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Tag: Health & Wellness

  • Why Mental Health in the Workplace Is a Conversation for the Chief Financial Officer (and Not Just HR)

    Why Mental Health in the Workplace Is a Conversation for the Chief Financial Officer (and Not Just HR)

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    The workplace has been grappling with significant change and turmoil over the last few years. From shuttering offices in March 2020 and returning 18 months later to a time capsule of year-old calendars and dead plants, some businesses (like ours) have pivoted to being fully remote while others struggle to find the right hybrid or return-to-office roadmap.

    As the physical workplace changes, so have workplace culture and employee well-being. From the Great Resignation to quiet quitting, to whatever the next phase is, changes in the way we work have led to a lack of connection and feeling of belonging between colleagues, in addition to the challenges of proximity biases — all of which can have negative effects on employee mental well-being.

    While I’m glad to see the U.S. Surgeon General taking a proactive step to curb toxic workplaces by recently releasing a framework to help employers take action to support the mental well-being of their employees, it doesn’t address one key component to make it happen. Employee mental health support has long been the responsibility of the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) or Chief People Officer (CPO). But in today’s world, this is also a business operations conversation for the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Why?

    Related: 5 Steps to Creating a Workplace Focused on Mental Wellness

    A unique bird’s-eye view of the company

    Responsible for the financial performance of the company, CFOs have unique access to data and insights throughout the business. This access gives them unique insight into every department — from sales and engineering to people/HR. CFOs are able to overlay this departmental data to gain real insights into not only how the company is performing, but go a layer deeper to see how this affects employees. Are employees that go into the office more likely to receive promotions or salary increases? Has engagement across company-focused events dropped? Is there a decrease in productivity? Has attrition increased? All of these metrics can help a CFO assess employee mental well-being and the impact it has on the business.

    The cost of inaction

    Seventy-two percent of employers fear that focusing on mental health could have a reverse ROI with employees working fewer hours in order to care for their mental health and being less available. That’s simply not true.

    In fact, companies can’t afford to not support the mental health of their workforce. The World Health Organization (WHO) found that depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion annually predominantly from reduced productivity. Twelve billion working days are lost every year to depression and anxiety alone. It’s metrics like these that indicate CFOs, in particular, are uniquely positioned to make a difference when it comes to supporting the mental health of employees as well as the overall health of the business.

    Related: What Leaders Get Wrong About Mental Health

    The business case

    As companies navigate an uncertain economic environment, they can’t afford to lose their top talent. Our research commissioned by Forrester found that high-performing employees — those who are highly engaged and committed to their roles in the organization — are working more hours and are even more productive than last year, but are also burnt out.

    Despite a reported high enthusiasm for their jobs, more than half (53%) of high performers report feeling burned out in their roles. The good news is that, for the second year in a row, employees said they’d be more likely to stay at a company that provides high-quality resources for them to care for their mental health.

    But while 84% of employers plan to enhance employee mental health benefits in the next year, there is still a significant gap in how employees perceive their employer’s commitment to mental health and wellness. Seventy-four percent of employees report wanting their employer to care about their mental health, but only half (53%) feel they actually do.

    This disconnect should alarm every business leader. It underscores how many companies are still fundamentally approaching mental health in the wrong way. When you consider the cost of employee turnover — $600 billion in 2018 and $680 billion by 2020 — from a business perspective, mental health benefits become a simple ROI equation. From a human perspective, it’s the right thing to do.

    As strategic partners to the CEO, CFOs have a unique seat at the table to assess and advocate for the importance of mental health support in the workforce. And as purses tighten across industries, it will be key for CFOs to strategically assess budgets and spending to maximize not only productivity but employee mental well-being as well — two sides of the same coin.

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    Alyson Watson

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  • How to Turn Setbacks Into Motivation

    How to Turn Setbacks Into Motivation

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Life would be a pretty simple ride if we never hit a simple bump in the road, a pothole that shot us off course or even a strike of lightning that left us dazed and bewildered searching for a way forward. In the moment, these incidents can seem monumental, overwhelming, perhaps even more than you can handle. But the truth is, you will almost always handle them, and you can come out the other side better for it. That is, if you view them for what they are, which are temporary setbacks that can actually make you a better, more motivated person.

    Let’s look at some professional examples. Imagine you’ve spent ten years building your resume as a software engineer. You have honed your chops and become extremely proficient in several programming languages while also learning to successfully manage people. You work for a small startup that has seen some success, but now you’re looking to move to a large, high-growth tech company that sets the bar for equity and cash compensation. You get in the door, interview repeatedly and are finally offered the job as an engineering manager. You love your new position and your team, but four months in, without warning, your company downsizes the engineering team by 50%. You haven’t done anything wrong, but you’re a part of the reduction in force. You’re confused, scared and don’t know quite what to do.

    In the current economic climate, this scenario isn’t only possible, it seems downright common. As a matter of fact, while writing this, I received a Google Alert about a large technology company reducing its workforce. But while this seems like a catastrophic blow to your career at the time, the truth is, it’s not a moratorium on you, your skills or your personality. It’s simply a result of circumstance. The key is to use it as motivation to propel you forward and not question your own self-worth.

    Related: Why True Entrepreneurs View Setbacks As Opportunities

    How I turned rejection into motivation

    I’m not a software engineer, so the hypothetical above is not about me (for those of you asking the question). But my career has not been immune to similar situations. I’ll give you an example from my days applying to law school. For some perspective, I was not an all-star undergraduate student. Let’s just say I enjoyed the distractions of college life and just did “ok.” So, when it came time to apply to law school, my decent GPA combined with a pretty good LSAT score made me very cautiously optimistic that I would get into a law school, but I wasn’t at all certain which law school. And I was even less certain about the caliber of the law school that might admit me. But as the admissions process started, I actually got into some really good law schools. My confidence grew, and I started to expect admissions rather than rejections.

    The only problem was, I was dead set on going to one particular law school. Regardless of the fact that it wasn’t the best law school I applied to, it was simply where I wanted to spend the next three years of my life. When the letter arrived, I was not only excited, I was overconfident. Based on my track record of admissions, I figured this one was a proverbial lay-up. The letter I opened, however, was not an acceptance. Quite the contrary. I was floored.

    I really didn’t know what to do, but after a brief period of professional mourning, I developed a plan. I hopped on a plane, flew down to the school, made an appointment with an admissions counselor and asked “What do I need to do to get into this school?” His curt and unemotional response was “There is nothing you can do to get into this school…” Yes, he literally said there was nothing, not a thing, I could do that would gain me admission.

    But after getting knocked down again, I flew home and developed a second plan. First, I called two of the schools that admitted me and asked if I could defer my admission for a year. They both graciously agreed. Then I inundated my dream school with correspondence. I wrote a letter a week for almost a full year explaining how badly I wanted to attend. I included pictures of me rock climbing, skiing and hiking with the name of the school emblazoned on my gear. I told them I wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. On the first day of admissions for the next year, I received a call. A different admissions counselor simply said, “You’re in … please stop writing us.”

    Incidentally, when I graduated and walked to receive my diploma, the same admissions counselor who told me that I would never get admitted actually congratulated me, told me he “knew I could do it” and offered a handshake. I less than politely declined. Looking back, that probably wasn’t the right response. Being gracious even in the face of indignity is always laudable. But hey, it is what it is.

    Related: 10 Ways to Move Forward After Suffering a Big Setback

    Setbacks are catalysts for taking big steps forward

    The point being, when I was knocked down by the unexpected, I didn’t allow myself to stay down. I used the rejection as motivation to push harder for what I wanted. At the end of the day, I’m sure I would’ve worked hard enough to be successful at any of the law schools that admitted me, but I also know I would have constantly wondered what would’ve or could’ve been. I didn’t want that regret. And more importantly, I didn’t want rejection to be the lasting emotion from my application process.

    It’s hard when someone tells you you’re not good enough, that you don’t matter or that you can’t be successful when you feel like you can. The key is to turn that rejection into motivation. Don’t sulk, don’t get depressed, and don’t put yourself into a shell. Instead, get angry. Not revenge type of anger, but motivational anger. Anger can be a positive force when it’s driving you to prove people wrong. Setbacks are going to happen. But when they’re the catalyst for taking big steps forward, they aren’t really setbacks at all.

    Related: 4 Strategies That Will Get You Through Your Entrepreneurial Setbacks

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    Collin Williams

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  • 8 Ways You Can Use Science to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick

    8 Ways You Can Use Science to Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Stick

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    If you’re like around half of the country, then you’re probably already making New Year’s resolutions like losing weight, getting organized, spending less money and saving more and living life the fullest.


    fotosipsak | Getty Images

    While admirable, only 8 percent of people are successful in achieving their resolutions. If you want to join that exclusive group, then take these eight approaches for making your New Year’s resolutions stick.

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    John Rampton

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  • Navigate Uncertain Times With This Full-Proof Coping Mechanism

    Navigate Uncertain Times With This Full-Proof Coping Mechanism

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    These days, you might be feeling like the world you knew is slipping away from you. Like you have less control than ever before and events far bigger than you are whipsawing your life in directions you never thought you’d be heading.

    It’s ok. We’re all going through the same turbulent journey together. We’re all in one giant lifeboat in this great adventure called life. These are truly unprecedented times between a generational pandemic, a war in Europe, rampant inflation, scary talks of recession. But this is when truly strong people are built. When everything external seems out of control, it’s important to realize that the only thing they can truly control is ourselves. Once we understand this unchangeable truth we start to ease up and see that going with the flow is the optimal way to deal with the outside world.

