Category: life skills

coaching, life skills

4 Steps to Managing Anxiety in the COVID-19 Lockdown

Social isolation, lockdown, fear of serious illness and economic collapse … we are all currently having to adapt to a new normal that changes daily.  Lacking information and certainty, it’s no surprise that most of us feel uncertain, anxious, vulnerable.  Dealing with the mental health effects of this rapidly changing social and economic environment are not easy, but there are steps you can take to ease the psychological costs in these unprecedented times.  Take control … as much as you can Feeling powerless, helpless, and at the mercy of external […]

business coaching, coaching, life skills, workplace coaching

How to get there from here – the power of hope

During Oprah Winfrey’s recent landmark acceptance speech, she spoke of how: “I’ve interviewed and portrayed people who’ve withstood some of the ugliest things life can throw at you, but the one quality all of them seem to share is an ability to maintain hope for a brighter morning, even during our darkest nights.” So what is it about hope, the belief in the possibility of something better, that Oprah, and others, feel is the key to being able to withstand and survive difficult circumstances? Hope researcher Charles Richard Snyder believes […]

life skills

The Fear Toolbox

The number one obstacle to success? Fear. Fear of failure, of loss, of ridicule and rejection, of not being good enough … fear comes in many forms, but it is part of the human condition – experienced by everyone who has ever achieved anything. Fear can function as an early warning system, letting us know when we are about to face risk or danger, but it can also attack our confidence, our sense of worth, and our sense of self-efficacy, leading to paralysis and avoidance. “If you persuade yourself that […]

business coaching, coaching, life skills

Time-management – the basics

Improving our time-management skills is often seen as the solution to increased workflow or workplace stress, however even the best time-management system has its limits. If we are currently under high work demands, how can we implement an effective and sustainable time-management system, when it just feels like another thing on our to-do list? This is compounded by the massive amount of information out there on time-management systems – workshops, books, articles, diaries. With such a wealth of information available, where do we start? First of all, KIS – keep […]

business coaching, life skills

The mystery of human motivation

Whatever our understanding of how human motivation operates – whether we are interested in improving how we motivate ourselves, or others – we are aware that employee motivation is a key driver of productivity and achievement in our organisation. Daniel Pink, author of ‘Drive’, argues that our understanding of what drives our behaviour in the workplace needs to be upgraded from the belief in the universal effectiveness of punishment and reward, and he puts forward the idea that there are three universal motivators that drive our behaviour: autonomy – the need […]

coaching, life skills

Resolutions, and the power of hope

It’s often at this time of year that any New Year’s resolutions can start to falter as our positive intentions hit the inertia of our old ways of being. The power of hope (a desire with an expectation for something, especially something good, to happen) can enable us to see possibilities where none exist, propelling us to move towards a better future for ourselves and others around us. Research has shown that people who score high in hope have lower levels of depression and anxiety, and higher levels of happiness […]

life skills

Finding peace in the crazy season

Christmas, in theory a time of peace on earth, is often a frenetic rush to achieve.  End of year work deadlines, social events, school productions; lists of presents, decorations and food; relationship stress and money worries – often stretch even the best prioritisation and time-management systems. One tool to help us through this is a daily 10-15 minute practice of meditation.  This practice comes in many forms, but at its core is the intention to bring peace to the mind and body, and increase consciousness and awareness. Research has shown that […]