How do we work well when our heart or head is elsewhere? 

Caution sign for "burdened heart"
image by Nicholas Raymond (Flikr user, see https://goo.gl/488zqB)

Whether it’s a loved one who is ill or a relationship that’s weighing on our emotions, is there a way to hold onto that legitimate concern but still do the necessary work in front of us? Here’s some quick help:

     1. Seek the Sacred! Speak toward G-D and ask the Divine to carry the need for the time you must accomplish your work.

     2.  Find a friend. While posting on social media can help, there is still no substitute for a caring person who will sit eyeball to eyeball with you, listen with empathy, and then tell you “I’m with you! You’re not carrying this alone!

     3. Practice self-compassion. Remind yourself that it isn’t easy juggling everything in your life. Judging or shaming yourself will only lead to higher anxiety and lower effectiveness.

     4. When it’s time to seek help, SEEK IT! Soldiering on is noble in theory, but whether it’s the help of an additional caregiver for your loved one, a counselor or therapist for your emotional health, or asking your manager for some emergency PTO, all of us reach a point where the best thing is to ask for help.

Remember, you achieve your best results when you use ALL the resources you have!

image by Nicholas Raymond