    What is “going with the flow”? Is it a hippy term or some feel-good mantra? No! Going with the flow simply means separating what’s in your control from what’s not, and letting the uncontrollable unfold without judgment or exertion on our part.

    Guess what? It’s actually the most freeing thing in the world to know that the world is unchangeably chaotic. As Frank Herbert famously said, ” The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve, but a reality to experience.” Imagine how boring life would be if it was already completely mapped out for us and we were following a set storyline like a character in a video game?

    Here are a few tangible ways to implement going with the flow into your life today.

    Related: Entrepreneurship Often Involves Uncertainty. Here’s How to Deal With It Productively.

    1. Control what you can control

    Going with the flow allows us to stay in the present moment and separate the essential from the non-essential.

    The best way to keep ourselves centered and smooth in our daily lives is a two-step question process.

    1. Is this something that’s in my control? (this question filters out the changeable from the unchangeable)
    2. What can I do right now to better this situation? (if it is in your control)

    I’ve found that asking yourself guiding questions during the day is the most effective way to keep yourself calm, focused and unmoveable in the face of thousands of thoughts and decisions that come our way each day.

    True progress comes from mastering variables within our control. It’s impossible to comprehend the amount of time we spend worrying and poring over fictional mental situations, trying to solve the unsolvable.

    By focusing purely on what we can control and letting go of the rest, we give ourselves freedom and space to operate to our maximum potential.

    2. Plan then relax about the future

    As human beings, we have an uncanny knack for subconsciously pinning our happiness on some imaginary time in the future. Guess what? Our future is shaped solely by what we do now. In the present moment.

    Once we’ve gotten stronger at going with the flow, the future doesn’t seem so scary because we’re living firmly in the right now.

    It’s definitely important to plan for milestones we want to achieve in the future, but if our happiness is always tethered to some other place and some other time, we’ll never be truly fulfilled.

    Enjoy the things that truly matter today like your health, your relationships, and the meaning behind your work.

    Related: The 1 Thing You Must Control to Be Successful

    3. Savor the present moment

    Former NFL linebacker Matt Mayberry puts it best, “One of the major causes of unhappiness is to not appreciate what we already have and focus our energy and effort towards what we don’t have.”

    We all have set goals we want to achieve in the future. It’d be silly not to have targets to aim towards that mold us into better, smarter, stronger human beings. The key is the balance between living in the now and taking time to intentionally plan for the future.

    Try this: Take a 20-30 minute walk at the end of the day and give yourself complete permission to think about the future. You might start out with worries about what might unfold. Try to consciously think about your goals and how you’re tracking towards them, or dreams you want to accomplish. The more you practice this the more you’ll start honing your focus toward positivity in the future instead

    The way you get to your dreams will take many winding paths. It’s not a straight line to the end goal, it’s a journey filled with pitfalls, ups, downs, and everything in between. It’s critical to go with the flow because that’s how you truly soak up the journey. All of the little experiences that happen on the way to the “finish line” are what you might look back on as your favorite parts of life.

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    Tracy Tilson

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  • Most New Year’s Resolutions Fail — But Here Are 5 You’ll Actually Keep

    Most New Year’s Resolutions Fail — But Here Are 5 You’ll Actually Keep

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    Every year, I make a bunch of lofty New Year’s resolutions, and every year I accomplish approximately zero of them.

    Lose 30 pounds. Write a novel. Increase my income 2x. Convince my wife to get a third cat. These all sound like good ideas at 11:55 pm on December 31st, but then life happens, priorities change, and my resolutions take a backseat to watching football games on my couch and enjoying the occasional apple fritter.

    But I am not alone in my New Year’s resolution dissolution.

    According to a University of Scranton study, only 8% of Americans feel they’re successful in keeping their resolutions by the end of the year.

    This isn’t because we’re all lazy or procrastinators. Many of us are just too ambitious with our aspirations. Not only do we bite off more than can chew—we choke on our hubris.

    But author and thought leader Amy Morin says there is a different way to approach New Year’s resolutions. Morin, a psychotherapist, and editor-in-chief of Verywell Mind, is an expert on what mentally-strong and disciplined people do. In fact, she’s written four bestselling books on the subject. Her Ted Talk is one of the most watched, with 22 million views on YouTube.

    Morin says we often sabotage ourselves by creating vague or unrealistic goals. I spoke with her on the podcast Write About Now.

    Here are some smart strategies for making, not breaking, resolutions in 2023.

    Related: Happy New Year’s Eve? Many Business Owners Think It’s The Worst Night of The Year. Here’s Why — And What I Told My Clients to Change Their Minds.

    1. Write your resolution down

    Rather than just starting all willy-nilly on January 1, make a realistic plan first. Most people start the New Year’s resolutions without a plan and then wonder why they failed.

    “Write it down. There’s something about seeing it on paper that makes it more real to us,” Morin says.

    She also advises saying your resolution out loud to your friends, making sure to be as specific as possible.

    “There’s some evidence that if you go around telling people like, ‘I’m gonna get a beach body next year,’ it’s almost like your brain thinks you already did it. So then you don’t put in as much effort,” Morin says. “It’s better if you talk to people about what you’re going to do to reach that goal, saying, ‘Here’s what I am going to do.’”

    2. Set 30-day challenges, not 365-day goals

    Morin is a fan of giving yourself mini, 30-day practical, achievable challenges rather than mammoth, year-long ordeals you’ll need more time to finish.

    “One of the problems with big resolutions is we think I’ll put that off until later, and then before you know it, the year’s gone,” says Morin.

    Better to give yourself a month to create some sort of change, whether that’s getting firmer abs or reading more books. Thirty-day challenges are easier to start and finish because you know they’re not going to last forever. They’re also easier to repeat.

    3. Take two minutes a day to be more grateful

    When I first heard this, I rolled my eyes a little. Gratitude is one of those New Age buzzwords like “abundance” that makes me a little dry heave-y. But Morin says gratitude is one of “the most underrated superpowers there is.” The simple act of acknowledging what you’re grateful for each day can make you happier, healthier, and even sleep better.

    In a study at the University of California, participants were asked to write a few sentences each week. One group wrote about things they were grateful for, and another about things that bothered them. After ten weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about themselves. They also worked out more and had fewer visits to the doctor than those who focused on things that pissed them off.

    4. Reach out to a friend every day

    “In today’s world, I don’t think we value social connection with our friends nearly enough,” Morin says.

    She recommends reaching out to a friend daily, even if it’s just texting them a funny meme. Some friends might not reciprocate, but most people will be happy to hear from you. “They’re looking for that in their lives,” Morin says, “and they’ll notice it puts them in a better mood.”

    Getting in touch with friends will also help recharge your battery. It’s far too easy to get so caught up in daily work stress, but making time for a friend puts things in perspective and makes you realize who and what’s important.

    5. Set realistic timelines

    If you’re aiming for something big, like writing a book or doing a Ted Talk, Morin recommends giving yourself a reasonable timeline.

    For example, if you want to write a book in a year, figure out how many days a week you would have to write, and how many words you would have to write a day to get it done. “And figure out how you’re going to keep track of this,” Morin says. It might be a paper calendar on your fridge or one of those desk calendars from the 90s. Something about having a physical thing where you chart your progress helps keep you on track and feel like you’re achieving something.

    No matter what your resolution is, Morin says don’t give up on it so fast.

    “You can always shift your resolution, come up with a slightly different plan, or figure out how to say motivated,” she says. “Don’t give up on it just because it’s not working out in the first couple of weeks or months.”

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    Jonathan Small

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  • 7 Lessons That All Entrepreneurs Must Know

    7 Lessons That All Entrepreneurs Must Know

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Recently I decided it would be a good idea to participate in a Kidnapping Survival Course. During the course, I would become trained in handling a real-life kidnapping, interrogation and being hunted for a day by professional bounty hunters.

    It sounds nuts, I know. So, why did I do this?

    One reason — to learn critical performance and stress management mindset and skills.

    I believe that mindset is everything. It can be the difference between success and failure. It can determine whether a business will grow from five figures to six figures, to seven figures and beyond. Mindset is essential for your success.

    I learned this specifically when I picked up my first business book in 2002 by Robert Kiyosaki. His timeless must-read book “Rich Dad Poor Dad” completely shifted the way I thought and changed my life trajectory. Since then, there have been numerous books, classes and workshops that I have invested in spending over $100,000 in education to upgrade my mindset.

    And that is precisely why I decided to take a kidnapping survival course. Realistically, I don’t think I will get kidnapped anytime soon. Still, I thought to myself, if I can learn to survive a kidnapping, being trained by the same people that train Navy SEALS, the CIA and the FBI, then I can control my emotions when a major crisis happens in my business. I can control my communication when working with customers, clients and my team.

    What did I learn & how does it apply to business?

    Related: 4 Leadership Lessons I Learned From a Marine Corps General

    1. Be prepared

    All entrepreneurs need preparation. Without preparation, you become more vulnerable. To survive a kidnapping, you must first be mentally prepared. To survive the ups and downs of business, preparation always helps us get one step ahead. No matter if we are preparing a pitch deck to ask for investment or if we are preparing our tasks for the week. You can’t control when you get kidnapped or oftentimes what is going to happen in business, but you can control your reaction and be prepared is essential to making that easier.

    2. Develop a plan

    As mentioned before, being prepared is essential, and planning is an important part of that. To survive a kidnapping, one must plan to evade those trying to capture them. Choosing undercover personas that blend in well with the environment and don’t stand out is essential. This is also essential in business. Robust plans can make our business operations run more smoothly and keep us operating more effectively. The more you can create an educated and detailed plan, the better your chances of success.

