Sarah McGuinness, Author at Sarah McGuinness • Page 2 of 2

You can’t make a good decision on an apple

15.3.2016

Well, technically speaking you can make a good decision on an apple. If the apple follows a decent lunch, that is. [caption id="attachment_179" align="alignright" width="300"] An apple a day won't keep hunger at bay, and will make decision making harder to do. © Johnlric | Dreamstime.com[/caption] As a leader it can be incredibly difficult to eat well at work. The 11:00am meetings go for twice as long as they should, and the 1:30pm meetings loom even before you have had a chance to reach your desk. Pulled from pillar to post, you might consider yourself lucky to have had a nutritious apple for lunch. This is especially true when the trusty vending machine in the staff communal area is quietly calling your name. The problem with not stopping for lunch,...

Understanding personality measures: part one

14.3.2016

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The Center for Creative Leadership recently published a study that found that the number one career derailer of leaders, regardless of culture, is “lack of accurate portrait of self”. That is, a lack of self awareness. [caption id="attachment_188" align="alignright" width="300"] Different personality measures will seek to define your personality in different ways. What kind of bird are you? © Cinc212 | Dreamstime.com[/caption] Being unaware of behaviour and the impact it has on others is probably the number one thing that brings most people undone. Having a sense of self is hugely important for our own self esteem and for how we interact with others. There are lots of ways to gain a more accurate portrait of yourself, and personality measures are up there with being one of the...

The one thing the men in your life should be doing

15.2.2016

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There's one thing the men in your life should be doing in June, and it's free. Free! What is it? A health check. As part of Men's Health Week, Unichem and Life pharmacies are offering men a free check to help them take stock of their health and wellbeing. It's part of a proactive approach to help men reduce the risk of a serious health issue, such as type 2 diabetes. It's a bit of a generalisation to say this, but if the men in your life are anything like mine, they'll probably need a thousand reminders and the promise of a coffee date to get there. You might feel like a stuck record, but it'll be worth it. Better to know if they need to make changes...

Five tips to staying sane through the silly season

17.12.2015

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While Christmas and New Year celebrations can be a wonderful time to take a break from the pressures of work and other commitments, it can also be a stressful time for many navigating the rituals of family, food, alcohol and other expectations. Here are our five tips to staying sane and enjoying the festivities this summer: Be mindful Practicing mindfulness is probably the last thing you’d think to add to your Christmas day, but it can be a helpful calming tool if you feel overwhelmed at any point. Mindfulness is about living in the moment and taking note of what’s happening. Examples include using your five senses to enjoy the festive foods on offer, watching the sun on water at the beach, and focusing on the feeling of...

Ten tips for a better night’s sleep

07.10.2015

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As I said in my Facebook post recently, if you’re sleep deprived like me, you don’t need an expert to tell you sleep is wonderful. My sleep deprivation is thanks to children waking at all hours, and I know some of you are struggling with this too. I also know many of you are being kept awake at the moment by that other sleep deprivation fiend – the thought horse. Know that one? The thought horse only comes out at about 10pm, just when you’re really to rest. Out she comes, thundering around your head, over thinking things, reassessing the events of the day and making mental notes. And the more you wish her away, the more intense she thunders, right? There are other reasons for being kept...

Men worry about it too

02.7.2015

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Since my last post on the words 'losing weight', I've had a couple of discussions with colleagues about body image. We've talked about how normal it is to dislike (can I say hate? Sounds so strong) our bodies, and how easy it is to equate what we look like with how we feel. In fact, such is the pervasiveness of body image dissatisfaction in women across the ages that some researchers have called it a “normative” phenomenon. In one study, that included 1,502 American women aged 50 to 64 years, researchers found that more than 70% in this age bracket were currently trying to lose weight* and more than 60% reported that their body weight and shape had an impact on their life. In another study, researchers...