Issue No. 40
April  2012
Energy Crisis, Anyone?

Dear Friends of Balancing Act,
Age of Miracles Book Cover  

We hear a lot about an energy crisis.  But the one I hear about from my coaching clients has nothing to do with the price of oil.   

 

"I feel drained" are three all-too-familiar words.  And the familiar - and effective - response can be to get more sleep and exercise.   

 

But what else can you do to solve your energy crisis?  This issue offers four ways you can take useful bite-size chunks of time to give yourself and others a boost.  . 

And one of these - no kidding - is to solve the world's problems.   

Here's to a more balanced and energized life!   

 

 

                                           Pat  
Build High-Quality Connections

    

In her book Energize Your Workplace, psychologist  

Jane Dutton Energize Your Workplacefocuses on ways we can bring more positive energy to work by building high-quality connections. She talks about how even momentary contact, such as an e-mail exchange or a personal connection in a meeting, can make a huge difference in the well-being and productivity of an office.

 

High-quality connections, as opposed to corrosive ones, come about through respectful engagement, such as being present with each other and listening. High-quality connectors also find ways to facilitate the successful performance of their co-workers and create trust through their actions and words.

 

Think about a work or personal relationship that's been energizing for you. What are all the elements that made it so? Intentionally practice them in another setting, and see what happens.

 

Learn, learn, learn

LearningIf learning energizes you, there's a video treasure chest on the web that lets you learn about everything from microeconomics to Rembrandt for free. Kahn Academy  is a not-for-profit on a mission: to provide a free world-class education to everyone.

 

With 3,100 videos, each only about 10 minutes long, you can refresh yourself with a learning break on just about any schedule and many topics. Don't think you like math? Check out "The Beauty of Algebra."    You may surprise yourself.  

 

Solve The World's Problems

Maybe you're a futurist, who's energized by  

envisioning solutions to The Future We Wantthe world's problems. Now there's a place on the web to showcase your ideas or read others' ideas for creating a positive vision of the world. How energizing could that be?!

 

The Future We Want  is designed to create a global conversation about building a positive future. The ideas gathered will add to the conversation at this June's United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20.

 

 
Compassion Energizes
Karen Armstrong Nearly all of us can recite the Golden Rule on a dime.  What you may not know is that you can affirm a charter urging that this principle, central to all the world's relations and spiritual traditions, be front and center in our  public and private lives. 

Karen Armstrong, a former nun and British author (including Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life), called for help creating such a charter during her winning Ted Talk several years ago, and the compassion movement has since taken off..  It takes just a moment to affirm the charter, drafted in a cooperative effort by
150,000 web users, and join the movement for a more compassionate, less violent world. 

 Copyright 2012 Pat Snyder

In This Issue
Build High-Quality Connections
Learn, learn, learn
Solve The World's Problems
Compassion Energizes
Quick Links
ENERGIZE MOM!   
 Do you know a mom who's harried? Running in six directions with little time to herself?

This Mothers Day, give her the gift of laughter with Pat's book, The Dog Ate My Planner: Tales and Tips from an Overbooked Life.

With 74 tales quick enough to read on the go and 74 tips, or "leash laws," for controlling the chaos, The Dog can be a fun lifesaver. Order it online by May 6 for Mothers Day delivery.
  
 

         

LEASH LAW

NO. 40:

The Magic of Staging   

              

horizontal leashed dog

 

  Word is, the real estate market's picking up.  If you're on the selling end, it's easier to make the house look spacious and inviting if it has less stuff in it.  Instead of trying to shove the excess into closets, try renting a storage unit for items you don't absolutely need.  Some storage businesses offer the first month's rent for free, a real deal if the house sells quickly.  If it doesn't and those non-esstentials linger in storage for awhile, even better.  You may decide to do without and donate your excess stuff to charity.   

 

This is one of 74 leash laws offered in Pat's book, The Dog Ate My Planner: Tales and Tips from an Overbooked Life.  

 

 

  2011 all star  

         

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