    3. Breathe

    This is the most simple underestimated lesson we learned. When a Navy SEAL gets kidnapped, they are trained to manage their breath. Why? Because breathing will manage your brain’s stress response. When you fear something, your amygdala reacts. Your heart rate and the levels of adrenaline and cortisol start to increase. If you can learn how to slow your breath down, it will control your heart rate and begin to wash away the stress hormones. It also improves brain functioning so we can focus better and make better decisions.

    Related: How to Find Clarity Through the Conscious Breath

    4. Be adaptable

    During our kidnapping simulation, we stayed undercover the entire day while bounty hunters searched for us. We had to change clothes regularly to blend in. We had to hide when we were spotted and run when we were being chased. We had no control over when we would be under stress and had to react instantly. We were taught to remain completely adaptable. This is very similar to business. I can’t tell you how often entrepreneurs (myself included) get stuck on resisting change. Often it is the main reason why most businesses fail. It is important to plan well and follow your plan, but it is also essential to know when to adapt and shift.

    Related: Why Resisting Change Will Only Hurt Your Business

    5. Work as a team

    Throughout the kidnapping simulation, we worked in teams of three. We had 14 missions we needed to complete throughout the day while avoiding being caught by the bounty hunters. We did this without phones, the internet or money. The only thing we had to rely on was our training, our plan and our team. My team decided to start by planning who would work on each mission and how.

    The missions included getting someone to give us money for a bus ticket, translating a phrase into Russian or Portuguese and finding a free food and water source to survive. Like in business, we discussed a plan to accomplish each task to the best of our ability. All companies have some team and need to make daily decisions on what that plan will be and who will work to accomplish the mission.

    Related: Here’s Why Teamwork and Collaboration is a Must For You

    6. Learn to sprint

    While undercover, if a bounty hunter spotted us, they captured and handcuffed us to a bench or a pole. We then had to escape from the handcuffs in a downtown area while people were awkwardly staring at us. After being trained for a week to survive a kidnapping, I had my mind set on not getting caught.

    Toward the end of the day, my team was walking through an outdoor mall when a bounty hunter spotted us. We looked at one another and went on a dead sprint through the mall. This took us on a chase through the back rooms of various stores, racing through a parking lot and running circles inside a Macy’s department store. As you can imagine, the pedestrians thought we were running from the police. All of our team went in different directions. I thought I was in the clear and started to walk when a bounty hunter came around the corner at that exact moment. I began to sprint as fast as I possibly could. I turned another corner and dove behind a pillar of a building. Unfortunately, as the bounty hunter walked by, he saw my reflection in the window and captured me. He then handcuffed me to a bench and walked away with a smile. I spent the next few minutes embarrassingly picking the handcuffs while people were walking by and giving me the most awkward looks.

    Business is very similar. There are deadlines you will have to hit even when you don’t want to. You will often need to push your limits to accomplish impossible things. You will need to flat-out sprint and hustle with everything you have got, and the more prepared you are for these moments, the better you will be able to handle them when they happen.

    Related: 5 Comfort-Crushing Tips to Reach Your Goals

    7. All things are possible

    The last lesson was that all things are possible. If goals are dissected into a simple step-by-step process (make a plan), it is much simpler to take each hurdle and obstacle that comes your way. It seems nearly impossible to be kidnapped, handcuffed, blindfolded, duct taped, waterboarded, shocked by a stun gun, escape from bounty hunters and accomplish 14 missions in one day that most people would struggle with working on only one. But we did it, and we did it because we were prepared, planned, worked as a team, were adaptable, remembered to breathe and ran as fast as we could when needed.

    I firmly believe that anyone can build a business if they believe in themselves and their dreams. Learning to survive a kidnapping was just one way to reassure me that anything is possible if you believe.

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    Chris Reynolds

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  • Watch Out For These 3 Entrepreneur Death Traps

    Watch Out For These 3 Entrepreneur Death Traps

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Inexperienced founders and first-time entrepreneurs who are excited about entering the realm of entrepreneurship often find themselves focused on “not important right now” items.

    You can generally tell when an entrepreneur is falling for the non-important. Their focus gets drawn out over a longer than necessary period of time for things like branded clothing, business cards and the proper titles. There is a flow of priorities in business that are always at play, and when you’re building a business, it is crucial not to waste resources on non-important right now priorities.

    To clarify the point, let’s look at a general overview of priorities broken down between experienced and inexperienced entrepreneurs:

    Inexperienced order of objectives:

    1. Figure out a name
    2. See if it’s available
    3. File to incorporate
    4. Wait for incorporation to go through, then get a business bank account
    5. Get a logo
    6. Get branded apparel
    7. Get the business cards
    8. Start to build a prospect list
    9. Get a customer

    The experienced flow of objectives

    1. Get a customer
    2. Continue to build a prospect list
    3. Figure out a name
    4. Maybe get a contact card
    5. Etc.

    Here is a list of three common flaws first-time entrepreneurs and founders face when starting a business.

    Related: The True Failure Rate of Small Businesses

    1. Understand the difference between an order of objectives and a flow of objectives

    Inexperienced entrepreneurs tend to think that things must be done in a set order to accomplish a goal. For example, I have seen multiple people start their entrepreneurial journey and turn away customers because they feel it’s necessary to follow the order of objectives above.

    That thinking — especially in the early stages — slows down execution rates because they bottleneck the next thing to be done. This causes friction, leading to burnout in a new entrepreneur.
    Meanwhile, an experienced entrepreneur knows that multiple objectives will be in play, working to accomplish simultaneously — especially at the beginning.

    The challenge is that the brain wants a perfect order, but that’s not how it always works; sometimes we have to focus on multiple things to see them through to accomplishment.

    A flow of objectives will vary on a case-by-case basis. However, the critical point, in the beginning, is to make sure the focus is on the right objective and, most importantly, the business shows some premise of viability. The objectives listed above can be completed in about a day — that’s not the issue. The issue is that the inexperienced tend to get caught up on the non-important and it pushes a one-day list into a one-week or one-month list or a not completed “I got distracted” list.

    Sometimes even setting up a legal business entity is not important right now. When it comes to small businesses, most can and should be started as a sole proprietorship — at least briefly before filing to incorporate. That said, there are specific industries where incorporating should be heavily considered.

    For example, a low-risk graphic design business might want to forge ahead and start conducting business. However, if it’s an industry with a risk of personal injury, it might make sense to incorporate it. (Always consult with a legal expert on what could be the best fit for you).

    Related: How Successful Entrepreneurs Stay Focused and Block Out the Noise

    2. Understand the risk and rewards of priorities

    Every action or inaction has a risk or opportunity cost, especially at the beginning, where the compounding effect is more significant. That being the case, looking at objectives in a risk vs. reward manner gives us guidance on tackling the objective list.

    An experienced founder will start by bringing on a new customer. It is rarely risky, and the reward is great — there is business growth, especially compounded over time. But following the inexperienced route risks all the resources used in steps 1-8 (time, money, mental capacity, etc.) in hopes of generating the reward of 9, bringing on a new customer. Furthermore, the risk is more significant because a founder might find that the actions in steps 1-8 might change with the compounding of time. Example: The logo might not be the best fit, or a C-Corp or LLC would have made more sense.

    This means we need to write down the steps and label them in priority of what needs to be done. You can always incorporate it later, change the logo, or get branded apparel later. While you can always get customers later, the focus of getting a new customer offers the greatest return on investment, especially at the beginning.

    An inexperienced founder who focuses on the wrong things from the beginning tends to focus on the wrong things until one of two things happens:

    1. They continue to waste resources sweating the “not important right now” until they run out of resources and the business dies.
    2. They continue to waste resources until they learn the appropriate type of execution for them. (Sometimes necessary, but why waste the resources when it’s preventable.)

    Option number two brings us to the third tip for starting entrepreneurship:

    Related: The Biggest Trap Of Entrepreneurship: Happiness ≠ Achievement

    3. Understand the type of entrepreneur you are. It’s not a one size fits all role

    Entrepreneurship mirrors life in that you cannot know who you are and how you operate entirely until you live through it. You might think that you can tackle one step by one step, only to discover that you are the type that needs to make progress on all fronts intermittently.

    Like life, there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to Entrepreneurship.

    Certain key requirements are needed in the starting phase, but how those requirements are met is completely up to the individual. Experienced entrepreneurs who know who they are and how they operate best can create their chosen route to build an optimal company. Meanwhile, the inexperienced can use the tips listed above to build from scratch better.

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    Anthony D. Anselmo

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  • Practicing and Believing These 5 Mantras Will Change Your Life

    Practicing and Believing These 5 Mantras Will Change Your Life

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    We all experience difficult struggles in life. Every day, people have disagreements at home, projects go sideways at work and we encounter setbacks with goals.

    Over the years, I’ve noticed that how quickly we rebound from these trials and tribulations is directly correlated with the beliefs and values we have about ourselves and life, as well as how we speak to ourselves. Believing, saying and practicing the following five mantras is incredibly useful when attempting to recover from any challenge.

    Related: 5 Mantras of Successful Entrepreneurs You Can Use to Improve Your Life and Habits

    1. I can do this. Things will work out.

    Whenever we’re experiencing any kind of setback or failure, it’s tempting to start to doubt ourselves more wholly. Our feelings can start to snowball and we can create a domino effect in our lives.

