Organisations, for the most part have come to realise that what talent today really wants more than money or recognition, is meaningful work. Employees want to be a part of the ‘bigger picture’, they want to contribute their strengths to the greater good, to leave a legacy and to feel passionate towards what they are doing each and every day.

What makes this challenging is that we all view meaning through different lenses, we have different values and at least 2/3 of us aren’t aware of our core strengths. Furthermore, each generation defines meaningful work differently. It’s difficult to become a part of the ‘bigger picture’ if we don’t even have a foundation or a framework from which to draw.

Many of us are on a journey to the self, an exploration into who we truly are, what we truly want, where we want to be and how we want to be spending our time. On the one hand, it can be difficult to do this within the confines of an organisation and on the other, there are some organisations who encourage this self-discovery; the latter being the preferred employers of choice. Regardless, it is up to the individual to drive this journey and there are a few things that you can do to make a start.

Journey to Self

Complete a values exercise and determine what your core values are. We generally know what’s important to us, actually taking the time to identify values and understand what they actually mean to us is another story. Knowing what your values are increases your focus, improves your clarity, helps you make decisions and drives your motivation. (1)Complete a strengths assessment. We typically think we know what our strengths are, but have you every completed an assessment to put names to them and develop a language surrounding what you enjoy doing and what gives you energy? People who know and use their strengths are happier, more engaged and more likely to achieve their goals. (2)Draft up a job description of your ideal job including day-to-day responsibilities and tasks. How would your strengths be operationalised through your dream role?Reflecting on your dream job, are there any competencies required that you don’t possess or perhaps need to improve? Consider if this requires further on-the-job experience or if there are external options for developing these skills further.Working with a mentor/coach has been extremely helpful for me on my own journey, particularly someone who challenges me and holds me accountable. Someone who holds up the mirror to remind me that I’m on the right path, that good things are only on the horizon because of my actions and I am doing what I love, working with people that I like, under my terms. Essentially having a mentor/coach guides you on your journey and corrects you when you go off-course.

It’s a long journey, but boy am I glad I started it.

References

(1) Feeling Stuck? 5 Reasons Why Values Matter. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/karen-naumann/feeling-stuck-5-reasons-why-values-matter_b_9075222.html

2) https://www.strengthsprofile.com/

(3) https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/one-among-many/201503/happy-pie

Have you ever sat down to determine what your personal motivators are? Have you considered what it is that drives you? That element that encourages you to set and pursue your goals? How do you stay motivated or keep others motivated ~ particularly when the going gets tough or when your efforts seem fruitless?

Motivation means "to move" and essentially refers to what leads us to take action. Whilst subjective and variable in context, motivation also varies in both nature and focus. What gets you out of bed each morning will most likely be different to what gets your partner out of bed, or gets your colleague out of bed and definitely what gets a child out of bed. This drive can change from day-to-day, context-to-context and you have more control over it than you may think.

Researchers have developed a number of theories related to motivation and some interesting conclusions have been drawn. Historically, we have been aligned with intrinsic VS extrinsic sources of motivation. Intrinsically we are driven to act for sheer enjoyment and interest whilst extrinsically we are moved by an external reward or expectation to meet ~ a clear 'separable outcome'. It turns out that our motivation is much more complex than simply intrinsic/extrinsic factors and our environment along with our social network, play important roles in our decision to take action.

The Evidence

From the dawn of time, we along with our animal counterparts, have done things out of curiosity, adaptiveness and playfulness. Our natural, motivational tendency or our intrinsic drivers were engaged to meet our basic needs. The self-determination theory expands on this to emphasise the influence that our external environment has on our intrinsic needs, particularly our psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness. Social and cultural factors either promote or undermine an individuals 'sense of volition and initiative, in addition to their well-being and the quality of their performance'. Meaning, those we surround ourselves with and our environment ~ both at home and in the workplace, influence our motivation.

