Energize your day with the ENERGIZER newsletter!
SMALL—FAST—and WRITTEN WHEN THE MOOD STRIKES.
“What consultant worth her salt would be without a newsletter? It’s a dandy little sheet, written when the mood strikes (which is at least quarterly). I protect your private information and will never, sell, rent or otherwise abuse what you have entrusted to me. And, of course, you can unsubscribe at any time! Unsubscribe instructions are at the bottom of the e-mail you received pointing you to this page.”
So here’s the deal: I offer work-life balance programs. In fact—2008 kicks off with my programs being presented for a major hotel chain, a bio-pharm company, and a national association’s annual conference.
So call us at 949-496-8640 and let’s see how I might help your organization!
OOOPS!
BOY, is my face red! In the Winter edition of The Energizer, (see below) I made a mistake. A HUGE mistake.
BOUNTY is a paper towel not toilet paper. I buy BOUNTY. I adore the Select-a- Size—the slickest idea for conservative use of paper. Plus Procter & Gamble is one of my most favorite clients.
Geez. Haste makes waste. So, as I learned in Catholic school: “Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa!”
P.S. Now all of you will be looking for where I use the word “bounty’. Maybe I’ve created a version of “where’s Waldo?”
Update From Eileen
Ginny Arthur sparkles when she talks. Few would guess she’s an 80—plus year-old widow who also happens to swim every day. (In Southern California with a heated community pool, you can do that.) But what brings a chuckle to my heart is to hear Ginny talk about December 21. It’s her wedding anniversary. She chose it because, “it has the shortest day and the longest night.”
You have to laugh. She provides a very different view of the official day of “winter”. Winter to some folks means cold days, bleak landscapes, hard ground, and huge heating bills. To others, it means snow angels, hot chocolate, blessed rain (at least here in drought-stricken Southern California) and hugs by the fireplace. One word—multiple images.
There’s power in having many ways to view a word, an event, a situation, or a person. I shudder to think the times I have wrongly interpreted an action or a statement and in that interpretation dismissed or even “dissed” someone. (Be honest—I’ll bet I am not the only one!)
So, now I’m starting my New Year’s 2008 with these two: The first is to work more diligently at finding viewing points—multiple ways to think about a situation. The second is to practice the discipline of detachment. It means to give up wanting things to be MY WAY or people to behave MY WAY. It means very much living in the now, giving it the very best I’ve got, and then letting go of the outcome. As my friend, Jane Handly says, “it means leaning into it and not forcing the river.”
Wishing you every blessing and benefit of a bountiful 2008. And bounty is more than the name of toilet paper. It’s the cup that is packed down and over-flowing with ideas, creativity, love, harmony, excitement, health, and financial serenity.
Warmly,
Eileen
If Your Get Up and Go– Got Up and Went…
Let’s face it: new years are not always “new”. Too often it feels like nothing more than a new calendar in which to write down pages of non-stop activities, project deadlines, social obligations, and commitments made by someone other than you.
SO stop! It’s time to plug into something that YOU choose—something that can renew your batteries and refresh your interest in work AND life. Unlike the bobble-headed figures that nod “yes” at every touch, you DO get to declare “time out” and place yourself first.
#1: Retreat to advance. Take yourself away for at least two nights and three days to a place for a silent retreat. Yes-silence! Forbid yourself from using the phone, the television, or the radio. It’s time to listen instead to the voices in your head that have been trying to get your attention for ages. Write what you sense. Think on paper. And make resolutions that speak to what matters most.
#2: Experience something far a field from your profession. Take a class or read a book that is NOT in your chosen line of work. Select something that piques your curiosity. The notion is to look for connections or ideas that might stimulate a new way of looking at your work or your life. Former elementary teacher Gail Wenos studied ventriloquism and discovered a new way to teach adults!
#3: Stretch yourself. If you take an exercise class once a month, try going two more times. If you cook the same food the same way, alternate with a new cookbook. One father saw himself as totally ill-equipped to ride anything that had less than four wheels. But he took motorcycle lessons with his teenage son and his sense of personal accomplishment grew along with the bond to his child.
#4: Practice your art every week. Everyone has an art. It might be hammering nails or singing in the shower. It might be designing a garden or counseling a friend. But it uses a talent you’ve got and when this talent is engaged, you burn brightly. You leave the time refreshed. Put this down as a personal “no matter what” on your day timer.
