As my friend and colleague Elizabeth Harrington pointed out in her recent post,”Taking care of business starts with taking care of yourself." (Cited as Harvey Mackay’s moral).

I would ask…in addition… are you attending to your “brain health”.

What do I mean?

In my research about making thriving daily choices toward a more successful and satisfying life, I have found an increasing amount of research regarding how many of us are becoming increasingly less effective in our lives as the maelstrom of inputs into our daily lives tempts us to hop from thing to thing to thing.

Some of us THINK we have ADD or ADHD, right?  Some of think we just have poor “executive functioning.”

According to Dr. Edward M. Hallowell, a foremost researcher and thought leader on attention deficit disorder and dealing with worry and managing excessive busyness…in addition to other related topics,

…we could be suffering from a recently recognized neurological phenomenon…

…called ADT (attention deficit trait).

As Dr. Hallowell writes in his article, “Overloaded Circuits, Why Smart People Underperform” (Harvard Business Review January 2005) , “Marked by distractibility, inner frenzy, and impatience, ADT prevents managers from clarifying priorities, making smart decision, and managing their time.”

“ADT isn’t an illness or character defect.  It’s our brain’s natural response to exploding demands on our time and attention. “

Hallowell suggests 3 ways to combat ADT.  I thought I would share them here:

1)      PROMOTE POSITIVE EMOTIONS.  He reports that negative emotions, particularly fear can impede proper brain functioning.

What to do? He suggests purposefully choosing to spend at least 4-6 hours a day interacting with someone you LIKE…someone with whom you are comfortable…so that your brain’s “executive” center can “perform at its best”.

2)      TAKE PHYSICAL CARE OF YOUR BRAIN.  Yes, here we go again, our physical health is VERY important for all other types of success in our lives.  Dr. Hallowell notes that “ample sleep, a good diet, and exercise are critical for staving off ADT.”

What to do? We have heard it before: avoid sugar and white flour.  Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  A brisk walk or doing a few flights of stairs daily should be sufficient exercise.

3)   ORGANIZE FOR ADT. He suggests: “instead of getting sucked into the vortices of email or voice mail first thing in the morning, attend to a critical task.”

For paperwork, go back to the age old recommended OHIO rule….that is handle one item only once.  You know, that simple time management habit that we have ALL learned about at one time or another.

What to do? He notes that taking a brisk walk or going up a flight of stairs a few times a day should be enough.  And on the diet side… again, just one more expert tells us to avoid sugar and white flour…and eat more fruits, whole grains, vegetables and protein.

Seems simple doesn’t it?  I might start with #3 and work backwards so that I can be organized enough to do all 3 suggested steps!

How about you?

I love this CREDO-and will post it to my wall so I can look at it and feel bold and brave…fearless in the face of uncertainty and

chaos! This is inspirational and from a fellow alumnae of Teleseminar Secrets by my teacher Alex Mandossian! As mentioned on Friday I am feverishly

crafting and creating content for new  entreprenuring your life programs! What do you think is the most challenging part of being an entrepreneur?

Leave your comments below!

Entrepreneur’s Credo: Written in 1776, but it's still very true!

"Entrepreneur’s Credo

I do not choose to be a common man,

It is my right to be uncommon … if I can,

I seek opportunity … not security.

I do not wish to be a kept citizen.

Humbled and dulled by having the

State look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk;

To dream and to build.

To fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole;

I prefer the challenges of life

To the guaranteed existence;

The thrill of fulfillment

To the stale calm of Utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence

Nor my dignity for a handout

I will never cower before any master

Nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect.

Proud and unafraid;

To think and act for myself,

To enjoy the benefit of my creations

And to face the world boldly and say:

This, with God’s help, I have done

All this is what it means

To be an Entrepreneur.

(Excerpt from Common Sense, written in 1776 by Thomas Paine)"

— Thomas Paine

Hi, I don't know about you, but I too often seem to have that BIG LOOMING project that I can't seem to get done, make progress on, get started.