    We’ll start by focusing on that one client we didn’t sign or that one deal that didn’t go through and begin to conclude that “maybe I’m just not right for this job” or “maybe I shouldn’t even be doing this at all.” We can even get into imposter syndrome. Because of this negative thinking, we’ll often create a self-fulfilling prophecy and bring about more of the very thing we’re trying to avoid. Our negative thinking will cause us to have more failures and we’ll feel vindicated — which will lead to the next domino falling.

    The opposite works, too. Instead of concluding that all is lost after a setback, instead ask: “What can I learn from this? How can I use this to make me better?”Don’t think long about the one thing that didn’t work out. Instead, refocus your energy on the things that are going well.

    The more you believe in yourself and have faith in your abilities, the better you’ll rebound from setbacks. When we believe that things will work out, they usually do, especially when we’re dedicating consistent effort toward our goals. Continue to take steps toward them, no matter what.

    Related: 15 Ways to Drown Out the Destructive Voices in Your Head

    2. The past doesn’t matter. I can let this go.

    When we feel harmed or hurt, we tend to hang onto it for longer than we should. The past is written — it can’t be changed. If we’re reflecting on the past to help us learn from our mistakes, that’s one thing. Find the lessons, then move on with new insight and wisdom.

    However, we often don’t look at the past to guide us. We look back and dwell, which results in us staying stuck. Rehashing what didn’t go our way or venting about what someone else should’ve said or done rarely serves us. Our brains can’t focus on two disparate things at once, so anytime we’re ruminating on the past, we’re rarely focusing on what we can control in the present and how excited we are for the future.

    Instead, make a conscious decision to forgive others (and yourself) for mistakes. Sometimes people will say: “But it’s so hard to get over this!” Sure, it can be hard to let something go, but I guarantee you that you do have a choice in that. Choose to focus your conscious energy on who you are trying to become in the future.

    Related: 7 Ways Companies Can Harness Failure to Drive Success

    3. I’m sorry. I will fix this.

    When we’ve experienced conflict with someone, it’s not always easy to take accountability or responsibility and focus on the part of the situation that we can mend. We like to focus on what’s been done to us instead.

    We’ll often even say, “That wasn’t my fault.” Assigning blame elsewhere can feel good because it takes us out of the hot seat and helps us feel that our reactions are justified. This might feel good at the time, but it rarely serves us. Instead, have the humility to say: “You’re right. I did that, and I’m sorry. Here’s what I’m going to do about it.”

    When we do that, a few things happen. First, others respect us more. Second, we pull ourselves back into our circle of control and identify actions that we plan to take to improve things. Third, we lead by example and show others what it looks like to also do this. The result? We improve situations much faster and create a brand and reputation for taking ownership.

    4. I need help.

    Sometimes, it can be scary to ask for help. Many of us feel that if we’re capable and successful, we should figure out how to do it all ourselves. It’s nice to feel strong, and asking for help can make us feel weak. However, it takes a strong person to ask for help.

    Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it also wasn’t built by one person. Most people enjoy being asked to help. Don’t be afraid to find others around you who are better at something than you are or have strengths in an area you lack and leverage them. You don’t have to do it all yourself. Find people you admire and trust, then be vulnerable and say you could use some assistance. That’s part of building great relationships and it’s actually what great leaders and professionals do.

    Related: Asking for Help Might Be the Key to Your Success

    5. I made a mistake and that’s okay.

    All too often, we fear failure. We think that success and failure are diametrically opposed, but that’s not true at all — failure is part of success.

    There are few examples of highly successful people who didn’t struggle greatly or err numerous times on their journey. When we embrace mistakes, we tend to enjoy the journey of life far more. Mistakes often mean that we’re experimenting and trying something new, which puts us out of our comfort zones and makes us learn.

    Be willing to be uncomfortable and try new things, regardless of how poorly it might go on the first try. Plan to struggle and embrace it when you do. When you do that, you begin a process of growth and change. It’s hard to grow without being uncomfortable, making mistakes and having a few failures. If you truly want to evolve, then get comfortable with these things. The sooner you can adopt that mindset, the faster you’ll advance and the better you’ll feel doing it.

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    Amy M Chambers

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  • Netflix is Partnering with Nike to Bring You Hours of Workouts

    Netflix is Partnering with Nike to Bring You Hours of Workouts

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    The time for New Year’s resolutions is right around the corner, and for many, that means doubling down on commitments to health and fitness in an attempt to better themselves.


    WebWire

    Netflix is hoping to capitalize on the popular sentiment by announcing a new partnership with Nike that will roll out at the end of this month.

    Starting on December 30, the streaming giant will begin providing subscribers with Nike Training Club videos, released in two parts and totaling 30 hours worth of content.

    Related: What’s Going on With Netflix? Everything You Need to Know About the Company’s Massive Fall

    The first batch to roll out will include 46 videos divided among five programs, including “Two Weeks to a Stronger Core” and “Feel-Good Fitness.” The collection will live under a specialized Nike area of the Netflix app but can also be accessed by simply searching “Nike.”

    “NTC is the ultimate training partner, providing outstanding guidance, inspiration and motivation to help all athletes reach their fitness goals,” a company release said. “The NTC workouts offered in the Netflix collection feature a dozen of Nike’s world-class trainers, including Joe Holder, Kirsty Godso and Betina Gozo.”

    The new initiative, which includes videos designed for people of all fitness levels, will be the first of its kind for Netflix and will likely separate the streaming giant from competitors following a less-than-stellar year.

    Amid a crackdown on password sharing and mass layoffs, Netflix has had to up the subscription prices, to the dismay of many loyal users.

    Related: Netflix Is Raising Prices in the U.S.

    The company is coming off a better-than-expected Q3 2022, with year-over-year revenue growth hitting 6% and has a hopeful outlook as Q4 comes to a close.

    “After a challenging first half, we believe we’re on a path to reaccelerate growth. The key is pleasing members,” Netflix said in a letter to shareholders at the end of the quarter. “It’s why we’ve always focused on winning the competition for viewing every day. When our series and movies excite our members, they tell their friends, and then more people watch, join and stay with us.”

    As of Thursday afternoon, Netflix was down just over 52% in a one-year period.

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    Emily Rella

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  • How a Family Turned the Tragic Death of Their Son Into an Online Legacy

    How a Family Turned the Tragic Death of Their Son Into an Online Legacy

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    On July 3rd, 2020, Bradi Nathan got the call no parent wants to receive: her son, Jack, had passed away at the age of nineteen. The prior evening, Jack had been at a friend’s birthday party and swallowed, what he thought, was a Percocet. The pill was laced with Fentanyl and he never woke up.


    Bradi Nathan

    Prior to Jack’s passing, he had created a company called Happy Jack, an online lifestyle brand and community designed for those struggling with mental illness. Jack had periodic bouts of depression and painting became his therapy. Happy Jack showcased the founder’s designs on apparel, with a portion of the proceeds going to mental health foundations. From the very first week of sales, Jack donated $1,000 to the Child Mind Institute.

    Bradi chose to continue what Jack started to honor his legacy and to continue his mission.

    “He wanted to change the world,” recalled Jack’s mom. “He wanted to make this world a better place by speaking openly and by letting other kids know that they were not alone.”

    Related: 5 Ways to Protect Your Mental Health as an Entrepreneur

    A son’s brand as a mother’s therapy

    Bradi continues to use Jack’s designs on new product drops and has since donated $60,000 to mental health foundations like Active Minds, Born This Way, Release Recovery and the American Cancer Society. The path to donation is not an easy one: sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, site management, customer service and fulfillment were all roles that Bradi stepped into in her son’s absence.

    “It’s funny when someone tells me that they contacted customer service,” revealed Bradi, “because I am customer service.”

    Happy Jack is a family-run business welcoming advice and consults from experts as they grow the brand organically. Bradi and Jack’s father David would ultimately like to have a COO step in, gain financing and build a proper infrastructure. This would allow them the space to focus on personally sharing Jack’s story.

    Related: Improve Mental Health Next Year by Breaking 17 Financial Rules

    Healing while helping

    With the additional aid of Jack’s sister, Drew, the project has partnered with fraternities across the country to create fundraising events. Brand ambassadors across college campuses are enlisted to help create mental health awareness. Happy Jack has also conducted pop-up shops in spaces like WeWork and the Seaport District. These allow the family to meet and share stories with many who too are struggling.

    “There was never a question as to whether or not I would continue Happy Jack,” added Bradi. “It seemed like the obvious thing to do.”

    Related: 8 Best Health and Wellness Podcasts

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    Robert Tuchman

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  • Why Giving Back Is Good for You and Your Business

    Why Giving Back Is Good for You and Your Business

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    It’s the most demanding time of the year. Entrepreneurs are easily overwhelmed during the holidays. Product-based businesses run sales and move more volume, but even companies that go quiet often spend this season working on big-picture strategies. Add to that: staffing shortages and personal obligations. Many entrepreneurs I work with have complicated family dynamics, magnified by the pressure of holiday travel and ambient festive stress.

    You might be surprised at my advice to improve your mental health this season. Entrepreneurs, consider doing even more — but for others. Add “giving back” to your holiday checklist or New Year’s resolutions. Think of it as a gift to yourself.

    Related: How Giving Back to the Community Helps People and Businesses

    The case for giving back

    Entrepreneurs are good at many things; we are not known for taking care of our mental health. And the odds are not in our favor.

    As a demographic, entrepreneurs are prone to depression at much higher rates. Colder weather, shorter days and holiday hustle can exacerbate these issues. If you run an early-stage startup, you might wire in before sunrise and shut down after sunset.

