Get a Better Handle On Life

Sleep – The Solution is in Your Hands; Follow These Three Steps

The World Health Organisation says that there is an 'epidemic of Sleeplessness', but this is unhelpful, says Dr Neil Stanley. In our conversations this straight talking expert points out the if you are someone whose sleep could be improved, then "the solution is in your hands".
In his refreshingly direct style, Dr Stanley demystifies sleeplessness and talks about the contributing factors that tend to raise our anxiety levels when we find we can't sleep.
Though the statistics on insomnia make alarming reading, the good news is that he defines the three essentials for good sleep, and says, though you may not realise it, that the answer to the problem "is in your hands".
#podcast #sleepwell #insomnia #getabetterhandleonlife #selfhelp
Links: 
Dr Neil Stanley: Independent sleep Expert: http://www.thesleepconsultancy.com
Find Barry Winbolt at: https://linktr.ee/barrywinbolt
Livemore app: https://livemore.app
WHO Sleep Report: Sleep Problems: An Emerging Global Epidemic?

Do You Want to Find Your Purpose? Here are Two Key Questions.

I regularly get questions like "How do I find my purpose?". I'm basing this episode on some of the replies I've sent out. 
Finding your purpose means discerning a point at which your strengths, talents, interests (or beliefs) come together, to indicate a direction and/or course of action in your life. And that just the start.
Personally, I'm not sure that it's a good use of one's time to be asking such a question. After all, philosophers and others have been asking this question for millennia. Maybe its one of those questions where the value is in the asking, not in any answer you might stumble across.
Still, I do have sympathy for those seeking to find their purpose, and I have something useful to say about it (I think). In this episode I provide two key questions to ask yourself to help you on your journey, and much more besides.
There's plenty to get you thinking, so if you are on a quest to find your purpose, drop in and join me!
#findmypurpose #purpose #inspiration #motivation
Links to all my platforms

I Just Can’t Deal with Being Relentlessly Upbeat – Creating My Online Persona

For years I struggled to create my online persona. Influenced by what I was seeing and hearing online – there are many slick, smiley, positive and upbeat presenters out there – I struggled to make the transition from live presenting to a live audience, to presenting myself in the virtual world. I thought I'd have to be like the great presenters I was seeing, but it doesn't come naturally to me to be so upbeat. 
I can't be something I am not, and as I discovered while recording this episode, it's about being authentic. I needed to find my natural persona. Unfortunately, I have a craggy face, and a downbeat voice that tends towards a monotone. On the plus side, I'm an optimist, I love what I do, and I have loads to share.
I've learned a lot about how to present myself online, and this episode explains something of that journey, and why you will never hear me sounding relentlessly upbeat.
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I have an upcoming free webinar Be More Confident Even When You Don't Feel Like It... and you'll find more on my blog at www.barrywinbolt.com?
You'll also find me on Instagram, Linkedin. and on my blog at www.barrywinbolt.com
Follow me there!
Listen to the episode  How to Think Like an Optimist
#optimism #positivity #authentic #presentationskills 

The Seven Components of Mental Wellbeing

Mental wellbeing doesn't come about by accident, and the world we have created can easily threaten the balance we rely on to stay mentally resilient and healthy. 
What we think of as mental wellbeing is different for each of us. But people with positive mental health generally do a number of things that give them a sense of wellbeing and protect their psychological and emotional health.
If you seriously want to protect your mental health, the first positive step is to move it up your agenda. In this episode, I talk about seven factors that contribute to mental wellbeing that you can use to help you look after yourself and bolster your mental wellbeing.
Links
I also mention my upcoming free webinar Be More Confident Even When You Don't Feel Like It., and my blog at www.barrywinbolt.com.
Follow me here: You'll also find me on Instagram and Linkedin.
Emile Esfahani Smith on having meaning in life: There's More to Life than Happiness
#mentalhealth #selfcare #anxiety #wellness #wellbeing #barrywinbolt

Saying ”No” at Work – A conversation with Rick Gough

As today's guest, Rick Gough, says, at work it's great to be able to say "Yes". You'll be seen in a positive light for your willingness and 'can-do attitude, and possibly even improve your career prospects. And it's nice to please others. But, as Rick says, it comes at a cost. There's a time to say "No"; it can be empowering, and "good for everybody".In this episode we discuss the whys and wherefores of politely refusing rather than just agreeing.It's not that simple, of course, and it can be quite challenging. Depending on who's asking, it can  be scary, so we cover that too. But in the long run (Rick has 27 years' experience as an employee, mentor and manager), it pays to be honest if you feel overworked, under-skilled, or for whatever reason, would rather not take on that extra task.
#sayingno #quietquitting #workburnout #barrywinbolt
Contacts
Email Rick Gough
Email Barry Winbolt

Have you ever said “They are not listening”? Stop blaming and change your message.