OK, sometimes it is not that BIG, but it feels big.

Please tell me I am not the only one….pretty please!!

Well, my husband also does it, my sister does it, my sister's husband does it.  So, either it is some disease in my family or maybe we are not the only ones!

But the real question, is WHY do we procrastinate and HOW can we stop.

I found this great simple article today….from Psychology Today published in July 2005.

Here are a couple of great points from the article:

"Procrastinators are made not born. Procrastination is learned in the family milieu, but not directly"

"Procrastinators tell lies to themselves. Such as, "I'll feel more like doing this tomorrow." Or "I work best under pressure." But in fact they do not get the urge the next day or work best under pressure."

"Procrastinators actively look for distractions, particularly ones that don't take a lot of commitment on their part. Checking e-mail is almost perfect for this purpose."

And my personal favorite….a quote of Dr. Joseph Ferrari, PhD, one of the foremost leading experts on procrastination: "Telling someone who procrastinates to buy a weekly planner is like telling someone with chronic depression to just cheer up,"

So, procrastination is not nature, it is nurture…..we LEARN to do it.  Maybe from our family situation growing up or other environmental factors.

So, in my mind we CAN learn to NOT do it.

The article suggests that to STOP doing it, we should go through cognitive behavioral therapy.

This may be necessary for some of us, but I do think there are a few steps we can try ourselves.  Remember as adult learners, we LEARN through our experiences.  So, how about we create experiences ourselves in which we get things done and don't let ourselves get distracted.

Then let the success of those little wins, help us break the bad habits of procrastination?

It is really (again) about the daily choices we make, isn't it.  How about I make choices about my "to-do" list that are a little more consistent with my thriving??

I am going to suggest to myself that starting NEXT week, I will do 3 things:

1. Make my "to-do" list realistic.
2. Pick twice  a day to deal with email and not let myself LOOK at it other times
3. Recognize when I am letting myself become distracted with "easier" things that can occupy my day.

What do you think?

If you want to see the whole article, CLICK HERE.

Have a Great Day!

Barb

Exercise your body to keep your brain in shape

While seemingly quiet here on blogging central, I have been working feverishly on a pile of new and innovative projects-all to be unveiled to you,

members of my tribe very soon! While keeping  up with this feverish pace it has become readily apparent to me that sitting too long has dire consequences!

Found this article on this subject by one of my local business heroes, Harvey Mackey of Swimming with the Sharks fame.

I agree completely now that we are well into this new decade! So starting off the new year means taking a good look at taking care of ourselves and starting with our

bodies and brains-all about this wholistic approach to our business lives! What do you think?

I think entrepreneuring our lives is the best way to thrive in any economy.

Gen. David Petraeus has a clear view of leadership, as Maj. John Patrick Gallagher recounts in the book Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows, by Charles Garcia. One day when Petraeus was a colonel in the 82nd Airborne Division, he asked his soldiers to name the #1 leadership priority of the brigade.

Integrity? Marksmanship? No, the correct answer turned out to be physical fitness. The brigade thought Petraeus was joking, until the colonel began leading his soldiers through an intensive 75-minute exercise drill every morning. And soon his point became clear: The workouts drove the brigade to greater alertness and energy, as well as more pride in themselves and their unit.

As Gallagher puts it, "Self-discipline and being able to perform under pressure and exist outside our comfort zone would be the key that unlocked our success."

The word exercise derives from a Latin root that means "to maintain, to keep, to ward off." To me, that means I should exercise to maintain my health, to keep my sanity and to ward off the temptations that lead me down unhealthy paths. I spend at least 60 minutes a day walking, jogging, swimming or lifting weights.

What we consider "exercise" today is really a natural part of life, but in our current world, we have to make a conscious effort to make it part of our daily routine. Just a few generations ago, walking was a major form of transportation! Our evolution from hunters and gatherers, who walked to get from one area to another, to a sedentary automobile/train/plane civilization, has forced us to look at exercise in a different way.