    Some of my clients became entrepreneurs to lean into work, avoid complicated personal situations or gain independence — even escape dysfunctional family patterns. It’s often easier to hold those boundaries without holiday-induced guilt. Now, your work commitments might be challenged by friends and family with the retort, “But it’s Christmas!” A craving for independence, on the flip side, can come with loneliness.

    Researchers have found that acts of service can help alleviate stress. Giving is good for your physical and mental health, with studies suggesting “pro-social spending,” including donations to charity, is associated with a boost in happiness, whereas buying new stuff is not. More tangibly, giving is linked to lower blood pressure, reduced levels of depression and increased self-esteem. This “helper’s high” might be caused by feel-good brain chemicals released with good deeds, including serotonin and the relationship-fusing oxytocin. Humans are inherently social creatures, and volunteering fosters human connection. For this reason and others, group volunteer activities are also great for team-building.

    How to find your cause (and get your business involved)

    Besides making the world a better place and improving your health, there’s more return on your pro-social investment when your company gets involved. A staggering 82% of shoppers want brands to align with their values. Giving back might secure customers and boost loyalty among young workers seeking jobs with greater purpose.

    For better brand integration, consider a cause that complements your core offering. A tech company might run a free coding workshop, for instance, or even a simple Facebook or smartphone tutorial at a seniors’ center. Be sure to take these outings on workdays (consider it a great alternative to icebreakers and the forced fun of team retreats).

    Sometimes an act of service means aligning your unique specialty with your community, and sometimes it’s more loosely tied to your work. Many of my clients are solopreneurs who prefer to volunteer for more personal causes. One client, Chris, sits on the board of several non-profits to offer budgetary advice and help set strategic goals. His business expertise is helpful to small charities, which are often understaffed and under-resourced. While his company isn’t involved, he’s using his skills.

    When I released my book on grieving and loss, I channeled my passion for circus arts into the launch event. I hosted a circus show in my hometown of Minneapolis to benefit the local chapter of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, in honor of my late brother. Our community of artists offered free tickets to a local BIPOC circus organization, Vivid Black Paint, and the Minnesota chapter of Motherless Daughters, a support group for women and girls who have lost mothers.

    Related: 4 Ways Companies Can Foster a Culture of Giving Back

    For entrepreneurs, altruism means thinking critically about who should be in the room and who is often missing. We have the skills and resources to clear obstacles and open doors. For many, that takes the form of mentoring, teaching entrepreneurship workshops at community organizations or taking part in a high school’s pitch day. Or maybe you’d prefer to break from the business while you give back to a cause that fuels a personal passion for the arts or environmental preservation.

    I can’t tell you what’s most meaningful to you, but I can suggest that you make it a habit. Consider making your seasonal giving more than an annual tradition or New Year’s resolution. You don’t have to become a whole new person in January, but you can make regular donations or volunteer your time every quarter. The return on your investment is happier holidays and a better mood all year round.

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    Sherry Walling, PhD

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  • How to Fight Through the Holiday Slowdown

    How to Fight Through the Holiday Slowdown

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Were you like me when you started on your journey as an entrepreneur? You’d get to around mid-November and find yourself frustrated because all momentum seemed to grind to a halt. Your suppliers take longer to deliver. Your clients don’t return your calls or emails for weeks, and there hangs in the air a feeling that nothing is going on (apart from present shopping, of course).

    The Christmas season slowdown has begun!

    This infuriated me as a young man trying to make his way into the business world. Why does everybody just down tools and give up for the year?!

    There’s a general sense that December is a write-off as people slow down and look to the new year. But what is that about? Why do we have this collective agreement, and what can we do about it as frustrated “go-getters”?

    The first thing to recognize is that this is a collective agreement — even Christmas is just that. We see it as the time of the year when we take a break during the cold. Ultimately though, the reason why we all engage in traditional behaviors around this time is purely that we’ve all agreed to.

    Related: 6 Ways to Keep Employees Engaged During the Holiday Season

    Collective agreements

    Everything is really a collective agreement in our society. Most of us agree to:

    • Work
    • Pay our taxes
    • The rule of law
    • Abide by the results of elections (mostly!)
    • Participate in traditions & the conventions of society

    There are clear reasons why we do agree to these things. We understand, for example, that there will be consequences to breaking the law, but it’s still just an agreement.

    We are all free agents within our realm. If you want to get home, strip off and cover yourself in hot sauce…you can. I wouldn’t advise it, but you can.

    But in that (admittedly ridiculous) example, by not doing so, you’re still abiding by the collective agreement that your family would probably deem you to be a danger to yourself and others and also that it would be physically unpleasant.

    Our business practices are the same way. We generally agree that there are specific ways of conducting oneself when onboarding a new client, for example, or when conducting meetings. Contractual obligations are another very literal agreement that we enter into with an understanding of the consequences should either party not fulfill their obligations.

    So why would the Christmas season slow down be any different?

    It does seem like something people assume to be a naturally occurring phenomenon. Like rock formations or aurora borealis. “Well, we’re all getting into the Christmas slowdown at work now. It’s just what happens, isn’t it?”

    But it’s not! It’s only a thing because we think it is.

    The truth is that you don’t have to abide by it if you don’t want to. It’s a relatively harmless agreement, after all. Instead of being frustrated like I used to be, though, think of ways that you can mitigate the impact on your business by shifting how you operate.

    Related: How to Create Trust and Keep Motivation High at Your Company

    Use December to take care of all those tasks that get put off during the rest of the year. Work on your preparedness for the upcoming year by reaching out to clients and asking them for feedback, for example. Or you could make those updates to the website you’ve been grumbling about since 2020.

    More than just housekeeping tasks, though, you could also use the time to work on yourself!

    If you’re finding the stress of running a business is getting to you, now is the time to interrogate that and find out what you can do about it. Start working mindfulness practices into your daily routine. Learn to listen to what your mind and body are telling you.

    Read More: 5 Text Messaging Tips for Businesses to Succeed in 2023

    If you’re at that precarious stage of business ownership, where you’re trying to focus on growth but also having to do the work, now is the time to sit down and determine how you will correct that. Get a roadmap together for next year that you can (and crucially: will) follow.

    It’s easy to see the Christmas holidays as a wind down to a final destination, but there is something on the other side! And it would be best if you prepared for it. Come out of the “new year’s gate” swinging, and you’ll steal a march on your competition. Moreover, your existing and prospective clients will see that energy and what a piece of it!

    The ultimate truth about the Christmas season slowing down is that you don’t have to participate. Others can sign up for that collective agreement if they want to, but you can use it to your advantage simply by reframing the situation.

    Happy holidays everyone.

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    Daniel Mangena

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  • 5 Things Every Entrepreneur Should Do This Holiday Season

    5 Things Every Entrepreneur Should Do This Holiday Season

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    With the holiday season upon us and the end of another year quickly approaching, it can cause frenetic feelings about wrapping up final projects. On the other hand, it may offer a chance to reflect on how far we’ve come since January.

    Most of us fall somewhere in between, and it can be easy to lose focus as December 31 approaches. However, this holiday season, carve out time to tackle a few to-dos that will set you up nicely for the year ahead, give you space to think about what you’ve already achieved and prepare you for 2023.

    Related: 5 Things Entrepreneurs Should Focus on During the Holidays

    1. Write three goals you want to accomplish

    Whether you have ongoing monthly or quarterly goals, it’s wise to set three larger goals you want to accomplish in the new year. Consider if you want to switch direction come January or build upon what you’ve already created. Start big. Then, create a strategy with individual milestones to get you where you want to be.

    In business, most goals are attached to revenue but consider alternative perspectives as you plan for the future. What kind of client or service growth do you want to achieve? Do you want to attract a different type of audience? Do you want to add a new skill or certification to your repertoire? Perhaps a goal is to speak at an event or become an influencer in your industry. Whatever you want to achieve, attach your motivating “why” to each goal and map out tangible steps to make it easier to envision.

    Related: This Simple Brain Hack Will Help You Achieve All Your Goals

    2. Declutter your schedule

    Adding new goals and plans to 2023 means you must make room by decluttering your current schedule. The end of the year is an excellent time to review your ongoing meetings and commitments and evaluate where they can be trimmed or deleted altogether. Every entrepreneur knows time is a precious commodity, so to avoid getting burned out, make sure your calendar is full of things that help your growth.

    Simple changes may be to change a weekly meeting to twice a month or shorten regularly scheduled hour meetings to half the time. Take a look at all the organizations — both online and in-person — which may be taking up time with little to no return on investment. Also, consider areas that limit your productivity. Social media is always a common distraction. Although, for many, it’s necessary to maintain a presence online. To keep it a helpful tool (rather than a place for mindless scrolling), schedule specific times when you’ll post and check your channels. Then, step away from social media for the rest of the day.

    Related: 10 Ways to Declutter Without Going Minimalist

    3. Review your budget

    As with decluttering your schedule, take a look at your budget and consider areas that can be eliminated. Are there programs or tools you’re no longer using? Have you put off canceling the free trial on apps or subscriptions that can be better invested elsewhere or budgeted in another way?

    Additionally, auto-pay makes it easy to forget where we spend our money. Take stock of all business auto-payments and see if any can be deactivated. Also, consider other business expenses like online courses, educational or networking events and client meetings. Where do you receive the most value? Weigh each individually to determine if all the resources you’re currently using are still as helpful as they once were. If not, get rid of them and know they’ll always be there should you need them again.

