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Build Your Resilience: Thriving through Change & Complexity
Join Wendy Woods on June 4, 2014 at 12:30 PM for this powerful one hour webinar. Is the constant state of change, uncertainty and complexity making it hard for you to be and remain resilient? Today’s climate is so challenging that it is commonly referred to as “VUCA times” describing an environment of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity. Developing a capacity for sustained resilience is not only essential... -
Resiliency in the Workplace
Join Wendy Woods for Resiliency in the Workplace on April 4 and 5, 2014 in the Applied Mindfulness Meditation program at the University of Toronto. Learn how self-compassion and compassion can contribute to resiliency and impact the workplace. -
Top Strategies for Managing Overwhelm
Mind Clearing Tricks To understand overwhelm is to understand a bit about the makeup of the brain. According to Dr. Edward Hallowell, Psychiatrist, the frontal lobes of the brain govern executive functioning which guides decision making, planning, organization, prioritization, and other managerial tasks. Beneath the frontal lobes lie the deep areas of the brain dedicated to survival. When you are doing well and operating at optimum level, these regions send messages... -
Requesting Sept. Newsletter
Are you feeling overwhelmed at work? For Stress Busting tips, check out our Stress Busters Ebook. Also if you want to receive a copy of our latest newsletter Quick Resources to Reduce Stress and Increase Productivity, email us. -
Meditation can Increase Concentration- especially when Multitasking
A recent study (The Effects of Mindfulness Meditation Training on Multitasking in a High-Stress Information Environment, 2012) shows that practicing mindfulness meditation can help people stay on task longer with fewer distractions and also improves memory and reduces stress. The Experiment Three groups of Human Resource managers were tested on their ability to multitask. All were given an initial round of testing. The first group was then given 8... -
Quotes of the Week
Image courtesy of Photography by Ambro/FreeDigitalPhotos.net Stress is basically a disconnection from the earth, a forgetting of the breath. Nothing is that important. Just lie down. ~Natalie Goldberg, American Author The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. ~William James, American Psychologist Adopting the right attitude can convert a negative stress into a positive one. ~ Hans Selye, Endocrinologist The time to relax is when you don’t... -
Techniques for Clearing the Mind
Here are some techniques to clear your mind and calm the mental chatter. Write to Release. Reverse negative habits and mental patterns that threaten your productivity by engaging in free form writing, at least once a day for 30 days. Grab your pencil and paper and sit in a quiet private area where you won’t be interrupted. Close your eyes and take three deep breaths before you start writing.... -
How Work/Life Balance Drives Employee Engagement
I recently attended an HCI webinar “It’s Five O-Clock Somewhere”- Increasing Employee Engagement by Improving Work/Life Balance. Work/life balance is something we all need to maintain; it’s also strongly connected to employee engagement. Employers who do not effectively manage balance fuel burnout and demotivation- the enemies of engagement! Kevin Sheridan, the presenter and Chief Engagement Officer and Chief Consultant of HR Solutions, began the webinar by defining employee engagement. ... -
Bust through Stress in 3 minutes or less
The reality is that stress is an inevitable part of life. However, the key to living a more balanced life is to manage stress so it doesn’t manage you as opposed to trying to eliminate it completely. Here is a quick Watershed Training Solutions Stress Busting strategy: Take 10 Slow Deep Breaths – Why? Breathing is one of the easiest systems to control in order to relax (Dr John... -
Quotes of the Week
“Stress is the trash of modern life – we all generate it but if you don’t dispose of it properly, it will pile up and overtake your life.” ~ Danzae Pace, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist “Stress is not what happens to us. It’s our response TO what happens. And RESPONSE is something we can choose.” ~Maureen Killoran, Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist “Stress is basically a disconnection from the earth, a forgetting... -
Get In on the Fun with WTS
Watershed Training Solutions has two great events in June that are designed to enhance your workplace experience while equipping you with the necessary tools to get the job done effectively and efficiently. June 17th CMA Ontario – Essential Leadership Skills This is an interactive and informative workshop that will identify critical emotional intelligence competencies, transforming you into the optimal leader. June 29th – Releasing Stress Through Laughter Yoga Giggle... -
Quotes of the Week
“People ask the difference between a leader and a boss. . . The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads, and the boss drives.” ~Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States “The quality of a leader is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.” ~Ray Kroc, American businessman “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and... -
Quotes of the Week
“The standard of success in life isn’t the things. It isn’t the money or the stuff. It is absolutely the amount of joy that you feel.”~ Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States “You’ll seldom experience regret for anything that you’ve done. It is what you haven’t done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear. Do it! Develop an appreciation for the present moment. Seize every... -
Stress Relief with Wendy Woods…(Sigh)
In 30 minutes you are presenting to the board of directors. As you stand in front of the elevator panting, you recall this morning’s mishaps. You missed the bus because you forgot to print an extra copy of your report, leaving you no other choice but to run the 10 blocks to your office building in the -15 ̊C weather. You bolted through the streets cutting traffic and spilt... -
Importance of Breathing
Image courtesy of federico stevanin/FreedigitalPhotos.net Breathing is something we all do but most of us don’t do it properly. We breathe shallowly and quickly so we don’t get the benefits that our bodies need from a decent supply of oxygen into our lungs. Another wonderful benefit of proper breathing is that it can quickly help us manage stress. Here are 3 quick ways to improve your breathing: Check in... -
Attaining the Happiness Advantage – Part Three
In parts One and Two of the Happiness Advantage, I outlined the key points made by Sean Achor, CEO of Aspirant and author of The Happiness Advantage: the Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work in a recent HBR Ideacast. In the interview, Sean outlined what is meant by the happiness advantage and offered up some quantifiable research showcasing the benefits of this paradigm... -
Measuring the Happiness Advantage – Part Two
In Part One of Measuring the Happiness Advantage, I summarized a recent HBR Ideacast which featured Sean Achor, CEO of Aspirant and author of The Happiness Advantage: the Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work. To recap, the “happiness advantage” refers to the ability of your brain to do more when you’re positive. Number Crunching Now, if you’re like me, you want some form... -
The Happiness Advantage – Part One
Sean Achor, CEO of Aspirant and author of The Happiness Advantage: the Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work was recently featured on a HBR Ideacast where he discussed the profound effect a positive outlook has on our ability to work productively and experience happiness both at work and at home. Sean begins by clarifying what is meant by positive psychology. He’s not talking... -
Managing stress this holiday season!