According to the Franklin Institute, "walking is especially good for your brain, because it increases blood circulation and the oxygen and glucose that reach your brain. Walking is not strenuous, so your leg muscles don't take up extra oxygen and glucose like they do during other forms of exercise. As you walk, you effectively oxygenate your brain." The research suggests this is why walking can "clear your head" and help you to think better.

So maybe a walking club at lunchtime would be a good place to start.

With a new year upon us, one of the resolutions many people at least think about is getting in shape. That's a great goal, and I hope it lasts beyond January 2. If you aren't active already, I encourage you to start now. You'll feel better and think better as a result.

Exercise is an important element of good health, but you've got to approach it with good judgment. Follow this basic advice for getting in shape safely:

Start slowly. If you haven't exercised in a while, don't jump into a strenuous routine. Consult with your doctor to find out what's safe. Start each workout with a warm-up to ease your body into the session.

Get the right equipment. Running in the wrong shoes or biking without a helmet can be dangerous. Don't take chances with old or used equipment. If you're not sure what you need, ask a trainer or someone with experience.

Wear suitable clothing. Loose, comfortable clothing is essential. Wear fabrics that absorb sweat, so your body doesn't overheat. If you're exercising outdoors in cold weather, wear a warm hat and gloves; in hot weather, wear a cap to stay cool.

Watch the weather. Don't go outside to work out in extreme temperatures. I've slipped more than a few times on ice in Minnesota. Wear sunscreen, winter or summer. In cold weather, dress in layers. During the summer months, exercise in the morning or late in the day to avoid excessive heat.

Drink plenty of water. Keeping hydrated is important before, during, and after exercise. Take a drink every 20 minutes, even if you don't feel thirsty.

Pay attention to surroundings. When you're outdoors, don't "zone out." Watch out for traffic, other people, rough surfaces and other dangers. Even in the gym, keep your eyes open and your mind engaged to prevent accidents with equipment or other exercisers.

Listen to the warning signs. Don't try to "work through" pain. Slow down if you get short of breath. If you get dizzy or feel nauseated, or feel pain in your chest, neck, shoulders, or arms, stop exercising immediately. If the symptoms don't go away, call your doctor.

Mackay's Moral: Taking care of business starts with taking care of yourself."

Back to Dr. Brothers…

Some of you may have read my post from a few weeks ago.  I found an article from 2000 (yes, 10 years ago) while helping my 83 year old mom clean out some drawers filled with “stuff”….as only a depression era baby can fill them.

I was struck that as we all contemplate all the things new to our world that have emerged in the last decade….and all the things that we consider antiquated in the last decade….that her words and concepts are very much applicable today….maybe even more so than 10 years ago in light of the increasing pace of activities, inputs, and goals we all seem to try to fit in our daily lives.

So, last time, I introduced you to her article and listed her action steps toward “leading a more joyful life”.  If you want to read that short post, Click Here.

Well, as Dr. Joyce Brothers noted….(and coincidentally, Richard Bolles, author of “What Color is Your Parachute” also notes this) that happiness is a byproduct.  We all seem to pursue happiness, but really that pursuit could be in vain.  From my vantage point, I boil it down pretty simply: Happiness results when we

1)      Satisfy our basic needs (as determined by me, myself, and I)

2)      We satisfy our need for accomplishment (or find purpose, success….really whatever achievement I want at this point in my life)

I really think it is that simple….but I would love to hear points and counterpoints to my theory!

My first point “satisfy our basic needs” really depends A LOT on one’s attitude…doesn’t it?  What are YOUR basic needs?  Some people set a pretty high bar.