    Related: 5 Ways to Build a Business Budget for Maximum Success

    4. Make a list of all the things you’re thankful for

    Gratitude is the free, quiet booster to success. Plus, it’s easy to obtain. While waiting for your morning coffee to brew or before you dive into answering emails, jot down three things you’re thankful for. Take extra time to reflect and expand your list during the holiday season. Creating a daily gratitude habit isn’t just something to make you feel warm and fuzzy; it can help you focus, increase efficiency and create an abundance mindset.

    Numerous studies illustrate the positive effects of gratitude on the brain. It changes the brain’s makeup and can help us feel more engaged and appreciative, leading to greater productivity, optimism and overall better mental health. Consider the benefits of what starting your day with gratitude could do for your outlook, especially compared to the frenzy we often find ourselves in first thing in the morning.

    Related: Cultivating Gratitude and Happiness Will Boost Your Business

    5. Take time for yourself

    There’s been a cultural shift over the past years from the hustle mentality to a state of self-care. However, for entrepreneurs, sometimes it’s not so easy to slow down. Many times there is no one to delegate work to, which means there’s a difficult balance to sustain a steady workload. Nevertheless, it’s always necessary to take time for yourself. It can seem overwhelming for some, so you’ll have to be intentional in how you want to use the time. Put it on the calendar. Make it a priority.

    Good physical and mental health are two things that are easy to take for granted until they start to fail us. When taking time for yourself, these areas should be at the top of the list. Plan it out, whether it’s a workout at the gym, a walk around the block or a few minutes for stretching and meditation.

    Putting it last on the list means it’s not likely to happen, and burnout could be around the corner. Add time for play and enjoyment into your weekly schedule as well. Essentially, time for yourself, planning or relaxing, must be part of your daily list of to-dos, and what better time to start than the holidays?

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    Kelly Hyman

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  • Stop Waiting for a Big Idea. Success Is All About This One Thing.

    Stop Waiting for a Big Idea. Success Is All About This One Thing.

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    In this ongoing series, we are sharing advice, tips and insights from real entrepreneurs who are out there doing business battle on a daily basis. (Answers have been edited and condensed for clarity.)


    Skin Laundry

    Who are you and what’s your business?

    My name is Gregg Throgmartin, and Skin Laundry is a pioneering medical aesthetics company that I first invested in in early 2017, then joined as CEO shortly thereafter in 2018. Skin Laundry was founded on the belief that the technology and science reshaping skincare today should be widely available and accessible to all. We focus on delivering customized energy-based facials and have performed more laser facials than anyone in the world. We have 23 clinics in the US, plus ten internationally, and are on track to own and operate 100 clinics by the end of 2024.

    Related: It’s Never Too Late to Launch Your Dream, Say These Skincare Entrepreneurs

    Before joining Skin Laundry, I served as President of Fabletics, where I built their retail channel, expanding on their then-pure direct-to-consumer ecommerce model. I’ve been an active seed and growth investor and board member in consumer-centric startups since 2010.

    What inspired you to get on board?

    As I started my Skin Laundry journey as an investor and board member, I had a clear “aha moment” after visiting a handful of our clinics very early on. I talked to team members at each location and always asked, “What brought you to Skin Laundry?” Nearly every employee had the same story: they started as a client and the results were so life-changing they wanted to join the company to help others have a similar experience. They would all proudly pull out their iPhone to show me their before-and-after photos as proof. I knew there was something far more powerful going on than I could have ever imagined.

    Related: You Don’t Have to Be a Business Owner to Think Like an Entrepreneur

    What was your biggest business challenge and how did you pivot to overcome it?

    Being forced to shut down during Covid was clearly a momentous challenge. We had to address the fear and uncertainty, the loss of loved ones, and the loss of connection, while still pursuing steps to ensure the business could not just bounce back, but excel when we eventually emerged. The lingering effects in the workforce, particularly when gearing up for the high growth plans we had for 2022 through 2024, took longer to recover from. We continue to work to overcome this, and I can say the fastest-growing department in our company this past year is our People Team. We’ve poured more into building the finest team and resources for our Skin Laundry people than at any other time in my career. These efforts are paying off — employee reviews on Comparably are strong and our EMPS is up there with the best.

    What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking for funding?

    Make sure you have enough funding to have some initiatives fail. I’d like to be able to say the first initiative I implemented at Skin Laundry was a huge success. But it was not. You need enough cash to test, fail, iterate, test again, refine and continue. If you do happen to nail ‘it’ on the first try, congrats – your funding cushion along with your early win will allow you to add to the team and accelerate growth.

    Related: This Company Built a New Kind of Robot: ‘It Moves the Way People Move’

    What does the word “entrepreneur” mean to you?

    To me, an entrepreneur is someone who can paint a vision of something that has never before existed, then work tirelessly to make it happen. Someone who lives and breathes their business, not because they have to, but because they love to. An entrepreneur is curious, passionate and not afraid to dive headfirst into an area of opportunity where almost everyone else has failed before. They can either tune out the large chorus saying “this won’t work,” or get fired up by the challenge to uncover and prove out just how it can work. Lastly, the best entrepreneurs I know openly talk about their failures. They learn from them, use them to teach their team, and use the sting to work even harder.

    What is something many aspiring business owners think they need that they really don’t?

    An “Idea.” I say that partly jokingly, of course; but so many people I meet think the idea is 90% of the battle. Many aspiring business owners get hung up on perfecting their idea or finding “the big idea.” What one needs is to be able to execute that idea the best. Then, you have to be able to evolve and out-execute everyone else that copies your idea.

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    Dan Bova

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  • You’re Not Lazy — You’re Burnt Out. Here Are The 5 Warning Signs.

    You’re Not Lazy — You’re Burnt Out. Here Are The 5 Warning Signs.

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    Entrepreneur burnout can land you in the emergency ward. Learn how to spot the signs now before it’s too late.

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    Ben Angel

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  • Colleges Face More Pressure to Keep Students With Mental-Health Conditions Enrolled

    Colleges Face More Pressure to Keep Students With Mental-Health Conditions Enrolled

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    A lawsuit filed last week against Yale University has reignited a debate about how colleges should best help students who are going through serious mental-health crises.

    The complaint against Yale reflects a larger shift in which colleges are under increasing pressure — from the federal government, court rulings, advocacy groups, and students themselves — to accommodate students with mental-health conditions so they can stay enrolled while they receive treatment.

    The new lawsuit centers on colleges’ withdrawal policies, which have been the subject of scrutiny by mental-health advocacy groups in recent years. The plaintiffs, two current students and a nonprofit that’s pushing for mental-health reform at the university, argue that Yale’s policies are punitive and violate the Americans with Disabilities Act by depriving students of access to an education.

    The complaint recounts students’ “traumatic” experiences of being pushed out of college after disclosing symptoms of distress and facing barriers to reinstatement. (According to a joint filing on Wednesday, the lawsuit had been put on hold while the parties try to come to an agreement out of court.)

    A similar lawsuit filed against Stanford University in 2018 resulted in a settlement and policy changes that were hailed as a model of student-centered, compassionate, and transparent practices. At Stanford, forced mental-health leaves are now supposed to be a last resort, and students can apply to stay in campus housing even if they do go on leave.

    The Stanford and Yale lawsuits are part of a broader push in recent years to make campus mental-health policies more flexible and student-centered.

    College officials say that involuntary leaves are rare, and that most students are accommodated and stay enrolled while they’re going through mental-health treatment. But in some severe cases, administrators say it’s best for students to pause their studies until they’re ready to return to campus. Drawing that line, however, is a challenge.

    Colleges and universities need to explore all potential reasonable accommodations that might enable the student to safely remain on campus and meet the college’s academic standards without resorting to exclusion.

    Mental-health advocates say colleges often don’t get it right. Colleges should — and are legally obligated to, the lawsuit against Yale argues — provide reasonable accommodations to students with mental-health diagnoses so they can continue their education. And if withdrawal is necessary, advocates stress that the process for a student to re-enroll should not present financial and academic roadblocks.

    Monica Porter, the policy and legal advocacy attorney with the Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law, which is one of the law firms involved in suing Yale, said students and their families are becoming more aware of their rights for reasonable accommodations.

    Part of the shift, too, is that mental health is becoming less stigmatized, said Asia Wong, director of counseling and health services at Loyola University New Orleans. For students, instead of feeling the need to hide their mental-health conditions, there’s been a shift to “this is an illness I’m living with, and I believe that it’s within my rights to be accommodated for that,” Wong said.

    Exclusion as ‘Last Resort’

    There has been renewed interest from the Biden administration’s Education and Justice Departments in protecting the legal rights of students with mental-health conditions, as well as from lawmakers.

    Senator Ed Markey, Democrat of Massachusetts, sent a letter to the two departments last week, encouraging federal officials to scrutinize colleges’ use of involuntary leaves and issue guidance on the matter.

    Federal investigations have forced several colleges to change their mental-health protocols. Recent landmark settlements include Brown University’s from August 2021, which required the university to modify its leave of absence and readmission policies. It also required the school to pay more than $600,000 in damages to students who had been denied readmission.

    In 2018, Northern Michigan University had to overhaul a policy that threatened to punish students if they discussed thoughts of self harm with their peers as part of a Justice Department settlement. And in 2016, the department reached an agreement with Princeton, requiring the university to communicate the accommodations available to students before going on leave.

    “Before resorting to exclusion or putting a pause on a student’s formal relationship with the university, colleges and universities need to explore all potential reasonable accommodations that might enable the student to safely remain on campus and meet the college’s academic standards without resorting to exclusion,” Porter said. “Exclusion should be a last resort and only resorted to in extremely rare cases if no reasonable accommodation can be identified.”

