Saying no is easy…when it’s in your head.
In reality saying no, especially at work, is really hard. As a result we often end up saying yes so many times that we overload our plates and burn out.
If you feel overwhelmed, you are not alone. Being a good manager takes practice, patience and a lot of self-awareness. And reading about it is different from living it.
Before Zoom fatigue there was meeting burnout. The more responsibilities you have, the busier you become. The running joke I hear often from my clients is that if you have a calendar flooded with meetings, you must be in management. Now, a year into the pandemic, things somehow got worse for everyone — more back-to-back calls, double-booked meetings and too many check-ins that could have been handled over emails. All of this doesn’t give us enough time to get work done nor just be ourselves.
When I feel overwhelmed at work, my gut instinct is to want more time. I think “If only I had more time, I’d have done more.” The reality is we all have the same amount of time and how we intentionally spend that time is how we are able to do more with less.
The pandemic reminded all of us in the workplace that adversity often breeds advancements and innovation. What have we learned and will continue to learn from the transition into virtual and now hybrid workplaces?
In celebration of LGBTQ+ History Month, we are excited to highlight LGBTQ+ Innovators who have innovated “Beyond the Box” in their workplace and beyond.
As innovators, we deal with complex issues and scenarios on a daily basis. And unfortunately, not all problems can be solved with a simple Google Search. Many problems and systems are too complex for simple answers – they are dynamic, unpredictable, and consist of a lot of interconnected players and parts.
Because they can be insightful and fun!
Thank you so much for going on this journey together with us in the past few months in going backstage to learn more about our team and their journey to creativity. This has been a heartwarming process for me to create as much as it has been for you to read and learn about our team. What I love the most about the work we get to do at InnovatorsBox is the amazing people I get to work with every day and I’m so happy you got to go behind the scenes and meet some of the incredible people we have at InnovatorsBox.
Putri understands creative storytelling. When we first e-meet and started collaborating I appreciated how she took my ideas fully to a new level. I loved her animation and storytelling so much that our one-time project quickly turned into a regular collaborative effort.
It’s me! I wanted to go last since you see enough of my introductions in many of my blogs. But there are still some layers to why I do what I do that I’d like to share with you, and I’m incredibly grateful for all of you for being part of this journey of sharing creativity in your life.
Jen Riedel is a patient curator who sees possibilities where others miss. She’s a community builder, bridge builder, and facilitator having worked in the hustling bustling founder and startup space. So Jen naturally understands the intensity and uncertainty that innovators face.
Creativity and innovation are crucial in not only the workplace, but also in daily life. Everyday, we come up with new ideas and solve problems – big or small. Whether it’s to figure out what to have for dinner or how to get a project done on time.
When you play a board game, we’re using a combination of strategy and tactics to win. Let’s take Checkers. When you play checkers you’re thinking strategically — Which pieces should I move first? Which piece is my opponent going to move next? If I skip them now, will that put me in a position to be skipped even more? And you’re also playing tactfully by actually moving the pieces.
Share on facebook Share on twitter Share on linkedin It’s true that everyone has a book inside them, isn’t it? We all have a story to tell. However, it’s also true that many of us may have those awful little inner voices that say we’ll never be good writers. We
The dream team makes the dream work possible! In the past few months, I’m so thrilled to have partnered with more creatives to tell our story of creativity more visually and through animation. In the next few blogs, I’m excited to introduce you to some of our animators and illustrator who have made the artwork and imaginative land come to life together.
How are you taking the time to invest in your people? In one of my past roles, I remember how conflicted I felt about the multiple pages of paperwork and approval processes required to make progress for my professional development.
Chances are you’re thinking what I’m thinking – How is it ALREADY the Holiday season? Whether you’re as festive as Buddy the Elf or a bit of a Scrooge, chances are you love at least one holiday movie.
When I think of “team-building” one of the first things that comes to mind is the episode of The Office where the whole team is brought to the beach to do a series of unexpected, chaotic team-building exercises lead by the awkwardly lovable Steve Carell.
Ever heard of “managing up?” and “managing down?”
When I first heard about it, I thought it was just a corporate strategy to get promoted, but in reality, it is one of the most IMPORTANT concepts for two groups of people in ANY organization
In part 1 of this blog, we covered some incredible innovators who have sustainability front and center of what they do. You can access part 1 of the blog here and learn about the impact they’re making in their own ingenious ways!
It’s no news that online shopping has been supercharged by the pandemic overall. But it’s not all glory for all retails and outlets. There’s been some obvious winners, like Jeff Bezos’ behemoth has emerged stronger than ever. But we also had a lot of small businesses and retail chains that weren’t as fortunate and those include businesses that failed to fully embrace online shopping and relied heavily on physical presences.
T’s the season of the year to celebrate, reflect and pause. How are you doing? How are you stepping into this month with intention, innovators?
T’s the season of the year to celebrate, reflect and pause. How are you doing? How are you stepping into this month with intention, innovators?
How much difference can one choice make?
At first, it doesn’t seem like a big deal. Sharing an idea, speaking up for others, or pausing to listen to those around you may be small acts of kindness.
I forgot that Day Light Savings began last Sunday. I woke up feeling extra hungry and tired but did not know why. It was only halfway through lunch in the afternoon that I realized what had happened.
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Feeling tired and stressed is one thing, but when you and your team start feeling like every meeting is pulling teeth, lunch breaks become a thing of the past, and weekdays blur into weekends – it’s a sign of burnout.
Even if targets are met, you start to see usually enthusiastic team members go flat. They may even get cynical about the job behind closed doors.
The bottom line is, burnout is bad for business, yourself, and your team.
Simple but mindful steps to overcome the bias that we might not be resilient.
Our Assumptions about Resilience
When you think of resilient people, who comes to your mind? People whose perseverance led them to make it against all odds? Or those who went through all kinds of trials and tribulations and got awarded with sweet success? Are you thinking about those who are able to bounce back, failure after failure, mistake after mistake? Does it remind you of outliers (Malcolm Gladwell), grit paragons (Angela Lee Duckworth) or originals (Adam Grant)?
If you told me in January 2020 that I’ll get to experience new possibilities on any of this I would have said impossible. Now in just a year, not only have I seen how it’s possible but also the immense impact there can further be if we continue to intentionally invest and design with care.
So you’ve heard about Women’s History Month, but how can you translate these empowering messages and lessons into action that you can take today?
At Innovator’s Box, we’ve used our platform to celebrate women innovator voices, while highlighting the importance of showcasing diversity within women’s stories.
“Hey, stop right there. What is your business here? What is the exact address you are staying in? Show me confirmation of that now. Yes now!”
These were the words I heard the moment I felt the sting of my white-passing, American-born privilege smacking me in the chest.
Healing and health has always been important but seem to have taken on new meaning these past years. Health is no longer just about physical “fitness” or testing negative on a PCR test.
It’s February. And it marks Black History Month – a month-long celebration that provides a platform for recognizing and celebrating the achievements and accomplishments of African Americans. Black History Month plays a key role in highlighting the integral part the black community has played and continues to play in US history and society. It gives us an opportunity to reflect on the past, present and future contributions of African Americans to our nation’s history.
Saying no is easy…when it’s in your head.
In reality saying no, especially at work, is really hard. As a result we often end up saying yes so many times that we overload our plates and burn out.
It’s been a tough couple of years, hasn’t it? Did you know that 4 in 10 adults have reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder? Before the pandemic, this stood at 1 in 10 adults. This statistic alone shows that more people are struggling than they ever have been.
Meet Innovator’s Kitchen. Our new show at Innovatorsbox® where I’ll dive into leadership lessons and good food with Eliza Martin.