The difference in work between someone who offers average performance and someone who goes above and beyond is readily apparent to the most casual observer. One of the expectancy theories has found that the higher the expectations you have for yourself (or for others) the better the corresponding performance. In other words, where you set the bar for yourself (and others) will have a direct impact on the effort you/others exert and on the execution. In some organisations, mediocrity has become acceptable but only because that's where the bar has fallen to and accountability has become a notion of the past. The good news is that by simply raising expectations and moving beyond 'good enough' with modelling of 'what great looks like', behaviours and ultimately cultures can shift. Get out of your comfort zone and strive for things that challenge you.

Whether you think you can or you can't, you're right. Henry Ford

Another theory confirms that if you genuinely believe you have what it takes to accomplish something (self-efficacy), the more effort you'll put in and the more likely you are to achieve your goal. You can increase your self-efficacy through mastery experiences, observing best practice and modelling that behaviour, seeking constructive feedback and lastly through generating physiological states that promote feelings of confidence and minimise anxiety. Organisations can offer talent these types of opportunities through focusing on positive organisational behaviours.

Summary

Whilst our underlying motivations are idiosyncratic and diverse, we now know that we have the capacity to create an environment which bolsters motivation and positively impact effort and performance.

Determine how your environment and those in your immediate circle influence your basic needs. What does that look like for you as an individual and what does it look like for your organisation?Set high expectations for yourself and others, develop stretch goals, create a culture of performance excellence. Step outside of your comfort zone.Increase your self-efficacy and that of others through focusing on positive organisational behaviours (engage mentors, increase opportunity for feedback and implement well-being initiatives).

By employing these practical measures, we can not only increase our motivation, but the motivation and culture within our organisations.

I've had to remind myself that resolutions are a "process" rather than a one-off decision for behaviour change. "Practice more self-care" sits at the top of my list of endeavours and my husband asked me what that meant. I found it difficult to explain in a few words, while at the same time easy to offer examples of how it would manifest. In brief, self-care is looking after yourself. At length it can encompass 6 aspects of your operating world ~ professional, psychological, emotional, physical, spiritual and relationships.

When you have competing priorities, your self-care can take a backseat and can negatively affect your health, psychological and social well-being.

"Life is both a marathon and a series of sprints."

In a discussion with a client recently, she proposed that life is both a marathon and a series of sprints, and it resonated. By simply acknowledging that you'll experience times throughout the year where you will be hustling, expending all of your energy, leaving nothing in the tank, followed by times to reflect and refuel, you'll set yourself up to thrive. Recognise that it's the self-care that helps you perform during those sprints and it's also the self-care that supports you during the recovery. The underlying issue is that too many of us are neglecting to make the time to reflect and refuel.

Self-care is different for everyone ~ our physiology, status and our interests determine how we design our self-care plan. By the same token, responsibilities that you currently have (IE family, business etc) will be competing priorities. It's fair to say that we're all short on time, so how do you design a plan that will fit in with your relentless schedule and responsibilities? You need to make it a priority and you need to get the support of those around you. It's about setting boundaries and identifying actions that need to be taken.

According to Charles Duhigg, developing Keystone habits will ensure consistency and discipline of implementing new habits. A keystone habit is the integral part of any good habit routine, it's the foundation and drive that instigates a chain reaction of other habits.

For me I have three keystone habits ~ running, yoga and meditation. Independently these habits propel my focus and discipline and all together, well, the sky's the limit. Unfortunately I let them slip last year and at no point was I actively practicing all three. It's time for positive change! By practicing self-compassion I can place my prior failure aside and focus on forward momentum.

So ask yourself if you have a keystone habit that prompts you to set bigger goals and achieve more. If you don't, it's time you found one and placed it into your self-care plan. For a few ideas on keystone habits, see Adams article in Huffington Post,or simply reflect on a time in your life when you were unstoppable. What were you doing? Who was supporting you? How did you feel? Soon enough, your keystone habits will emerge.

Best Practice for Creating a Self-Care Plan

Identify a keystone habit that will contribute to more than one aspect.Get buy-in from those around you and lobby for their support.Block time out each day, no matter what.Practice self-compassion.