    Victor Schwartz, a psychiatrist and the senior associate dean for wellness and student life at the City University of New York School of Medicine, spent eight years as medical director of the Jed Foundation, a suicide-prevention organization, advising colleges on how to handle students who might pose a threat to their own or others’ safety.

    As the mental-health landscape has changed, Schwartz said there’s a sense among critics that colleges’ policies have not followed the larger cultural shift toward becoming more transparent and student-friendly. He thinks that in the last 15 to 20 years, as advocacy around the issue has increased, more colleges are seeing the virtue in being as reasonably flexible as possible.

    Still, “it’s a complicated balancing act,” he said.

    Sometimes, it is in a student’s best interest to take a break from college, Schwartz said — especially if they can’t get access to the treatment they need on or around campus, or if they can’t keep up with their academic work. There are also rare instances where students pose a risk to the community. But there are other scenarios in which returning home would have a negative impact on a student, he said.

    “Ideally, you need to be taking a holistic picture,” he said.

    Finding That Balance

    Wong, the counseling director at Loyola New Orleans, said the question of whether a student should take a leave of absence boils down to a key issue: Can the university reasonably accommodate the student? Or is the student better served by taking some time off?

    “If the second case is the case, then the university should be working to make it as easy as possible for the student to return,” Wong said.

    Schwartz thinks reinstatement policies like Yale’s — which was updated in the past year but previously required coursework, an interview, and letters of recommendation — were created in good faith. Colleges want to make sure that students are in a position to succeed in terms of their health and academics when they return to campus.

    For many students, the loss of tuition dollars can end their higher-education opportunities.

    But when the bar is too high, rigid policies have the unintended consequences of making students hesitant to take leave, and frightened about the implications of alerting their university when they are experiencing a crisis, Schwartz said.

    “When students believe it’ll be costly and hinder their academic progress to leave school, or if there will be hurdles to coming back, they might not leave when they ought to,” he said. Ideally, there should be a flexible system of tuition reimbursement or making students aware of tuition insurance, he said. Because “for many students, the loss of tuition dollars can end their higher-education opportunities.”

    The recommendations made by Elis for Rachael, the nonprofit involved in the lawsuit against Yale, include eliminating roadblocks to reinstatement and allowing for the possibility of continued access to campus healthcare, facilities, and housing while a student is on leave. Schwartz said these recommendations are by and large sensible and in line with what a lot of colleges are doing.

    Ben Locke, chief clinical officer at Togetherall, a peer-to-peer forum for students that’s monitored by mental-health professionals, worked in counseling services at Pennsylvania State University for two decades. It’s a good thing, Locke said, that colleges are rethinking their mental-health policies to have more parity with general health leave, and eliminating some of the barriers to re-enrollment.

    But he stressed that involuntary-leave policies exist for a reason. There are severe instances, he said, where keeping a student enrolled — or in student housing — poses a danger or disruption to other students and their learning.

    “One of the huge challenges in reporting on and understanding these things is that due to confidentiality rules, you’re generally going to be missing the entire side of the story that holds much of the detail,” he said. “And that doesn’t mean that institutions haven’t done things wrong and should be held accountable, but it does mean we need to be really cautious about drawing very firm conclusions that institution has done X, Y or Z wrong, and we have no idea what actually happened with the student.”

    He also said that calls for continuity of healthcare and housing for students on leave are contractually complicated.

    “The school’s responsibility to a student who is no longer a student changes dramatically,” he said. “And I think that that really does complicate some of these requests.”

    He added: “There has to be a line somewhere.”

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    Carolyn Kuimelis

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  • A Simple Brain Trick To Guarantee Success

    A Simple Brain Trick To Guarantee Success

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    As entrepreneurs, most of us are goal-driven, and we’ve learned how to set clear, juicy goals and then break them down into game plans of smaller projects and tasks. The challenge comes when it’s time for you and your team actually to follow those game plans.

    After the thrill of setting that awesome goal comes the day-to-day work that is often not so exciting. So how do you keep yourself and your team moving forward? How can you stay on track and consistently hit your daily, weekly and quarterly goals? One of the answers is in the simple brain hack that psychologists call “implementation intention.”

    Related: Brain Hacks to Boost Motivation and Beat the Work From Home Blues

    What the research shows

    A psychology professor at NY University, Peter Gollwitzer, first coined the term in the 1990s. He realized that many people set goals, but not many achieved them because they didn’t take the action they needed to take. Dr. Gollwitzer showed that the difference was not just motivation, as some people were highly motivated and still didn’t do what they needed to do. But people were much more likely to reach their goals by figuring out “pre-determined goal-directed behaviors” and turning them into habits.

    Rather than just coming up with a strategy to achieve a goal and then breaking it down into tasks, Dr. Gollwitzer found that people were more likely to succeed if they trained their brains to choose to do the things that they needed to do by using “if-then” statements (you can also use “when-then” statements).

    He and his colleagues ran over 400 studies using every type of goal — quitting smoking, voting, healthy eating, exercising and even using condoms! All the studies showed that implementation intentions made a massive difference in the results people got.

    Related: Setting Measurable Goals Is Critical to Your Strategic Plan (and Your Success). Here’s Why.

    Get to your goal using “when-then”

    How does it work? For example, let’s say that you want to grow your business and that getting lots of 5-star testimonials will help. So, you decide to get 100 testimonials this quarter (about eight per week), and you’ll get them by calling 20 past clients per week, just four every day.

    Sounds simple, right? But this kind of project easily gets lost in the shuffle. You mean to do it; you know it’s important, but other things that seem more urgent pop up. Eventually, you might even forget about
    getting those testimonials completely.

    With implementation intention, you start with the statement, “When _________, then I will ______.” You not only say what you will do but also give it a specific time and place. In this case, you might say, “When I get to the office, and before I even look at my emails, I’ll call four past clients for testimonials.” This tells your brain exactly when to be ready to make the calls. It sets up your energy and focus. By doing it over and over, your brain is automatically triggered to sit down and make calls as soon as you walk into your office.

    James Clear talks about this in his book Atomic Habits. He points out that setting up implementation intention keeps you from deciding whether to do something every single time. You don’t need to be super motivated that day, and you don’t need to use your willpower to get yourself to do it. You just do it because, after a while, it would feel weird not to do it, just like not brushing your teeth before bed would feel strange.

    Related: Your Problem Isn’t Laziness

    Overcome obstacles using “if-then”

    Implementation intention also helps you pre-plan for obstacles you might encounter and helps get you through them. Say you know that your morning calls will often get interrupted by team members who need your input. You know something like this is bound to happen, so before it does, you figure out, “If ___________, then I will ___________.”

    “If I get interrupted, I will ask the person (unless they are bleeding to death) to give me 15-20 minutes.” Or maybe you decide, “If I get interrupted in the morning, I will close the door and eat lunch at my desk to make my calls.” The strategy you use to handle the obstacle is up to you. The point is that you already have it figured out and know exactly how to stay on track despite anything that tries to get in the way.

    Athletes have used this for years. Marathon runners know they’ll run into “the wall” at about 18 to 20 miles. Rather than getting blindsided, they figure out ways to handle it before the race. They’ll slow their pace and take some sports gel. They’ll pay attention to the cheering crowd or focus on a certain mantra. They don’t try to figure out how to deal with the wall when it’s happening. They have a plan, so it doesn’t throw them off their goal.

    Related: 5 Things About Overcoming Adversity That Athletes Can Teach Entrepreneurs

    When I started coaching, I realized that many of my students hit a wall about three months in. They were learning and implementing different marketing strategies. But these strategies take some time, so they didn’t see any results yet. We learned to warn them ahead of time. “Hey, you might not see results for 4-5 months. That doesn’t mean you aren’t on track. If you’re doing the work, results will come soon.”

    Then we help them with “if-then” strategies. “If you feel stuck or discouraged, then call in
    during office hours.” An implementation intention is a brain-hack tool that helps you take the steps you need to take whether you’re feeling motivated or not. You set up the implementation intention by saying what you’ll do and precisely when you’ll do it, and you pre-plan how you’ll deal with obstacles to stay on track.

    James Clear wrote: “Anyone can work hard when they feel motivated. It’s the ability to keep going when work isn’t exciting that makes the difference.”

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    Krista Mashore

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  • ‘I Lied’: The $100-Million Liver King Admits to Taking Steroids

    ‘I Lied’: The $100-Million Liver King Admits to Taking Steroids

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    The Liver King built a $100 Million a year kingdom hyping a diet of raw meat and rigorous exercise to achieve “strength, health, and happiness.”

    In his viral videos on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, the organ-devouring Liver King loudly evangelized for an “ancestral” caveman-like lifestyle, eating such delicacies as raw liver, bone marrow, and bull testicles.

    He subsequently made a fortune selling protein supplements and dried animal organs through his Heart & Soil and Ancestral brands.

    But now the Liver King’s reign as a premier fitness influencer is in jeopardy after he confessed to lying about taking steroids to enhance his jacked body.

    Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

    “I lied, and I misled a lot of people,” said Liver King, whose real name is Brian Johnson, in a somber YouTube video. “Yes, I’ve done steroids, and yes, I am on steroids.”

    Related: Want To Carve Your Fitness Niche? Tips From This Expert Will Help

    The Liver King’s steroid use

    Many skeptics, most notably Joe Rogan, were skeptical that the 45-year-old Johnson wasn’t taking performance-enhancing drugs. But Johnson repeatedly denied steroid use.

    “I don’t touch the stuff. I’ve never done the stuff. I’m not going to do the stuff,” he said on Mark Bell’s Power Project podcast.

