Just read a great article about this, and thought I’d share it as it explores the kind of relationship we need to have with our selves in order to be our best. https://getpocket.com/explore/item/before-you-can-be-with-others-first-learn-to-be-alone

Having recently taught a number of customer service workshops, I thought it would be fun to run a month-long contest to see who can come up with the best ideas for stopping burnout and improving customer service. We all know what we’re supposed to do, but the real challenge is, can you can come with an idea that you yourself would try? One that might motivate others? The reward is a free copy of one of my books (covers shown below).

To give you a heads start, let’s break this down into four categories:

• Exercise
• Nutrition
• Mind health
• Rewards.

I don’t want to win my own contest, so be brave, send your ideas in, and if you’re prefer to do so in private (as I’ll publish the blog comments), you can email your ideas to me at jb@jeanbaur.com. The winner will have his or her suggestion published and will receive a free book. Get thinking! The deadline is the end of February.

In working with many libraries to help their staff with critical issues like stopping burnout and improving customer service, I’ve noticed how common it is for many of them to avoid confrontation. They don’t like it. It’s awkward. Take a look at a wonderful article by my friend and fellow career coach, Ed Hunter. Great tips!

Are You a New Boss? How Good Leaders Manage Tough Conversations

Working With Difficult Colleagues – Strategies to Stay Sane

Yesterday I was working with a group of librarians and library staff on how to stop burnout. One of the exercises we did in class was about gratitude, and how powerful it is. Then I found this article this morning and had to share it–with Paul’s permission, of course.

I am not a psychologist, so my answer is coming from studying burnout and teaching workshops to help people understand it and recover from it. But I was asked this question in a class last week, and wanted to provide a better answer.

Here’s one answer, from Prevention, November, 2015:

“Our evidence is that burnout overlaps depression, that they’re on a continuum, like temperature,” says study coauthor Irvin S. Schonfeld, PhD, a psychology professor at the City College of New York’s Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. “If you go back to the original paper that was published about burnout, by Herbert Freudenberger—in which he studied people who volunteered at a drug treatment center and who dealt with very difficult patients—one of the ways he described burnout was: ‘It looks like depression.'”

Part of my answer is that burnout, unlike depression, is more situational. This is true or more true with moderate burnout, so if you’re experiencing a difficult situation at work and are able to change that, your burnout symptoms will decrease.

The guru on this topic, Christina Maslach, says in the Prevention article:

“If you’re skeptical that job-related stress and exhaustion could possibly resemble the big black cloud that is depression, you’re not alone. ‘Burnout has always been predictive of depression,’ explains Christina Maslach, PhD, a psychologist at the University of California Berkeley who devised the standard test for burnout, called the Maslach Burnout Inventory, ‘but the measure of burnout used in this study is incomplete.'”

Lastly, remember that according to Christina Maslach’s classic definition of burnout, that it’s lost energy, lost enthusiasm and lost confidence. These three factors combined often create the perfect storm. Most importantly, if you’re suffering from extreme burnout and possibly depression, get help. A professional who understands this complex condition will be an important resource, helping you regain your best self.

I had the great pleasure of working with a group of librarians and library staff last week and wanted to share some of their tips to stop burnout. Some of the top challenges they’re facing are under staffing, stressful patrons who monopolize their time, constant rule breakers, disruptive library patrons, staff in-fighting, the expectation that they will be able to “do more with less”, dealing with multiple demands, and when they make a spectacular effort and pull off a “miracle”, the expectation that the miracle is now the norm.

As we talked about three areas where they can make a difference (drawing from Paula Davis Laach’s recent blog) and not be overwhelmed by burnout,  they worked in small groups and shared suggestions.

1. Job Control:  flexibility and choice, having the doers plan and manage projects, getting the leadership on board v. micromanaging, and having realistic expectations especially around the time it takes to complete tasks.
2. Recognition: taking time to recognize small accomplishments, more one-on-one meetings and fewer emails for internal communications, and making staff recognition a standard part of staff meetings.
3. Community: remembering to say “thank you”, asking for feedback, being kept in the loop re changes, joining professional organizations and taking advantage of professional learning networks, and building a strong web of connections.

No matter what industry you’re in, these are great suggestions. Please respond to this blog with your ideas. That way we’re all smarter and keep ourselves safe from the damaging effects of burnout.

What does this beautiful photo of a path at Watch Hill have to do with the 7 “T’s”? This past week I was teaching my Customer Service Workshop in Middletown, CT at the CT State Library, and added this list to help librarians and library staff take care of themselves as they care for everyone else. I included this photo because just looking at it makes me happy–another way to take a mini-break and refresh.

Here are seven (I had six in the class but found one more) things to watch out for:

*Triggers (What sets you off? What situations do you find difficult?)

*Transitions (Watch those in-between times whether that’s before you get out of your car at work, or between projects. This is a good place for a deep breath.)

*Temper (Similar to triggers, know what makes you angry. Maybe you’re really organized and get annoyed when others leave a mess behind.)

*Tired (I know this one is obvious, but when we’re tired we’re much more likely to snap.)

*Tough situations (Libraries are the hub of most communities, and you’re faced with difficult situations you may not know how to handle. Find a colleague who can help you.)

*Testing (By this I mean your customers will test the limits of what you can provide. Expect it, learn how to share your guidelines without anger, and practice saying “No.”)

*Temptation (This is the new one I added as we’re often tempted by things that aren’t going to help us offer good customer service. This could be rushing, multi-tasking, letting technology replace human interactions, etc.)

The weather is supposed to be beautiful this weekend. I don’t know about you, but I’m taking my dog to the beach for a good run!

If you’re in Connecticut and can take advantage of this free seminar, you’ll find it really helpful. Nora Duncan, the CT AARP director will speak about how best to use social media in your search, and I’ll share the reasons why your network should be the center of your search. And yes, we’ll do some practice exercises! Register on the link below and dinner is included.

Searching in the Digital Age
These seminars highlight the evolution of the job search, and shares on-line resources and tools. Anyone looking for a job or seeking to change careers knows the difficulty of finding fulfilling work.

The Blue Goose
326 Ferry Boulevard
Stratford, CT 06615
Tuesday, September 25, 2018 
5:30 – 8:15 p.m.
Register by clicking HERE

Dinner included & Jean Baur is the featured speaker

This is Henry, a cat who thinks he’s a dog. Now a mature 14 years old. I write a lot about dogs, and Henry told me that I need to include him more often as he’s smarter than they are. Okay, Henry, it’s your turn.

Unlike many cats, Henry loves to be held. And nothing scares him. If a friend’s dog comes into the house, Henry will march right up to him. (Not always a great idea.) But thinking about this, it’s kind of smart to be like the thing you don’t like. If a dog is pushy, Henry is pushier. If they’re brave, he stands his ground. If our dog gets too much attention, Henry walks up to him and bites him in the leg. This is a ten-pound cat taking on Rudy, a 70 pound dog. No problem. If things get too rough, he goes under the couch.

Henry sleeps a lot, as do most cats. He sheds over everything. If I wear black, I have his white fur on me. If I wear white, Rudy’s black fur tracks me down. He is always in the mood for a treat. And he likes to be where we are. His last word or best advice:  take a nap when you’re tired. Find the hottest place in the house if possible. Closets rule. Stretch out. Take over. The world is your oyster!