Kirsten works with individuals and organisations to develop their potential and create positive change. Contact her today for mentoring or speaking opportunities in 2018.

With the beginning of the new year upon us, a quick scan through our social media feeds inundates us with advice and wisdom related to the setting of resolutions and goals. It all seems too easy, with practical steps to apply in order to increase our chances of following through....so why is it that so many of us fail in doing so?

Behaviour change is simple, but it's not easy.

After only 4 weeks 36% of us have abandoned our resolutions and by the end of the year less than 8% of us actually achieve them. It turns out that the way we have traditionally gone about our goal setting and efforts for breaking or introducing new habits is off-the-mark.

Science tells us, there is a better way.

The fact is, resolutions are about behavioural change and involve either adopting new, positive habits or letting go of old, undesirable ones. Our traditional approach has been to address the behaviour, yet what the evidence indicates is that we should be placing our attention on behaviour cues and the subsequent 'rewards' we receive. Let's apply this concept ~ say you'd like to run a marathon...place your running shoes at your bedroom door (cue) so that when you get up in the morning they prompt you to go for a run. Beyond the dopamine 'high' you receive as a reward from the run, reward yourself with a little treat afterwards ~ this may seem counterintuitive but it offers an incentive, further motivating and embedding the behaviour. Over time through repetition the cues will become automatic through the development of neural pathways in the brain ~ essentially you've created a new path to the behaviour or action and that becomes the path of least resistance.

This works in opposition for habits you would like to break.

Aside from focusing on the cue and the reward, there are a number actions that you can employ that will increase the likelihood of sticking to your resolutions & goals and ultimately achieving them.

The good news is that by merely having the intention to change a behaviour or initiate a new one, you're chances of accomplishment are ten-fold. Once you've identified the core feelings you desire and have subsequently created your goal, truly believe that you can achieve it ~ self-efficacy (belief in your ability to do so) further increasesyour chances of smashing your goals! Lastly, it's essential to think about your daily choices and determine which ones will get you closer to your why.

~

Kirsten works with individuals and organisations to develop their potential and create positive change. Contact her today for mentoring or speaking opportunities in 2018.

To hear her interview on new years resolutions with 2esr click HERE.

Fredrickson, B. (2004). The broaden & build theory of positive emotions. Phil. Trans. Royal Society of London (359), 1367-1377. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1693418/pdf/15347528.pdf

Laporte, D. (2014). The Desire Map: A Guide to Creating Goals with Soul. Sounds True. http://www.daniellelaporte.com/thedesiremap/

Norcross, J.C., Mrykalo, M.S., & Blagys, M.D. (2002). Auld lang syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year's resolvers and nonresolvers, Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(4), 397-405.

It's been one of those years; the final working week is drawing to a close, a welcomed end to the unforgiving pace of 2017. For many of us, the to-do list remains a work-in-progress and our focus is not quite engaged in our plans for next year. "Busy" is the new badge we bear proudly, but is it worth the toll that it's taking on our health? We are physically and cognitively exhausted and addressing that exhaustion should be our priority.

1. Reflect

Rather than dwelling on what you haven't done this year, start by focusing on all that you have done. According to Sue Langley ~ thought leader and leading advisor on practical applications of neuroscience ~ we should all have a "ta-da" list, reminding us of what we've done well each day/month/year. This helps you reflect and increases the likelihood of repeating those positive behaviours. Martin Seligman ~ one of the founders of positive psychology~ recommends a "What Went Well" exercise each day, where you write down what went well that day and why. This simple practice contributes to greater well-being and happiness and decreased symptoms associated with depression. So ask yourself what went well this year and why did it go well?

2. Rest & Restore

Self-compassion is critical at this time of year, the holidays usually unfold at a frenzied pace, laced with expectations to please anyone and everyone. Simply looking after yourself will offer you new-found energy and help you flourish through the next couple of weeks. Aside from routinely getting a good nights sleep, unplug, try meditating for 10 minutes a day, get out in nature and go for long walks. According to Leeds University, spending time in green space has been shown to increase positive emotions, exercise levels and social well-being as well as lowering levels of stress & depression. Exercise of any kind contributes to greater psychological as well as physical well-being.

3. Refocus

Downtime is great but if you're anything like me (Type A, teleologically driven) you prefer to get on top of your goals in order to feel prepared and poised for success. Create positive goals, aligning them with your values and how you want to feel. Begin with mindful journaling where you respond to the prompt: 'by the end of 2018 I.....' and freely write whatever comes to mind (bullet points, sentences, random thoughts). Try mind mapping (great software here to start off with) to marshall your ideas into an organised infographic, offering a mindset of innovation and goal clarity. Danielle LaPorte offers sage advice in creating goals with soul in her book The Desire Map: her key message being to focus on how you want to feel rather than what you want to achieve.

Spend the next few days truly present with your loved ones, rest and have positive foresight for the future. Holidays should always offer some respite from the cut and thrust of a busy existence; enjoy the escape and opportunity to reconnect with yourself.

85% of Australians will experience stress on the job within the next twelve months, resulting in 20 MILLION sick days. This will cost the Australian economy and private companies nearly $25 BILLION collectively. In the U.S it's estimated at $300 BILLION. In One Year.

It’s small wonder that organisations are now investing in well-being programs and promoting wellness initiatives. Worthy long term enterprise indeed but is there something that you can do now to support yourself when its needed most?

"Your perception of stress influences your body's response to stress." Kelly McGonigal

Knowing that stressful occurrences are inevitably a part of your future, there are a number of measures you can take to not only cope but also prosper through these experiences (many of which were discussed in my previous article on how to Proactively Prepare for Stress). It turns out that by also adjusting your stress mindset (or your perception of stress) you can positively influence your ability to manage your stress response.

According to health psychologist and lecturer from Stanford University Kelly McGonigal, stress is not the problem, it's our perception of stress that can lead to a poor mind-body response. This notion is supported by previous work suggesting that it is our cognitive appraisal of stress that determines whether it is harmful and how we will respond to it.

Think about your parents and how they perceive stressors in their lives....chances are it's quite different to how you may perceive life stressors. Think about your spouse, your siblings, your best mate.... it’s also likely that they too perceive stressors in their lives differently. The reality is, some of us thrive during times of stress, rising to the challenge, excited and motivated whereas others resort to fight or flight, feelings of helplessness and inaction. Some of us have a negative stress response to a particular situation whereas some of us flourish under the same circumstances. Why is this the case? The short answer is that we all perceive stress differently.

According to McGonigal, there are 3 protective beliefs that influence our perception and response to stressors:

Your bodies response to stress is helpful.You are able to handle and even learn and grow from the stress in your life.Stress as something that everyone deals with.

In order to interpret your initial stress response as a signal of meaning rather than of inadequacy, McGonigal says that you need courage and self-compassion.

Possessing high self-efficacy (the belief in your ability to meet the challenges you face) creates a platform for courage. When you first experience a situation that activates your stress response, cultivate the belief that it is possible to transform the stress into a positive rather than interpret it as purely negative. View stress as an opportunity to learn and grow. Take a deep breath to initiate your relaxation response which floods your body with acetylcholine, dopamine and other neurotransmitters that emit a calming effect, counteracting the stress hormones (cortisol and adrenalin) that your stress response elicited. Next, avoid listening to your inner critic that is often triggered with your stress response and instead genuinely believe in your ability to cope and prosper. Be kind to yourself.

The latest evidence indicates that not having any stress in your life is worse for your health than having stress in your life and managing it well. Stress can encourage us to reach out to others, help us overcome obstacles and motivate us to achieve our goals. In fact researchers have determined that having a positive mindset towards stress can lead us to a more optimistic outlook, increase our drive and compassion and even boost our productivity at work!