Well Dr. Brothers suggests a handy list to get your attitude jump started….toward a more joyful life….so I thought I would share it with you today:

1)      Think that good things will happen

2)      Express gratitude to a loved one

3)      Put your gripes away in a box

4)      Be patient with an annoying person

5)      Do something special for yourself

6)      Reach out to someone who needs comfort

7)      Focus deeply on each moment

8)      Learn from a mistake

9)      Look closely at a flower or tree you haven’t noticed before

10)   Smile

If I could do just a few these today, I think I’m good! J

Have a great day!

Barb

Happy Monday!

There is so much to do!

The start of a new year is always such a crazy time.

I always seem to need to unbury myself  from the pile of all the added activities and "stuff" that creeps upon us during the year end holiday season.

In addition, there is that sense that the new year ALWAYS brings that urgent need to start fresh, relook, REALLY get going!

Does this sound familiar….I really hope I am not the only one!

I read an interesting note yesterday that I found on Twitter….I did "tweet" on it.  The thought was that New Year's resolutions are not necessarily good….because often we take on too much, and are our resolutions REALLY doable.

I personally believe that resolving to do something different IS good, you just need to have "bite-sized" actionable steps to do….otherwise, we can so easily become swamped, give-up and feel unsuccessful….yes, once again in doing what we WANT to do.

One of my favorite quotes is by a leader I once worked for, Jay Graf.

"If we keep doing what we've been doing, we will keep getting what we have been getting."

It's true, isn't it?

Sometimes…such as when playing a game of tennis, you WANT to keep doing what you have been doing….if it is working and you are winning.

But oftentimes, we want to do something different….try something new, implement a new strategy, grow more as a business, and yet, we can't seem to change WHAT we are doing on a daily basis. What to stop, what to change?

So, I guess it is pretty simple, if you want to GET something different, you need to DO something different.

Well, I wrote this post today because I was reminded of this principle AGAIN when I stumbled upon a neat video called the "Eight Irresistible Principles of Fun."  I thought….sounds fun….so I watched!

The 8 Principles are:

1. Stop hiding who you really are.
2. Start being intensely selfish.
3. Stop following the rules.
4. Start scaring yourself.
5. Stop taking it all so seriously.
6. Start getting rid of the crap.
7. Stop being busy.
8. Start something.

This is a great list….maybe a list to do to have fun….but how about also a great list to build personal and business success???  Then again, isn't the goal to have fun, be successful, have a sense of purpose, thrive….have it all??

I was intrigued in particular this day in particular about #7: Stop Being Busy.

The video goes on to say:

"Being busy is seductive. Just because you are going flat out doesn’t mean you’re on the right track.

If it’s in the wrong hole, you need to stop digging.

“We’re lost but we are making good time.” Yogi Berra, baseball philosopher"

Great food for thought….now for the hard part….

What am going to STOP doing today….so that I can stop being busy and START doing something that I REALLY want to do?

How about you?

Here is the link to the video….it is only 5 minutes….certainly you can stop doing SOMETHING today to take five?

Barb

Hi, I typically refrain from commenting on "celebrity stuff"….so many more important things in the world….but today I make an exception.

So, here goes a more whimsical post for today

As we continue to take in the daily babble about Tiger Woods and his "woes" (As if any of us wouldn't be OK with being a mega-mega millionaire who needs to hide under some rock for a while, hello! )…I can't help but draw a couple of analogies.

Who doesn't remember Animal Farm….and the well-known phrase that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely"?

Well, as I understand it, now Tiger's behaviors are being described by "experts" as somewhat normal.  It seems that men who rise in status and power, feel that they can do anything and believe that they can lead a dual life of sorts. Will this behavior create a new "disorder" name that deviant people can hide behind perhaps??

I would call it "Yertle the Turtle" syndrome.

Yertle is one of my favorite Dr. Seuss characters.  If you recall the story, Yertle is king of the turtles….that is king of all the turtles in his pond.  Yertle thinks he is king of "all that he can see".

So, one by one, he commands his loyal subjects to create a turtle pile, so he can be raised higher, can see higher, be king of more.