#5: Throw out what weighs you down. Read only those things that are meaningful to you. Can
the clutter as well as the people who are the constant complainers and gripers. Ditch the weight of unnecessary purchases and their financial burden. Give clothes you haven’t worn in over a year to Goodwill . Remember, every ounce counts.
Think of 2008 as the year that YOU take control over what charges your batteries and renews your energy field. Guaranteed, it won’t cost $100 per barrel.
New Study Suggests Employers Can Do More to Enhance Work-Life Policies
Three-fourths of Employees Want Organizations to Offer Work-Life Training.
The majority of today’s employees believe work- life balance policies are important when considering whether to take or quit a job; yet, many workers lack confidence in their current organization’s support of work-life policies, according to survey results released in December by http://www.WorkLifeBalance.com, a global leader in work-life balance education and management training.
Three-fourths of workers want their employers to provide training of practical skills to help improve their work-life balance, suggesting that organizations can further enhance their work-life programs to support key business objectives, such as employee retention and productivity.
“While work-life balance benefits such as flextime and employee assistance programs are important, employers can do more to fully realize the value of their work-life policies and help their workers maintain a better work-life balance,” said Jim Bird, CEO of http://www.WorkLifeBalance.com “With work-life balance training, individuals learn to assess their unique work and life needs, which in turn helps them better utilize an organization’s existing work-life benefits.”
Here’s a newsletter you MUST have
It’s from Berrett Koehler Publications—smart, hip, all about books, and events, and easy to read and FUNNY. The BK Newsletter: it’s enlightening, and it’s free – isn’t that good enough! Go on, subscribe by going to http://www.bkconnection.com/newsletter.asp
Websites You Should Know About
For all of us menopausal women: http://www.menopausegoddessblog.org
Lynette Sheppard (aka Mrs. Dewitt Jones) is another brilliant woman who is not only an expert in the Enneagram, but has found a way to give voice to all of us who are entering, in, or past the stage of “menopause.” Men—you might find this site filled with advice to also understand your best beloved when she wakes in sweats or cries for no reason at all. Scattered in this site are also the photographs taken by Dewitt, a former National Geographic photographer and acclaimed speaker.
Must Read Books
For over 25 years, my colleague and friend, Bev Smallwood has counseled folks ranging from solid citizens to prison inmates. With this experience, she has now distilled her wisdom into a very accessible and powerful book. You’ll learn the 10 critical choices necessary for wholeness and recovery after life’s tragedies and set-backs. Blending scientifically- validated psychological truths with spiritual principles, Dr. Beverly Smallwood offers hope that no matter what has happened, going forward, we all have the power to choose.
Welcome to the McDargh Clan!
- Gaylord Hotels
- Novo Nordisk
- San Diego Chamber of Commerce
- Orange County Assoc. of Legal Administrators
- American Nursery and Landscape Association
Read and REAP—or Weep. You decide
The International Association of Business Communicators has listed the non-financial reasons why workers leave their jobs. (And remember, some people “leave”—it’s just that their bodies remain.)
#1 Opportunities for advancement – 28%
#2 Work-life balance – 23%
#3 More interesting work – 20%
#4 Shorter commute – 9%
#5 Better benefits – 4%
#6 Better perks – 3%
#7 Closer to family – 3%
Overview and Contact Information
Is life leading you instead of you leading a life?
Is work working you instead of you doing the work?
You’re not alone! It’s the challenge of our times.
From business leaders to rank-and-file workers, the competitive 24/7 world of heart-stopping change has left many feeling in need of new tools to answer these questions:
- How do I engage more of my talent and that of the folks around me in meaningful work?
- Why is it that resiliency is a word I think of only with rubber bands?
- Why does it seem that we compete more with each other than the competition?
It’s tough when the rate and pace of work leaves you feeling disconnected, unheard, and certainly not aligned to produce results that matter in the long run.
Then there’s the issue of joy. Flat out joy. You don’t want “work” to become exclusive of play. Leave your spirit and heart at the door, and it’s hard to be creative and productive. You want to be connected with people who respect you and vice versa. You want to do good work— no, make that GREAT work– in the bargain. You want to spend your time in a place that lets your spirit soar and your talent shine. My joy is in helping individuals and organizations rediscover the joy of living and the joy of satisfying work.
If you want results that go well beyond the bottom line—contact us. Since 1980, we’ve been engaging the human spirits of individuals and organizations. Now—it’s your turn.
Call 949-496-8640 or send email eileen@eileenmcdargh.com
McDargh Communications
(949) 496-8640
Eileen@EileenMcDargh.com
© 2011 McDargh Communications, All rights reserved.