Have you ever felt like you just don’t know what to do next?  I can tell you that for me, it happens more often than I would like to admit.  

 

Not knowing what to do next can be a root cause of procrastination.  There are many other contributors but this one seems to push people to push whatever it is aside (perhaps hoping that it will just go away).  

 

 

 

Lack of Information can be a major timetrap and promote procrastination.  

 

What strategies work?  Try asking yourself the following questions: 

 

1.  What do I need to know?

 

2.  From whom or where can I get the necessary information?

 

3.  What’s the very next action I can take?

 

 

 

Stop, Think & Breathe.  Doing these 3 things is not overrated; it is necessary.  When you stop, think, and breathe, you have a better chance of finding direction.  Too often we feel as though we don’t have time to think and can’t possibly stop.  When we don’t think, we often waste time, feel scattered and struggle to get things done.  

 

 

 

A safety technique we are taught to help extinguish a fire is to “Stop, Drop and Roll.”  The “safety” technique to follow when feeling like you don’t know what to do next and are just overwhelmed:  Stop, Think & Breathe!   

 

One of the most exciting days toward the end of third grade is the third grade bike rodeo. In conjunction with the elementary schools and the Needham Police Department, the bike rodeo teaches students bike safety before they are permitted to ride to school.

Our children are taught the rules of the road, including the use of hand signals to let automobile drivers know what their intentions are as they bike through the streets.  But as drivers, do we pay attention to a child using these signals? Do we remember what each hand motion means?

My son loves to ride his bike across town to the High Rock School. Before his first trek, we found what we thought was the safest route—one with crossing guards at all the major intersections, a route that avoided biking down Great Plain Avenue.  Luckily, he has not been involved in a bike accident, but he comes home with tales of drivers who are seemingly distracted or just not paying attention while he is riding and has had many near misses. As I said, he is lucky, but some other children are not as fortunate.

So our children learn to bike safely, but those of us who drive should learn or relearn the rules of the bicycler (be they children or adults) so that everyone can be safe.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), bike riders should:

• Go With the Traffic Flow. Go with the flow—not against it.
• Obey All Traffic Laws. This includes: all traffic signs, signals and lane markings.
• Yield to Traffic When Appropriate.

You can visit the NHTSA website at www.NHTSA.dot.gov for more helpful safety rules of the road.

Unfortunately, there are times when our young riders aren’t following the rules of the road.  This means as drivers, it is our responsibility to be careful, diligent and observant of hand signals when we are around bicyclers.

Here are some hand signals to watch for:

• Left turn: left arm extended out
• Right turn: left arm up with elbow bent or right arm straight and pointed to the right
• Slowing down or stopping: left arm extended down

When we hear the news of a bicycle rider struck by a car, we pay attention.  Hopefully, as drivers, we can pay attention now and avoid any horrific accidents.

Lifting the Burden off Children and Schools  

When I see students walking to school or running to catching the school bus, I am saddened and concerned by the heavy weight they are carrying on their backs.  Young students, older students —it doesn’t matter, each, needing to take homework and projects to school are hauling a heavy back pack.

My 6^th grader complained of having severe neck pain after a few weeks into the new school year.  This prompted us to weigh his back pack.  It weighed 18 pounds!  We have looked for ways to reorganize and lighten his load.  We managed to remove 3 pounds but that is still 15 pounds on his shoulders and back.

I can cite several studies about backpack safety that suggest back packs should not exceed 10 percent of the child’s body weight to prevent back pain or scoliosis or more.

However, as a keen observer (and I’m sure most parents would agree), watching students walking either hunched over from the weight of the backpack or leaning back because the pack hangs so low (especially on smaller children) can’t be healthy.

On May 4, Parenting 2.0 is organizing Back Pack Fee Friday. 

Every day millions of children go to school tired, dehydrated, and many times also hungry. Back Pack Free Friday focuses public awareness on the very real burdens lack of appreciation for children’s foundational health places on children and schools.  Back Pack Free Friday is sponsored by an international consciousness movement called Parenting 2.0 (P20), the top ranked parenting group on LinkedIn with nearly 1700 members in more than 40 countries, P20 advocates a more proactive educational process for non-academic Life Skills.

P20 invites everyone to support Back Pack Free Friday and Stand Up for the welfare of children everywhere by doing the following on Friday May 4^th, 2012.

1. Leave back packs at home this day.
2. Prioritize sleep, hydration, nutrition, and exercise.
3. Find creative ways to underscore the importance of water, sleep, nutrition and exercise, for all aspects of children’s performance.
4. Shine light upon professionals who can speak to the importance of prioritizing personal care.
5. Share the concept of the Life Skills Report Card. http://parenting2pt0.org/about/life-skills-report-card/

Back Pack Free Friday is being promoted all over the world.

Please join me and spread the message – Let’s lift the burden off children & schools and start on May 4, 2012 by leaving the back packs home! http://parenting2pt0.org/media/

The physical back pack is a great metaphor for the burden our children carry on their shoulders. Campaign to draw attention to children’s foundational care: Sleep, hydration, exercise, diet.

Busy Spring Schedules for Families: Time to Regroup! – Needham, MA Patch http://t.co/sfDVZ2c1

A Special Journey – Needham, MA Patch http://ping.fm/4R8dT

I had the honor to speak to 100 teenage girls: Engaging Tomorrow’s Leaders-Needham, MA Patch http://tinyurl.com/8xqa29r

Do You Like Green Eggs & Ham? Dr. Seuss, A Man of Many Clever Words! http://ping.fm/pH7ve

My first post on NeedhamPatch! “The Impact of A Wish List!” http://ping.fm/at4jV

I love the letter “C.”  Over the years, I have found that there are so many extraordinary words that begin with the letter “C”. It’s not that the other letters don’t have amazing words, but using words beginning with the letter “C”, as a guide to action, can open the door to making positive changes both professionally and personally.

Choice:  We all have the ability to make choices.

• Choose how you react
• Choose to make improvements or stay status quo
• Choose to take responsibility
• Choose to act

Control:  Determine the power you have over your circumstances. Do you have the control to make changes? Want to change jobs, lose weight, exercise more, spend more time with your family, take more time for yourself, or get a promotion? Keep thoughts directed at what you want—thoughts and attitude make a difference between success and failure

Commitment:  Make a promise to yourself. Your obligation is to you. Trying is nice but it has an escape route.

Change:  Make changes to what you are currently doing by taking action – small, doable, next steps!  Without action, you aren’t going anywhere.

Consistency:  Allow processes of improvement, achievement and change to not only happen but to succeed by establishing consistency in your habits and routine.

Creativity:  Dare to find alternatives to the conventional – look to your imagination

Can-Do:  A can-do approach will get you to achieve and see results.  Say YES!

There are lots more great “C” words and communication definitely deserves an honorable mention.

These “C” words are compelling (oops another great “c” word) that can lead to powerful results.

“We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle

As we get closer to the holidays and more folks are running around trying to find the “perfect” gift or any gift for a loved-one, friend or some kind of swap, I thought I would share an email I received in 2008.

I received this beautiful email from a client who I worked with many years ago.  We stay in touch, speaking every few months.  She is an extraordinary woman who I feel blessed to know.  She has not been  well for many years with Behcet’s Syndrome.  Most of us have never heard of it but the results are very debilitating.  Through all of her pain, Joan maintains her sense of humor and remains a top recruiter for her bank.  She has been recognized, awarded and promoted.  She is remarkable.

Before you read her email, let me tell you a little bit about Behcet’s Syndrome.

Behcet’s syndrome is categorized as an auto-immune disease although it does not follow the usual pattern for other auto-immune diseases.  It often takes years for doctors to make the diagnosis. The immune system attacks itself which produces unwanted and highly exaggerated inflammation throughout the body.  The syndrome brings on extreme exhaustion, muscle fatigue, cardio vascular and digestive problems, sharp and overwhelming pain in joints and organs, and often blindness and stroke due to vasculitis.  Numerous, harsh medications somewhat lessen the painful symptoms and exhaustion but can bring along their own difficult side effects.

Subj:  Happy New Year

Date: 01/09/2008 10:02:43 AM Eastern Standard Time

From: J

To: Mitzi@TimeFinder.net

Hi Miss M –

Thank you for your New Year wishes – I send the same to you.  I hope your holiday celebrations were wonderful.

Guess what I asked for as my gifts from family and friends – time !  That’s right, the amazing Miss M gave me another idea this year –  If anyone complained that they wanted to “BUY” me something, I would just tell them that time was money, only even more valuable.

These are some of the gifts I received:

*  Time alone with my grandson

*  A promise to have a Sunday afternoon dinner/or breakfast once a month for 2008 with our dear neighbors who we never spend enough time with

* An out of state friend donated 1 hour biweekly to a local Boys and Girls Club type facility to read to the little ones.

* An elderly friend is donating time on the telephone with other shut ins each month

* Time with me to teach me how to improve my basket weaving techniques

*  Shorter but more frequent telephone calls when I am not feeling my best (from my friends mom in AZ)

* A week long Springtime visit from my NY daughter and granddaughter – just for us girls.

Got to say, this is one of my best holiday gifts in many years. Just thought I would share.

Joan, Banking Officer – Recruiter III

Joan continues to have her health issues but she is amazing and has amazing energy and such a positive attitude; no matter what obstacles cross her path.  I am blessed to have her as a friend.  I hope you will think about Joan and this very unique gift you can give.  Wishing you a happy holiday and a joy-filled 2012!