said an employee’s sense of humor is important for fitting into the company’s corporate culture.
Mike Steinitz, executive director of Accountemps, said an employee’s sense of humor can boost morale and improve connections with co-workers.
- “Creating a positive and friendly work environment can lead to higher levels of employee engagement and productivity.”
Humor also can lighten the mood when something goes wrong.
- “Not all business matters are funny, but a little levity can go a long way, particularly when it comes to defusing tension or recovering from a minor mishap,” he said. “There’s nothing like a joke to put people at ease.”
This week is all about guffaws. How would you rate your sense of humor? How often do you laugh in any given day? Do you work in a positive friendly environment? Are you fully engaged and productive?
Stay Tuned! Next week 2 more ways workplace goofiness can improve your culture and bottom line.
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Word-Of-the-Week #681: Convenience
August 24, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #681: Convenience
Convenience – personal comfort or advantage.
Would you like to have more time to do the things you love? Are there certain tasks in your daily life that you really dislike having to deal with? Have you ever considered paying someone to do them for you?
Can Money Buy Happiness? Jill Schlesinger Jill on Money in the Sunday Union Tribune is a perfect follow up to last week on Choosing.
“Money can’t buy happiness, but it can make your misery a little more comfortable.”
Or so my father once said.
I have also come to believe that while money can’t buy happiness, it can buy you options. For example, with enough in savings, you may be able to make a different career decision, or you may have peace of mind that allows you to feel free from an employer’s whim or an industry’s downsizing. And, of course, money may allow you to retire early.
But what about the euphoria you feel when you sit in a brand new car or slip on a sparkling piece of jewelry? Psychologists and behavioral economists have conducted studies showing that such boosts of happiness do not last long. There is a concept related to this: the hedonic treadmill.
The root of the word “hedonic” is the same as the root of hedonism, the pursuit of pleasure. Both words are derived from the Greek “hedone,” which means pleasure. Social scientists often use the term hedonic treadmill (also known as hedonic adaptation) to illustrate that no matter what happens to you, good or bad, or what you buy, everyone returns to a so-called “set point” of happiness.
While a set point can change, it takes some effort and mindfulness. This is where fresh research comes in. “Money can buy happiness if you spend it right,” according to Elizabeth Dunn, professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia and co-author of a recent study published by the National Academy of Sciences. Here’s how it worked: Researchers surveyed more than 6,000 people in the United States, Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands and gave them $40 for two weeks. One week, the survey subjects had to buy a material good. The next week, they were required to spend the money to save time.
People said they felt happier after spending money on housekeeping services, delivery services or car services than on physical objects. Perhaps this helps explain why the gig/service/sharing economy has taken off so quickly. People are experiencing more happiness paying for time-saving conveniences rather than obtaining an elusive object.
Before you send me an email to complain that this is a “1 percent” issue, hear me out. While all four nations in which the research was conducted are in fact wealthy ones, the study found that the income levels of respondents did not change the results: Participants from upper, middle and lower classes found that spending money to save time made them happier.
In fact, those at the lower end of the income spectrum derived even more happiness out of timesaving purchases than those from the upper end. Maybe that’s because they don’t do it that much. Just 28 percent of the people surveyed spent money to save time, probably because to someone who is struggling to meet her various monthly bills, it could seem frivolous to spend money on a food delivery service than to go to the grocery store and prepare her own meal.
None of this is to say that you should be spending recklessly at the expense of being financially responsible. It is not an argument for outsourcing drudgery instead of saving for your emergency reserve fund, paying down your debt or saving for retirement. The research simply compares happiness benefits of paying someone else to do time-consuming tasks to those of buying material goods. When that’s the choice, you may be better off buying services than stuff.”
This week is all about convenience. Is the majority of your time spent on the hedonic treadmill? How would it feel to have more time to do those things your passionate about? What one thing could you pay someone else to do that would give you great pleasure?
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Word-Of-the-Week #680: Choosing
August 17, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #680: Choosing
Choosing – deciding what you want.