Have you ever blames a communication breakdown with the explanation the someone "wasn't listening"? Most of us have, at some time. 
Like it or not, at work and elsewhere you'll be judged on your communicaton skills. Thery influence not only how others perceive you, but also how much they like, respect, and trust you.
In order to communicate effectively you have to 'own' your message, and if that's so, the hard truth is that we can't blame the other person when we fail to get through to them!
If you want more from me:
Instagram - https://www.barrywinbolt.com/
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/barrywinbolt/
Website - https://www.barrywinbolt.com
Daily blog posts - https://www.barrywinbolt.com/blog/
My podcast - https://barrywinbolt.podbean.com/
My courses and classes - http://barrywinbolt-online.com
You can access the notes for this episode here.
#listening #relationships #communication #leadership #barrywinbolt #conflict

How to Avoid Burnout – and what to do if you can‘t

We are all used to the idea of stress; it is now a recognised fact of life in many jobs. But burnout is different, and more serious.
Burnout is a reaction to prolonged and unremitting stress. It results in physical, emotional and mental exhaustion. Typically, this is accompanied by feelings of cynicism, a loss of interest in the job, self-doubt and doubts about the value of your work, loss of confidence, and feelings of overwhelm and helplessness.
If you see the signs in yourself then it's time to take urgent action. If you don't, the risks to your health increase. The longer you leave it the harder it will be to restore your normal levels of vitality and motivation.
This episode explains what to do if you are noticing the signs in yourself, and how to avoid burnout in the future. 
#workburnout #stressatwork #barrywinbolt #mentalhealth #selfcare #depression
 
© Backing Track: Adventure, Chad Crouch, www.soundofpicture.com, licence CC BY-NC 4.0

An Alternative Approach for Dealing with Stress

We live in a wealthy technological age where we have all we need at our disposal. One of the costs of this is a steadily rising tide of demands and pressures which produce stress in us. There’s a lot to do and have, and it’s tempting to try and have it all!
For many people, this means that they are so busy so much of the time that they no longer have the space, nor the ability to focus on managing the stress that goes with their lifestyle. And, if you want to follow the wellbeing gurus’ advice, it just produces another list of things to fit into your busy schedule.
What if, instead of struggling to reduce the stress in our lives, we simply give up and accept it?
(This is the audio version of a webinar I presented some months back, so please excuse the references to 'video blog' and webinar).
#stressmanagement #burnout #wellbeing

ARISE – Start Your Day with this Daily Mindfulness Practice

ARISE – Start your day on a positive note then supercharge your day with this soothing, guided mindfulness exercise. 
Over the years, I have built up a sizeable archive of resources. These are exercises, video and audio tracks that I've produced for a specific purpose, then filed and forgotten about.
This ARISE track is one of these. I produced it (I think) for my online course on Mindfulness, now I'm sharing it with you.
#morningmeditation #visualisation #relaxation #mindfulness #morningroutine #startyourday

Working from Home – a Conversation with Rick Gough

What are the pros and cons of working from home? As we have moved on from the enforced home working due to the Pandemic, more of us now have the freedom to choose to work in or away from the office. 
In the old days many organisations resisted the idea of home working. That obstacle has now largely disappeared, and so has (mostly) the stigma that if you worked from home you were not quite as serious about your job as your office-based peers.
Rick has now chosen to be entirely home-based. He is a reflective guy, and lately he has been keeping notes on his experiences, both for an against. His insightful comments lead us into a fascinating conversation.
See what you think, and let us know. Whether you work from home or not, let us know your thoughts. The workplace has shifted, but have attitudes moved as well? Please share. You can email us at info@barrywinbolt.com.
#homeworking #solopreneur #workingfromhome #onlinebusiness #officehours