So, I suppose you could say that stress has been given a bad rap. You now have the opportunity to harness the energy that stress initially generates and make use of the cleverness of your body’s initial stress response. Make stress the stimulus for your initiative, effort and discipline, enable it to be a force for good.

Kirsten works with individuals and organisations to help them meet and rise above the challenges they encounter. Contact her today to support you in your endeavours for 2018!

We've all been there, the organisation/manager you are working for is under pressure to perform or a significant restructure is in the cards and your autonomy and/or career are under threat. The number one action leaders should be taking is communicating however, this is where they are often failing. Non-existent or poor communication is rampant across organisations leading to a decline in engagement, performance and most significantly trust in leadership.

James, a long-time employee and marketing manager of a large global corporate was told that he would be moving with the sale of his business, to the company that bought it. That was the communication. After fifteen years of service he was told what was going to happen, not consulted, not comforted, not considered. His direct line manager avoided eye contact with him in the office for the next few weeks, the managing director said nothing as he passed him in the corridor. Really? Is this how loyal, hard-working, long-time employees should be treated? Or was there a better way of going about this?

Rita ~ a senior manager is under pressure from the new GM to achieve an unrealistic sales target; she starts micromanaging her tenured team. Her expectations become irrational and inconsiderate, she appears stressed, tired and on edge. The team begin consoling one another and then they begin to leave or worse yet, switch-off. Could Rita have approached this differently?

In both of these real-world scenarios, the communication was poor and there's a good chance through further scrutiny that the ratio of positive-to-negative verbal and non-verbal behaviour was low. Social psychologists have been studying positive and negative interactions in the workplace (and marriages) and can with incredible accuracy, predict workplace performance (and divorce). Calculating the positive-to-negative ratio (PNR) is the method they utilise to develop their predictions and it's essentially the amount of positive interactions compared to negative. Studies have shown that in marriages the magic number is 5:1 and in the workplace high performing teams have a ratio of 5.6:1.

So looking back on James' experience what approach would have offered the best outcome? Open and honest discussions with James (and his team) surrounding the sale of the business would have been a good start. Including the team in these conversations would have given them a sense of inclusion and that would have contributed to increased engagement and feelings of worthiness. When there is silence surrounding an issue or a change it leaves people feeling insignificant, helpless and under-valued. It's understood that until a 'deal is struck' on the sale, confidentiality is paramount however, once that has taken place communication is a priority often ignored. Approaching change from a positive perspective could have been executed through a high PNR as well as the 4-D model of appreciative inquirywhich offers a platform of appreciation, empowerment, inspiration, and positive change.

On reflection, Rita could have sat down with the team, discussed the challenges and collaborated to reach a positive approach. Rita needed the skills of self-awareness and self-compassion prior to communicating, so that she could connect with her values and her strengths, in order to offer an authentic approach to the reality the team was facing.

According to professor of psychology and author Barbara Fredrickson and colleagues, negativity restricts and breeds mistrust whereas positivity leads to expansion and broadening of thought-action repertoires.

With this knowledge of positive-negative ratios, leaders should start paying closer attention to their communication and the interactions they have [as well as across their organisations]. Increasing positive emotions and communications can lead to many things, above all significant increases in well-being, performance and trust in leadership.

Definitely something to consider when change and uncertainty are endemic.

References

https://www.gottman.com/blog/the-workplace-the-ideal-praise-to-criticism-ratio/ http://www.davidcooperrider.com/ai-process https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156609/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3156609/

Clarity, focus, creativity, and compassion: these are the fundamentals of mindful leadership according to Janice Marturano, founder and executive director of the not for profit Institute for Mindful Leadership and author of Finding the Space to Lead. Janice whilst a VP and deputy general counsel at General Mills, found herself burning the candle at both ends and eventually reached a point in her career/life where she no longer felt 'connected' to what mattered. Following an executive mindfulness retreat, Janice experienced a significant shift in her leadership capabilities (and her life) and was so impacted by the program that she initiated a mindful leadership program within the company.