Are you clear about what you want out of your life? Under pressure is your first instinct fight or flight? Can you see the positive even in a potential negative situation?
This week features 5 more tips from Doug Williams San Diego UT article, “How to stay afloat when your workplace is toxic.” He wrote “The first thing to remember, you can only manage yourself. You can’t control other people, especially if it’s a manager being the toxic factor. And in terms of managing yourself, really, that’s where mindfulness comes in very powerfully, to help the employee realize what they can control and to let go of what they can’t. Sometimes that letting go of what you can’t control is a huge relief for people.”
- Be present. Even in a stressful situation — say, being criticized by a boss — don’t disconnect. Listen and engage without judgment.
“Right now my manager is giving me grief, and there’s nothing I can do about this,” says Cassisa. “Just that bit of acceptance can relieve a lot of stress. There’s an equation we use and talk about in our classes, and that is pain times resistance equals suffering. So pain is going to happen. Your manager is being a jerk. But the resistance you add on top of that is what causes more suffering.”
That’s not to say you shouldn’t go to HR later if it’s justified, she says. But in the moment, accept it. That will counter the fight-flight-freeze reaction we’re all wired for in an emotional situation and help stop the flow of adrenaline and cortisol that shut down your ability to think clearly — or say something to make the situation worse.
- Meditate. Take a class and practice meditation to keep yourself calm.
- Focus on the positive. By nature, says Cassisa, we’re in tune with the negative as a survival instinct. It was more important for people to notice “the bad stuff like snakes and poisonous berries than it was to remember beautiful sunsets,” she says. But look for the good work of others and the positives in your life. Keeping a gratitude journal has been shown to increase levels of happiness, she says.
- Have compassion for yourself. Don’t beat yourself up about mistakes. “Research is showing that people who are more self-compassionate are more likely to bounce back from failures,” says Cassisa.
- Seek choices
In the programs she teaches, Cassisa often talks about an odd but useful tool to use in the midst of a stressful situation. Think, “Where are my feet?”
Even if your boss is dressing you down, consciously thinking about your feet — their position, how they feel — helps short circuit the fight-or-flight switch and allows you to stay calm.
“It can help you to remember to pause and be able to respond with intention instead of reaction,” she says.
Finally, both Mattice Zundel and Cassisa counsel to seek a way out. It may not be possible, but it’s important to consider options.
“We always have choices, but sometimes we don’t see choices as choices,” says Cassisa. “It may be that instead of driving a Lexus and keeping this job, we downgrade to a Toyota and find a job where we’re happier.”
This week is all about choosing. Are you able to stay calm in stressful situations? How easy is it for you to respond versus reacting? Can you see more than one option in any given situation?
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Word-Of-the-Week #679: Coping
August 10, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #679: Coping
Coping – dealing with difficulties and acting to overcome them.
Do you work in a toxic environment? Are you involved in any toxic relationships? Are you dealing with difficulties in any areas of your life?
This is part 2 of Doug Williams San Diego UT article, “How to stay afloat when your workplace is toxic.” We left off with “The first thing to remember, you can only manage yourself. You can’t control other people, especially if it’s a manager being the toxic factor. And in terms of managing yourself, really, that’s where mindfulness comes in very powerfully, to help the employee realize what they can control and to let go of what they can’t. Sometimes that letting go of what you can’t control is a huge relief for people.”
This week features 5 tips on…
How to cope
Among the strategies Mattice Zundel and Cassisa suggest to mitigate the negative impacts of a toxic work environment:
- Don’t be helpless. Change how you react or work to change the environment. That may mean setting up a discussion with HR, a boss or developing an exit strategy. “Creating a strategy to solve your problem tells your brain you’re resilient and it gives you something to focus on,” says Mattice Zundel.
- Set boundaries. Put limits on how late you’ll stay, what you’ll accept and what kind of office politics or gossip you’ll allow yourself to get pulled into. Leave work at work. Tell the boss what is and isn’t OK for you.