Of course, as he is raised higher by the other turtles….as he sits on top of the pile, it is never quite good enough….he wants to be king of the birds and the trees…and the moon…

The story has a fitting ending.  One simple turtle at the bottom of the pile burps, the pile collapses and Yertle lands deep in the pond and yes, Yertle is finally "king of the mud".

The moral of the story?

Well there are several….of course:

Treat others with respect…

Stop insisting on more, more, more…

See what is good in what you have…

Remember that there is ALWAYS someone who is "above you", no matter who you are…

And my favorite lesson regarding Tiger?

The higher you are and think you are, the longer your fall…and the muddier you WILL get

Have a great week!

Barb

I was cleaning out some drawers in my almost 84 year old mother’s house last week, a habit that I have decided to do each time I visit.

She is a depression era baby after all. A penny saved is a penny earned. Read every spec of every periodical ever received and clip those great articles. She even still mashes up pieces of old bars of soap and makes her own soft soap.

My goal is not to simply throw away her cherished keepsakes, but rather to thin them respectfully and organize them so that IF she ever wants to find things, she actually can. A little paper does not take that much space after all.

One of her drawers in her living room is the home for several types of clippings and I found an article written by Dr. Joyce Brothers for Parade Magazine in October 2000….yes, coincidentally 10 years ago. So, as we embark on a “new” decade…that is one which starts with a year ending in “0”, I found this article refreshing and a good reminder of some basic tenets for living a more successful/happier life really don’t change.

Maybe, just maybe, as we midlife entrepreneurs embark on this next decade, we should take our new tools, technology, learnings, and simply apply them along with some basic, previously discussed techniques as we aim for that happy, successful life.

And because we will EXCEL when we do work we love, AND when we feel good about our lives, Dr. Brother's thoughts about happiness and joy can really be the backbone for life success…with our businesses and our personal lives….right?

I found Dr. Brother’s analysis and reminders consistent with my own thoughts about success….not that I actually yet have achieved DOING all the things she professes…but I certainly do aspire to do them!

Here are a few of her thoughts:

“True happiness is what makes life worthwhile. Yet happiness can be elusive – despite the fact that we seem to b wired for it. After all, we’ve got five senses, a stupendously beautiful planet and the wonders of nature all around. No wonder the poet Alexander Pope called happiness “our being’s end and aim.”

…Many factors associated with happiness—wealth, fame, good fortune—aren’t really connected to it. … In the United States and Europe, the wealthiest portions of the globe, researchers have found little correlation between income and happiness—in fact, almost none. …As the psychologist David G. Myers notes in his book “The American Paradox: Spiritual Hunger in an Age of Plenty,” “When sailing on the Titanic, even first class cannot get you where you want to go.””

“The capacity to be joyful seems to be influenced by biology and genetics. Studies have shown that the greater the electrical activity produced by the pre-frontal cortex of the brain, the happier a person is likely to be. In studies of identical twins, it was discovered that each of us has a natural “set-point” for happiness and that a person’s average level is almost always inherited. But that doesn’t mean we’re stuck with the levels nature gave us. We can rise above our set-points by acting in ways that encourage happiness and discourage unhappiness.”

Here are a few steps that Dr. Brother’s suggests to “rise above our set-points”:

1. Start Today
2. Aim to be Happy
3. Take a Gratitude Inventory
4. Know What to Change
5. Pursue Your Interests
6. Reach Out to Others
7. Explore Your Spirituality
8. Keep Fit
9. Seize the Sunny Side
10. Like Yourself

I know that as I embark on this next decade, I will be pondering these steps, expanding on them and will be sharing some of my thoughts and research as we go.

Have a VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Your comments are welcome and desired as always!!!!

Barb

Hi All!

I hope that you are all having a great holiday season!  As we ponder the end of one decade upon us and the start another, it is a good time to reflect on how technology has changed so tremendously in the last decade…..AND to reflect on the opportunities it provides us as we approach the beginning of another.