    Instead, he pushed a narrative that his family (his wife is The Liver Queen) lived according to “nine ancestral tenants:” to eat, sleep, move, shine, connect, cold, sun, fight, and bond.

    But last week, the Liver King’s all-natural facade was exposed by another fitness YouTuber More Plates More Dates, who showed leaked emails from Johnson admitting to taking multiple steroids and asking a dealer to sell him even more. The video also included Johnson’s blood test, which proved steroid use.

    Why the Liver King lied

    Sitting shirtless on a leather throne, the normally braggadocious Johnson humbly confessed to lying about his steroid use in an apology video. “I am as sorry as a man can be,” he said.

    He admitted to taking 120 mg of testosterone per week but denied other rumors, such as getting ab implants or plastic surgery.

    Johnson blamed his steroid use on his insecurity.

    “When I talk about the 85 percent of the population that suffers from self-esteem issues, that’s me. I’m part of that statistic. This is why I f–ng work myself to death in the gym. This is why I do 12 to 15 blood-burning workouts a week, just to feel like I’m okay,” he said. “And hormone replacement has helped in a profound and significant way.”

    Will The Liver King be dethroned? The fate of his empire is unclear, and Johnson isn’t saying much about his future moves.

    “All I can do is take extreme ownership right now, be better, and lead myself to a better life as a better human,” he told his millions of followers.

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    Jonathan Small

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  • 3 Tips for Delivering Your Best Work When You Feel Burned Out

    3 Tips for Delivering Your Best Work When You Feel Burned Out

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    While we often get caught up in keeping up with quantity (making more calls, building more SKUs, working more hours, etc.) it is delivering high-quality work that is a surefire way to please clients and earn respect.

    But if your headspace is clouded with a lengthy to-do list, an unrealistic deadline, or feelings of burnout, quality can fall by the wayside.

    Prioritizing your well-being will allow you to show up as the peak version of yourself. The following are a few tips you should employ to improve your mental space and overall output.

    Related: 6 Reasons You’re Burning Out — And How You Can Fix It

    Take a break

    There are only so many hours in the day and often, you may feel that, rather than taking a time out, the best option is to have another cup of coffee and push through. When you’re feeling stressed, a break of just five minutes can change the next five hours of your day.

    Our brains produce enough energy to power a small light bulb, but if we don’t give them time to recharge, they will actually go into overdrive. This can lead to a loss of creativity, focus and lead to decision fatigue which results in poor choices. If you’re looking to deliver the highest quality work, pushing through that wall you’re hitting isn’t always the best option.

    Take just a moment to meditate, read the news or take a walk. In the increasingly hybrid work world we live in, you can even be productive with personal chores: Empty the dishwasher, prep dinner or put in a load of laundry.

    A quick break can improve brain function, restore motivation, critical thinking and creativity while helping you deliver your best work.

    Related: 3 Tips for Founders Battling Burnout

    Learn to say “no”

    A good way to start setting boundaries is through one-on-one conversations with your supervisor. Keep him or her up to date with how busy you are, your planned vacation time, career goals and any unexpected personal issues. It’s essential to be your own advocate in these conversations because no one understands your life better than you do. By keeping your higher-up in the loop, you’ll have another person in your corner if you must decline an assignment.

    When you are asked to take on a project, seriously evaluate your work and personal life when considering if you have the capacity to take on the challenge before agreeing to it. Biting off more than you can chew can lead to feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, which hurts focus, curbs productivity and negatively impacts results.

    If you refuse, be sure to effectively communicate your reasons for doing so. Always provide alternative solutions, such as checking in with another colleague who may have time to assist.

    Use your vacation time

    Taking time to rest helps us to be more focused, energetic and brings a positive outlook to the office. One of the best ways to recharge is to use our vacation time.

    It can be hard to find time to take personal time off when managing multiple projects and tight deadlines, but it’s important to do so. Studies show that using vacation time is key to reducing stress, improving mental health and boosting productivity while at work. Whether it’s a week off (and make sure it’s at least a week off, as a recent study, conducted by Club Wyndham, found that 43% of American workers polled claimed they didn’t start to relax until three days into their trip) or a single mental health date to catch up on personal matters, it’s in your company’s best interest for you to use your breaks.

    And when you’re off, be sure to fully disconnect: Don’t check your emails and be sure not to stress about what you may be missing or what you have to tackle when you return.

    Related: A Work-Life Balance is Nonsense. To Reach Your Goals, Follow Another Approach

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    Michelle Van Slyke

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  • 3 Rituals to Help You Build Resilience and Beat Stress

    3 Rituals to Help You Build Resilience and Beat Stress

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    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    I was watching Good Morning America recently and saw a segment in which they recommended people take short breaks in between work tasks. The program cited an analysis in the journal PLOS ONE showing that “microbreaks” during the workday increase energy and decrease fatigue.

    This is the essence of the recovery methodology I’ve learned from research and personal experience, dating back to my days as a teenage lifeguard at Jones Beach in New York. We focus on practicing what I call resilience rituals and how they help us combat depletion, exhaustion and burnout while rebuilding resilience.

    The forces driving us toward burnout are chronic stress (driven in part by being constantly engaged online), multitasking and forgetting to tend to the needs of our bodies and minds. The results can be catastrophic for our health and wellbeing, but there’s good news: Resilience rituals, if practiced regularly, can help us recharge, rejuvenate and perform at our best.

    Related: 7 Keys to Developing Resilience

    When I was a lifeguard, we made dozens of ocean rescues each day, but there was one rescue that failed when we were unable to find a swimmer who went down in the rough surf. From that tragedy, we vowed to make sure that would never again happen on our watch. To make good on that vow, our lifeguard crew had to learn to become more capable and pivot in the face of a serious tragedy. To ensure everyone was performing at their best, we started taking more breaks and spelling each other.

    Today, I call that concept the toggle method — a way to recharge energy and boost resilience.

    How the toggle method helps recharge resilience

    For a long time, people have defined resilience as our ability to take a hit and bounce back. The person who was able to produce the most, endure the most stress and be the first in and last out of the office was considered resilient. Trying to live up to that old paradigm is one reason so many people are exhausted, near or past burnout.

    You can’t endlessly absorb stress and take the hits of uncertainty and anxiety and keep coming back stronger. It’s like fighting a rip current. Instead, I believe resilience is about recovery. It’s the process of recovery that ultimately enables you to bounce forward, rather than just bounce back.

    Practicing resilience rituals allows you to toggle between periods of focused energy (the “E-Zone”) and periods of focused rest and recovery (the “R-Zone”), like a light switch toggles between on and off. Taking breaks throughout the day allows you to toggle between your E-Zone and your R-Zone — using intermittent rest, recovery and regeneration as a tool to increase productivity and performance.

    When you toggle back and forth between those two states often enough throughout the day, you find that it increases your capacity to focus. This allows you to get more accomplished throughout the day with less exhaustion, less depletion and less risk of burnout. Over time, this also helps you build higher levels of resilience.

    Related: Want to Prevent Burnout? Start Building Resilience Now.

    Toggle menu

    So, how can we regenerate in ways that increase our longevity, capacity and sustainability, whether as individuals or as teams? We’ve developed a “toggle menu” of things people can do during the day to reset, recharge and rejuvenate. Some activities can be done in less than one minute, while others can be done in 30 minutes or less. Here are a few to try:

    • Legs Up the Wall: This is my ultimate go-to for energy in the afternoon. Rather than drink coffee or eat a candy bar, try lying flat on your back with your legs vertically up the wall, with your body in the shape of an L. You can do this for as short as 20 minutes with your eyes closed, with or without meditation. Set an alarm because you could literally drop off to sleep! After 20 minutes in that position, you’ll either wake up or get up restored. It feels like taking a multi-hour nap without the grogginess. You’ve taken pressure off your back and legs. You have better circulation and blood flow. You’ll feel mentally, physically, emotionally, and maybe even spiritually restored. When I do this for 20 minutes in the afternoon, I find my capacity matches my best productivity hours in the morning.

    • Zone 2 Cardio Walk: The impact of walking cannot be ever overstated, especially if you walk after meals. Walking helps regulate your biochemistry to lower your heart rate, lower your blood pressure, and increase levels of dopamine and serotonin in your body. Take one or more 20- to 30-minute walks during the day, and you will likely feel better. A Zone 2 Cardio Walk is a little different because you breathe through your nose and keep your mouth shut while you walk, so you are not talking to other people or talking on your phone. By breathing in and out through your nose, you create more of an aerobic experience with more benefits to your cardiovascular system. It’s a combination walking/breathing exercise you will find restorative and beneficial to your sense of wellbeing. If you walk after eating, you gain the benefit of increasing metabolism and assisting your digestion and assimilation of what you ate.

    • Hand/Ear Massage: Your ears don’t typically get a lot of touch, and massaging them can be a bit of a state change. This is an area that has been shown through research to produce a change in the way neurons fire in your brain. So, when you are sitting at your desk feeling tired, close your eyes and massage your ears up and down for about 60 seconds. You can also try massaging your hands between your thumb and index finger. Little toggle rituals such as this can have a big effect!

    Related: 5 Reasons Science Says You Seriously Need to Take a Break

    There are many ways you can give yourself breaks throughout the day to recharge your energy and reboot your resilience. Try taking quiet time for meditation, gratitude and prayer to start and end your day. Set reminders on your phone to help you remember to unplug for a bit each day. Experiment with different activities of various durations and see what works best for you.

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    Adam Markel

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