Michael Bunting, founder of The Mindful Leader and author of the same book has spent over 16 years teaching mindful leadership to business and government. Michael suggests 7 disciplines of mindful leaders which are summarised as: presence, accountability, mindful values, mindful vision, curiosity/innovation mindset, empowering and nourishing others. Michael believes that your effectiveness as a leader can be strengthened through mindfulness offering 'positive and meaningful impact'.

A regular mindfulness practice has been linked to improvements in each of the fundamentals and disciplines mentioned above and more. Yet in some circles its' contribution remains criticised. Studies have demonstrated significant changes in brain structure, behaviour and emotional intelligence and those who adopt a regular practice and persevere through any of the doubt, soon realise the innate potential mindfulness offers. As a leader how can you harness the potential of mindfulness so that it contributes to your leadership impact?

Leadership is no longer solely about leading others, it's about leading yourself and managing the complexities and uncertainties of the workplace (and life) during a time when organisations are rife with change. Leaders need solutions for todays problems and they need support beyond 'strategic imperatives' and 'leadership competencies'. Above all else, leaders need to be and feel connected to their teams, their customers and most importantly themselves.

Having worked with multiple leaders across a number of organisations this past year, and from my personal journey, I have found that the most significant impact of mindfulness lies within this "connection" to self and others. It's easy and more common than not to get caught up in the busyness of work and life, resorting to autopilot to get things done. Unfortunately what this can lead to is an erosion of empathy and connection to the self and others.

Perspective What mindfulness offers is an opportunity to press the pause button in order to gain some perspective (Langer, 1992). As a leader you need to offer an unbiased perspective, avoiding mindsets that limit, and if you're connected to your thoughts, behaviours and feelings there's a better chance of cultivating this.

Decision Making As a leader the number of decisions you make in a single day prove to be not only exhausting but borderline overwhelming. Unless you're connected to yourself and connected to others, all of these decisions only become cumbersome and feared, resulting in poor choices and potentially burnout.

Emotional Intelligence As a leader you need to rely on others for their guidance, support and following, and if you neglect to have that connection to self and others, your emotional intelligence (EI) in terms of self-awareness, self-regulation and insight suffers. Mindfulness has been demonstrated to raise EI and improve relationships (Siegel, 2007).

Stress Management The reality is 85% of Australian workers will experience work-related stress over the next 12months resulting in 20 million sick days. Termed the 'silent killer' stress can lead to a number of chronic conditions and can likewise become detrimental to your leadership capability. Learning to manage perceptions of stress and equipping yourself with the resources to adequately recover from stress is mandatory. Being connected to your 'self' allows you to recognise the physiological and psychological manifestations of stress as soon as they appear and respond in a way that supports your perception and your recovery. Mindfulness has been linked to lasting decrease in psychological symptoms related to stress, anxiety and depression.

Empathy A newcomer to the list of leadership must-haves, empathy is what separates the great from the good. In a project run at Google to determine what produced the most effective teams, empathy was singled out as a necessary capacity which afforded psychological safety, improved collaboration and enhanced problem solving. From healthcare workers to CEO's, practicing mindfulness can increase levels of empathy and compassion; mindfulness creates a platform for connecting to ones' self and to others in an authentic, unbiased, supportive manner.

So where do you begin? You're time-poor as it is and adding yet another 'productivity hack' to your list of things to do seems daunting. The good news is you can add mindfulness to your day without it taking up any additional time! Start with a mindful breath ~ you're already breathing, just pay attention to the air as it enters and leaves, breathing in and out of your nostrils. 6 seconds is all it takes to initiate the 'relaxation response' which releases the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into your system calming everything down, reducing reactivity, slowing your heart rate and lowering your blood pressure. Apply mindfulness to everyday activities such as showering, brushing your teeth, eating or walking. If you want to take the next step, there are a number of APPs and resources available to begin a regular mindfulness practice which can be found here.