Image courtesy of seaskylab/FreeDigitalPhotos.net Build in Down Time. Holiday time is lots of fun but can get tiring with all the visits and parties. Make sure you block off time in your calendar to reconnect with your couch and fuzzy slippers. This will ensure you can keep pace with the demands of the season without burning out or getting sick. Stick to a budget. It’s been a couple of... -
Work, Life, and Everything In Between
Maintaining a proper work/life balance is an issue that is gaining more precedence, especially amongst Gen Y’s. Being a Gen Y myself, I can attest to the utmost importance of finding employment that offers the opportunity to maintain a happy medium between work and life. Though employers are becoming more attune to the need for balance, there is still a long way to go. Author of SuperCorp, Rosabeth Moss... -
Benefits of Belly Breathing
Typically, the only place we really concentrate on our breathing is in a yoga class, but we really should be thinking about our breathing throughout the day as abdominal breathing has a plethora of benefits. Belly breathing a great way to relieve stress as it promotes calmness by stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system and allows for improved concentration. What’s more, is that it also helps to detoxify your inner... -
Managing Email Madness – Part Three
We hope you enjoyed our series on managing email madness. In case you’re still experiencing resistance from your email recipients, or you’re just looking for some more great techniques, we’ve extended our series to include a third installment. In our final chapter, we’re going to look at some more tips from Stever Robbins on helping you to control the flow of email. Send out Delayed Responses This technique is... -
Stress Busters- Part 3
Image courtesy of Michal Marcol/FreeDigitalPhotos.net Feeling stressed? Not being able to focus on work properly? Is stress causing a constant rush of adrenaline? Here is the solution! We have quick stress busters for you AGAIN. Our stress busters blogs have been so successful that we thought we’d provide you with more: Take a mental vacation. – Give yourself a 10 minute mental vacation by imaging yourself on a real... -
Managing Email Madness – Part Two
Last week, in Part One of our three part blog series, Managing Email Madness, we taught you how to become a better, more efficient email sender. By now, we hope your new techniques for sending email have rubbed off on those around you, but in case you have some resistors, Stever Robbins has a few techniques that you can use when it comes to reading and receiving email Use a Paper... -
Video Weekly Tip: Stress Relief with Wendy Woods
Take a break and watch Wendy Woods, Principal of Watershed Training Solutions, walk you through all the benefits of one of her favourite stress relievers: laughter. For more information about Watershed Training Solutions and stress management tools, strategies and workshops, check out https://www.watershedtraining.ca/ -
Managing Email Madness – Part One
First off, we’d like to thank all of you who responded to our query regarding workplace stress. In response to your comments, we’d like to help you manage one of your top stresses: email overload. Although most of us have been using email for a number of years, many of us still struggle with managing it effectively, making email overload one of the top workplace stresses. Daily, our inboxes... -
Stress Busters – Part 2
Image courtesy of Ambro/FreeDigitalPhotos.net Now that the Thanksgiving fun is over and everyone is back to the grind, we could think of no better time than now to provide you with a few more stress busting tips from our Stress Busters Simple Strategies in 5 Minutes or Less Take 10 deep slow breaths – Why? Breathing is one of the easiest systems to control in order to relax (Dr... -
Manage your stress this Thanksgiving!
Well, it’s almost here (don’t pretend you don’t what I’m talking about), the long weekend! But with copious amounts of turkey and an extra day of rest comes great responsibility and (I hate to say it) stress. With mere hours before the festivities begin, it’s no surprise that some us might be feeling a little anxious about all the work we’re leaving behind (and that’s no way to start... -
A blackberry free weekend
Last weekend I went on a yoga/meditation retreat. As part of my desire to escape and get a much needed break, I decided to go blackberry free. I actually turned it off for two days. Okay I’ll admit that my thumbs were a little twitchy and I was tempted on more than one occasion to simply check in. However I remained committed to my goal and resisted. Instead I... -
Quick Stress Busters in 5 Minutes or less from our Stress Busters eBook
Image courtesy of Salvatore Vuono/FreeDigitalPhotos.net 1. Take a walk– Go for a walk even if it’s for only 5 minutes. It will get you away from your desk, give you an opportunity to view your stress/stressors from a different perspective and allow you to return to work with a fresh perspective. Besides the exercise will do you good. 2. Grab a cup of tea- Certain herbal teas are known...
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