- Engage more. If you see something wrong at work, try to fix it. If you see harassment, don’t let it go. Be an agent of change. It will make you feel positive.
“When you see uncivility or unprofessionalism occur and you don’t step in and put a stop to them immediately, they are allowed to flourish,” says Mattice Zundel. “Then people will continue to push the boundaries until you eventually have a toxic work environment.”
- Do things to de-stress. Exercise releases endorphins that make us feel better. Spend time with friends or groups away from work. Avoid co-workers who drag you down with complaining.
- Find self-esteem elsewhere. If you’re not getting the rewards at work you need, spend time doing something you love — and are good at — such as sports, the arts or hobbies.”
This week is about coping. How comfortable are you at setting boundaries? Are you willing to speak up to stop bad behavior? What activity helps reduce your stress?
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Word-Of-the-Week #678: Satisfaction
August 3, 2017 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on Word-Of-the-Week #678: Satisfaction
Satisfaction – the feeling of contentment and fulfillment.
How would you rate your work satisfaction? Do you like your supervisors? Do you feel like a valued member of the team?
This week Doug Williams San Diego UT article offers tips on, “How to stay afloat when your workplace is toxic.” He writes, “Every day, you walk into work expecting the worst. Your once-dream job is a nightmare.
Maybe it’s because your boss is a jerk, incompetent (or both). Or the company keeps downsizing but demands more and more. Maybe that work-life balance human resources once stressed in orientation is as dead as the dodo. Perhaps it’s all of the above, and more.
Dissatisfaction at work is common in the U.S. A Gallup study earlier this year indicated 51 percent of U.S. employees don’t feel connected to their jobs. But for some, dissatisfaction is too mild a term. The same study reports 16 percent of employees are “actively disengaged,” meaning they’re tuned out and miserable. For these people, their workplace is toxic. That stress can impact their physical and mental health, resulting in anxiety, loss of sleep, anger or depression.
Among the signs of a toxic workplace: constant turnover, high absenteeism, lack of positive feedback and growth opportunities, bullying, increased demands and incompetent or abusive leadership.
Catherine Mattice Zundel, a human resources consultant and expert on workplace bullying for Civility Partners in La Mesa, says much of that toxicity comes from employees feeling under duress. She gets emails that say, “I’m in a terrible situation at work. Can you help me?”
“Thirty-five percent of the workforce feels bullied on any given day,” she says, citing two studies. Bullying can be in the form of constant, unjust criticism, being yelled at in front of co-workers, becoming the subject of gossip or feeling shunned or insulted by co-workers.
“Workplace bullying runs the gamut from aggressive communication that we can all see and point to and say it’s aggressive, down to passive-aggressive, under-the-radar behaviors that are hard to pinpoint,” says Mattice Zundel.
Mattice Zundel works with companies on culture change. She listens to what employees say while also discussing with executives what they want from their workers. Her goal is to propose changes that transform a toxic work environment to a positive, thriving one. Sometimes that means a complete overhaul, including redefining core values and emphasizing respect while training for better communication and conflict resolution.
But how does an employee cope if the workplace environment doesn’t change? The obvious cure is to leave and find another job, but that’s not always possible. What then?
“If you choose to stay in the workplace, you have to choose to manage the way you think about your workplace,” says Mattice Zundel.
Christy Cassisa, director of WorkLife Integration at UC San Diego’s Center for Mindfulness, says there are strategies for coping, starting with knowing what you can and can’t control. Practicing mindfulness — focusing on being fully aware in the moment without checking out or being reactive or judgmental — can help.
“The first thing to remember, you can only manage yourself,” she says. “You can’t control other people, especially if it’s a manager being the toxic factor. And in terms of managing yourself, really, that’s where mindfulness comes in very powerfully, to help the employee realize what they can control and to let go of what they can’t. Sometimes that letting go of what you can’t control is a huge relief for people.”
This week is all about work/life satisfaction. Do you feel fulfilled and content? Do you have any toxic relationships? Are you trying to control other people?
Stay Tuned! Next week Williams tips on coping.
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