The thing about mindfulness is like anything that you what to improve, it needs to be practiced, and practiced deliberately and regularly. Mindful leadership does offer the individual and organisation a myriad of benefits through connection and if done right, it has the ability to sharpen your mind and strengthen your business.

Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally. Jon Kabat-Zinn

Kirsten works with individuals, teams and organisations to raise performance, engagement and well-being through initiatives in mindfulness, positive psychology and neuroscience. Contact her today to run a mindful leadership program within your organisation!

Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of personality and social psychology, 84(4), 822.

Davidson RJ, Kabat-Zinn J, Schumacher J, et al. Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation, Psychosomatic Medicine , 2003, vol. 65 (pg. 564-70)

Gratz, K. L., & Tull, M. T. (2010). Emotion regulation as a mechanism of change in acceptance-and mindfulness-based treatments. Assessing mindfulness and acceptance processes in clients: Illuminating the theory and practice of change, 107-133.

Langer, E. J. (1992). Matters of mind: Mindfulness/mindlessness in perspective. Consciousness and cognition, 1(3), 289-305.

Lazrus, Sarah et al. (2005). Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. Neuroreport. 16(17): 1893–1897.

Siegel, D. (2007). Mindfulness training and neural integration: differentiation of distinct streams of awareness and the cultivation of well-being. Social Cognitive Affective Neuroscience, 2 (4): 259-263.

I recently attended a community meeting where I became acquainted with an older gentleman ~Bob~ who had been volunteering for the group for a number of years. He was there representing his consulting firm, which led to a discussion about business, the corporate world and staying relevant.

At the end of the conversation he said something that opened the floodgates of empathy and compassion and I challenged him with curiosity. He said "the longer you're in 'this' business (of consulting) the faster your value goes down." I asked him why. Bob responded that it was because (as a consultant) you weren't in the thick of the corporate world and as a result, there is an unavoidable erosion of your "edge", your understanding and your knowledge of that sector. I politely disagreed and proceeded with a few questions surrounding working with multiple corporates in multiple industries, consistently building your knowledge and learning and growing from all aspects. I told Bob that he had an advantage over corporate warriors, having a seat at the table of more than one corporate entity he could offer a variety of perspectives because of his reach, his exposure and his expertise.

It got me thinking about personal value and not only staying relevant but differentiating yourself ~ whether you're in the workforce or working independently as a consultant.

"You're special but you're not unique."

My mentor once told me that I was "special but not unique". But I wanted to be unique, I wanted to be different and stand out from the crowd, and this is where our work together began. I've learnt that we're all special in our own way but we are not all unique. Building your personal value can lead to your uniqueness and I've found there are a few practices you can instil in your life that will do this.

This list is a work in progress, at the moment it's my blueprint for building my value. Each of the practices require conscious, deliberate effort at a time when we are all time-poor. It's imperative that you make the time.

Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change. Jim Rohn

We are all relevant, but are we all unique? Ask yourself what makes you stand out from the crowd in your field? What are you doing today to improve all of your tomorrows?

Kirsten works with individuals, teams and organisations through initiatives grounded in mindfulness, positive psychology and neuroscience. From wellbeing to performance she can make a significant impact and support you during times of change and uncertainty. Contact her today to tap into your potential!

269 billion emails are sent and received each day across the globe! On some days, if you're anything like me, it feels like a significant proportion of those emails are headed directly to your inbox. As if this wasn't enough, we now grapple with the management of our social media, these platforms monopolising on average 1-2 hours of each working day. We face incessant interruption in the workplace (every 3 minutes) and working on "projects" that sit outside of our "role" has become the new norm. Combine this with your life outside of work and you have little, if any, down time. Our energy levels appear to be at an all-time low and our focus is fleeting. Despite getting a full-nights sleep we wake-up exhausted....why?

The pace and amount of information we contend with on a daily basis are the culprits for the exhaustion we are feeling as a society. When your energy levels are down and you find yourself constantly task-switching or off with the fairies ~ your work, your relationships and your health collectively suffer.

