The Coach Approach

16 Ways to Jumpstart Your Day

Photo by Mizz Amontillado
I love mornings.  I appreciate my mornings so much because not too long ago, I didn't have mornings to enjoy.   Well, the mornings were there.  They were just insane.

Working east coast hours from the west coast, I used to fly into the bathroom at 4:00 a.m., flip on the micro-coffee pot - that's right. the coffee pot was in my bathroom - and then jump into a fast and furious shower.  I could wash my hair and shave both legs in less than 7 minutes on a good day.  By 4:20 a.m. I was speeding down Columbus Ave. to the 12th floor of the Transamerica Pyramid building for the start of a 4:30 a.m. meeting.

The meeting was broadcast over a loud speaker so I could read the newspaper, scan multiple news services, review overnight emails and research, and choke down an apple while listening to CNN and MSNBC on the jumbo screen tv's - all at the same time. 

If this sounds even a little bit like your morning, know that you don't need that frantic morning pace in order to succeed or get everything done that you want to get done in the day.  The reality is, starting out at that level of adrenaline and cortisol so early in the morning leads to ineffective decision making and burn out.  Its kind of like trying to run a marathon at the pace of a sprint.  You use all your juice right off the start line and then limp through the rest of the race at a lackluster crawl.

Six Tips to Make Anger Work for You

Anger, commonly thought of as a "negative" emotion, is a result of a disappointed expectation or frustrated desire. Like all emotions it comes from our thoughts.  You thought he would be on time for dinner with your parents.  He was late - again.  What you "think" is he doesn't appreciate you or the effort you put into making dinner plans.  What you feel is angry.

Most healthy people don't enjoy getting mad, especially if they get out of control, saying and doing things they regret later.  I certainly don't enjoy getting mad.  First I get mad and then I get mad at myself for getting mad because I think I should be resourceful enough, or smart enough, or evolved enough to NOT get mad.  Kind of feeds on itself.

But there is a gift to anger.  That gift is energy.  While sadness, shame, guilt and self-pity all lack energy and can keep a person stuck almost forever, anger has energy and that energy must be moved.  Here, you have a choice - to use it either destructively or constructively.

Manage Fear and Anxiety So They Don't Get the Best of You

We all experience fear and anxiety at some point in time.  They are natural responses to stress in the environment and can be useful in moderate doses.  We experience fear in response to a perceived threat.  We experience anxiety when contemplating possibilities in the future and in fact, anxiety helps us take action to influence future outcomes. 

As we focus on the worst cases scenarios, we lose the energy and the usefulness of these heightened states and begin to frustrate our abilities to successfully respond to whatever challenges we may need to face in the future.  Fear and anxiety overload the body systems with stress hormones that decrease mental, emotional and physical functioning and stimulate disease and distress.  Clearly, we cannot function at our best under these conditions.

How To Get Out of a Bad Mood

I try to learn at least one new thing every day.  Today, in fact just moments ago, I finally learned the definition of the term "life hack."  I'd seen the term in a few blogs and recently subscribed to one called, "Stepcase Lifehack."  A life hack is a simple or quick solution to an every day problem.  I want to emphasize the "every day" part.  Apparently, hacks are not for people who are experiencing the problem at an abnormal level. 

If you are experiencing some kind of mood disorder or chemical imbalance, then this hack is not for you.  You will find it useful, but it may not solve your problem.  If you, like most folks, find yourself emotionally hijacked from time to time by a bad mood - bored, angry, frustrated, or stressed out - then try these hacks to get into a better mood. 

Important:  You have to WANT to be in a better mood.  If you are full on engaged in a pity party and the pay off is a ton of attention or something else compelling, you're not going to be too motivated to make a change.

When you find yourself in a bad mood and you really want to change it, here are some things that will help you get back to a state of well being: