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Get Out Those Legos


Many of my clients are working harder than smarter. This is not a put-down of their intelligence. It is a statement about the conventions of the way most of us live and work. Without a concerted effort to step back and take an objective look at how we function day in and day out, we find ourselves subject to old ways of doing things without periodic checkups to see if they are working.

The first step to changing the high stress road to burnout approach to your work day is to build in "joy breaks" or mini refreshers. It is not true that you get more done if you don't stop for lunch or other refreshing breaks during the day. On the contrary, I always remember the days I sat at my desk searching for a solution to a particular problem. I tried very hard to come up with the answer and was not successful.

In the afternoon of the second day, I threw my hands in the air, exasperated, and went out to pull a few weeds from my garden. That's when the light bulb went off and I had the answer.

In order to have meaningful joy breaks a plan is necessary. Start by making a list of things you consider fun and refreshing that can be done in 5 or 10 minutes, a half hour, an hour or more. Then list the supplies you will need to have on hand when you want to do that activity: magazines, puzzles, a musical instrument, books, CD's, running shoes, Legos, phone numbers of friends or family, gardening gloves, crayons, paints, jelly beans, yoga instructions, a basketball, a movie schedule, etc. Make sure that your breaks have NOTHING to do with your work.

You will experience even more benefits than feeling refreshed. You will start thinking out of the box, be more creative, productive, and make better decisions. You will also notice that there are more facets to your personality than are reflected in your work. You may remember old interests you forgot about or discover new talents you would like to develop. Your joy breaks will bring more joy to your daily life and make you a more pleasant person to be around.

At some point you may want to take a closer look and examine in greater depth how you are spending not only your work life, but your whole life. Are you actually doing what you are supposed to be doing in the world? We will take a deeper look into that in the future.

Master your next level and enjoy the journey.

About The Author

Dorene Lehavi, Ph.D. is principal of Next Level Business and Professional Coaching. She coaches Professionals and Business Partners and teaches teleclasses on techniques to break through barriers to the next level. Dr. Lehavi offers a complimentary coaching session so you can experience how coaching can work for you. Contact Dr. Lehavi at DL@CoachingforYourNextLevel.com or on the web at http://www.CoachingforYourNextLevel.com Subscribe to Mastering Your Next Level monthly e-newsletter at http://www.coachingforyournextlevel.com/newsletter.html


MORE RESOURCES:

A Sea of 'Happiness' Without Memory
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With the advent of positive psychology, there has been a vast emphasis on finding happiness, and we might say selling it, and for a pittance at that. All we have to do, it seems, is buy into the idea that unhappiness -- which we are brought to feel is ...



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Study: USA does well in wealth, not so much in happiness
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By Melanie Eversley, USA TODAY A study being released today shows the United States may be on top when it comes to acquiring wealth, but it doesn't measure up as well when it comes to happiness and life span, MSNBC is reporting.
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US ranks No. 1 in wealth, not in happinessmsnbc.com
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Chan Luu says happiness is key to beautiful jewelry
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What's the Most Popular Resolution for Happiness?
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When people tell me they've done their own happiness projects, I always ask, "What resolutions did you try? What worked for you?" One answer comes up more than any other. I'm not saying that this is the most significant thing you could do to boost your ...



Globe and Mail

Happiness: It all starts in the bedroom?
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“When people tell me they've done their own happiness projects, I always ask, 'What resolutions did you try? What worked for you?'” writes Gretchen Rubin in The Christian Science Monitor. “One answer comes up more than any other.



Happiness may be a click away
KTAR.com
If we pause to recognize blessings, hope and everything good in our lives with a simple "click," it could lead to that shared goal we all strive for: happiness. Weeks has created a website inspired by this experience, billionclicks.org .



Study: U.S. does well in wealth, not so much in happiness
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Gabriel Bouys, AFP/Getty Images By Melanie Eversley A study being released today shows the United States may be on top when it comes to acquiring wealth, but it doesn't measure up as well when it comes to happiness and life span, MSNBC is reporting.

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Happiness in goodness
Hindustan Times
Seek not happiness other than by being worthy of it. Seek happiness in the joy of duty which is nobly done, so said the Buddha. Here is a fundamental basis of the art of social interaction. Here is a moral teaching of human fellowship, not of abstract ...



Finding happiness amidst illness possible, prof says
Waterloo Record
Although best known for his talks and writings on war and peace and human rights, his topic at this latest meeting was Seizure the Day: Happiness in Spite of Illness. His interest in that subject was sparked by a personal health crisis.


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