The latest trends in the health and well-being space all seem to incorporate self-care, better sleep and improved recovery and that's no coincidence. The good news is there are a few minor adjustments you can make to increase your focus and raise your energy throughout the day.

One of the areas in our brain responsible for focusing is the prefrontal cortex (PFC) ~ also known as the 'executive centre' of our brain. Just like your car, the prefrontal cortex runs out of fuel (approximately every 2 hours) whilst at the same time using a large proportion of the energy/food we consume (similar to the engine of a petrol guzzling sports car). Aside from focusing, the PFC is also responsible for decision making, problem solving, planning, multi-tasking, emotion regulation, discipline, and working memory. When the PFC is exhausted, all of these capacities are negatively affected as well.

The habits suggested below all support your PFC so that it functions optimally whilst ensuring your energy levels and focus remain high.

Habits To Stay Focused & Lift Your Energy

The buffer is the best investment you can make in yourself and the single most important productivity tool I use. Jeff Weiner

It will be much easier to instil these habits into your day if you focus on the outcome, your why behind them. Yes you want to increase your ability to focus and raise your energy levels, but why do you want to do that? Continue asking yourself and you'll eventually get to the underlying values that will ultimately drive your behaviour.

Kirsten works with individuals and organisations to raise wellbeing and performance through initiatives in positive psychology, mindfulness and neuroscience. Contact her today to lift your energy and performance!

As a country we are riddled with anxiety. 2 million Australians suffer from this mental health condition and Beyondblue reports that 20% of those with chronic anxiety wait as long as six years before seeking help (!). Part of the problem (of not seeking help) rests with the stigma of admitting you are not ok whilst the other part is driven by your own self-talk.

The coping mechanisms sought out to manage stress and ultimately anxiety end up being in the form of drugs, alcohol or self-defeating behaviours. Cue the self-talk which offers little comfort to the sufferer. On the contrary there is an inclination to berate yourself for the lack of willpower, self-regulation and competence. This can lead to a vicious cycle which often results in more 'coping', more negative self-talk and consequently more anxiety.

Let's face it, we all experience anxiety from time to time and like stress, in certain doses it can be a motivator. However for those with chronic anxiety, the rumination (overthinking) and negative self-talk does not stop. And when we do finally seek help, we are so far down the path that it ends up being in the form of a pharmaceutical (Xanax or Valium being the leading remedies). And that's ok! Sometimes we need a bridge to help us across to the other side of whatever it is that we're dealing with, the important part being that help has been actively sought.

Equipping Yourself for Stress

There are measures we can take ahead of time, even when we're feeling on top of our game, that can help us deal with anxiety and not only cope during those times of stress, but thrive.

The first thing is to become aware of how you're feeling early on and this can be accomplished through meditation. The evidence behind a regular meditation practice is growing exponentially and one of its' key contributions is increasing our self-awareness. When we're always "on" and rushing from place-to-place task-to- task, we often neglect ourselves and become oblivious to how we are truly feeling. It's the "I don't have time for myself" mentality when the reality is you must make time for yourself. By increasing your self-awareness, you start to listen to that negative chatter going on in your mind, you start to notice how your body is responding to stress and you start taking measures to recalibrate.The next thing to employ is self-compassion. We so often put ourselves last on our priority list that when we realise we aren't coping and are feeling the physical consequences of our lifestyle, we've reached the point of burning out. We've hit a wall and recovering becomes a serious challenge so rather than recover we self-medicate. Being kind to yourself begins with addressing that little voice in your head that pushes you beyond your limits and changing what that voice is saying. Through practicing self-compassion, your inside voice becomes positive and you begin making time for yourself and filling your resource bucket.Adopting a regular exercise routine is one of the best antidotes for stress and anxiety. Not only does it help you recover from stressful experiences faster physically, but it prepares you both physically and mentally for dealing with those situations so that you approach them from a balanced perspective. Physical training in the morning prepares your brain for the day and enables you to approach challenges less reactively and with a clear head.