I believe that technology changes only give we entrepreneurs even MORE great tools to expand our reach to customers, collaborators as well as friends and family.

Think about it…a decade ago, who had a GPS?  Thumb drives for data storage and transfer had JUST been created, social media did not exist, websites were only webspaces created by technies….and the list goes on.

This has  certainly been a decade of "power to the people"!  We, the non-technological masses have lots of wonderful technology available to to us which is easy to use by almost anyone.

There are 2 issues however that are critical to address as we, the non-technie midlife entrepreneurs embark on our new year.

1) How can we use technology simply so that it is useful to us but not overwhelming?

2) How can spend the RIGHT AMOUNT of time on the web using this wonderful technology?

I will be commenting on these 2 issues over upcoming weeks and will offer some tools and references to attack these 2 key issues.

My first comment is about using the right amount of time.

I saw a piece on Good Morning America this morning about Facebook addiction by teenagers.  What is pertinant for us, midlife entrepreneurs is the discussion about technology that took place during this discussion.

The point that the expert made is that WE CAN BECOME ADDICTED TO ANYTHING.

The web, Facebook, blogs, television, telephones, Twitter, etc…..are ALL tools.  We can become addicted to overusing them just as we could become addicted to food, gambling and other traditional vices.

So, as we live the human experience, it is important to remember these tools are just that, TOOLS.

It is our responsibility as intelligent human beings to figure out how best to use them for each of us and get the benefit that is appropriate.   I get so tired of hearing people in midlife cutting down Facebook and other tools because they have the perception of people wasting hours using this assumed to be useless tool.

These are wonderful tools….I wish more midlifers were open to them as such and learn to use them in a way to enhance the human experience instead of assuming they are a "time waste"?

The video for GMA is available online…as well as some tips from the expert on the program about creating balance in life and using these tools in moderation….good for teens and good for the rest of us also!! Here is the link!

I know that many of you are using web tools…please comment if you like and feel free to use these thoughts to spur on open thoughts about social media with your friends and business cohorts!

Barb

Hi, as we have arrived in the midst of annual holiday times, I am reminded again of the choices that we have to make around this busy time of year?  In addition to our already challenging entrepreneurial ventures, we have all the OTHER stuff to get done by year end, right?

Are we going to choose to enjoy the season and find the happiness, joy, and renewal that is sung about in so many songs?

Are we going to let the deadlines that we set upon ourselves overwhelm us and make us grouchy?

Now, realistically, as we are all human, I am sure that there are not many of us who can fall into SOME time of stress during this season.  I think the stress is particularly tough as we sit in hugely challenging economic times.

And if you are one of the few lucky ones without economic pressures, don't all of us know SOMEONE who is or has lost their house and is on the brink.  And when those SOMEONEs are a sister, brother, cousin, or close friend….there goes our stress level again.

After all, much of the pressure this time of year is that we are all focused on helping OTHERS….getting that perfect present for a loved one, taking time to spend our time with friends and family, giving back to community whether it be a toy program, a food shelf or the Salvation Army.

So our pressure now is mostly because we SO want to do what we want to do for others….and that is way more pressure than taking care of ourselves, isn't it??

So, I am trying to make my motto this December to reach to do as much as I can BUT, do what I can and offer as much support as I can.

I found this article on Mayo Clinic's site "Stress, depression and the holidays: 10 tips for coping".  I share the tips and the link here because some of us can always use a few new tools to ponder…..that might just help!

Here are the 10 tips:

1. Acknowledge your feelings
2. Reach Out
3. Be Realistic
4. Set Aside Differences
5. Stick to a budget
6. Plan ahead
7. Learn to say no
8. Don't abandon health habits
9. Take a breather
10. Seek professional help if you need it.

Click here to get the full link to the article

Happy Holidays to ALL of you and I wish you all a wonderful rejuvinating time preparing for a PRODUCTIVE 2010!!

Barb