Having Trouble Relaxing?

I’If you are like me, every time I decide to do something just for me, I have a flash of all the things that I should be doing instead. Since my to-do list is quite long, I have to fight the urge to postpone that relaxing walk or leisure reading to get something done on my list. After all, I’ve seen the research on the importance of self-control and self-regulation in obtaining long-term goals. Yet, recent research shines a light on the importance of fun and relaxation, too. Let’s take a look…

Managing Team Conflict

With so many of us working remotely in a highly stressed world, it is quite likely that we’ll be faced with occasional conflict with the people we work with. And even without the additional stress, most of us aren’t very good at handling it. So, how do we improve our ability to manage conflict?

I'm Having a Bad Day!

Even those of us who are usually upbeat and positive have bad days occasionally. These bad days may be prompted by something that happened or for no apparent reason at all. So, what can we do about it? How can we turn these bad days into something more productive and positive?

Need a Reason to Smile?

A common comment related to my blog on mask-wearing was that people missed seeing other people’s smiles. It’s understandable that we feel this way. With the need to wear a mask, others can’t see our smile and we can’t see theirs. Perhaps without the prompt of seeing others’ smiles, we may be smiling less, which may have the effect of compounding a negative mood.

Awareness, COVID-19, Masks, SmilingSaundra SchrockAugust 17, 2020Awareness, COVID-19, Masks, Smiling

What I've Learned About Wearing a Mask

For months now, I’ve been wearing a mask when I cannot socially distance. And, I have worn it enough now to start to notice things about myself and others. If you are an observer of human behavior as I am, this highly unusual phenomenon offers an abundance of opportunities to gain insights. Here are some of mine.

Mindfulness, Awareness, COVID-19, MasksSaundra SchrockAugust 10, 2020Mindfulness, Awareness, COVID-19, Masks

Too Much Togetherness

Over the past few months, many of us have enjoyed a lot of benefits of being at home with our loved ones. Many of us had the opportunity to do things together that we haven’t had time to do before. All of this extra time together was a welcome change. But now, as time goes on, all this togetherness is resulting in many of us experiencing something I call closeness fatigue. What can we do about it?

Ironing: A Mindfulness Practice?

I’m no domestic goddess. Because of that, there’s usually a long list of things I would rather not do around the house. But recently, I’ve noticed that I have a newfound urge to clean and organize. Perhaps it is a welcome break from everything that is going on. Or, maybe it is the appeal of getting something completely done and the satisfaction that comes with that. But I think the primary reason is that I have incorporated these routine tasks into my daily mindfulness practice.

The Power of Why

During this time of uncertainty, we are hungry for information. Often times, this is a result of people communicating with urgency and not a lot of planning. In this rushed state, it’s totally understandable that our first thought in communicating is focused on what, when, and where, with little or no focus on why. But, that’s not the first thought of the receiver of information. Let’s learn about the power of why…