THE IN-HOUSE MAGAZINE FOR CHURCH RESOURCES
CRUNCH More on our four-leaf clover theme According to Christian legend, Eve is said to have carried a four-leaf clover with her when she left the Garden of Eden. That means that anyone who has one can claim to hold a bit of Paradise. Later, St Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, used a Shamrock – which has three leaves – to explain the Holy Trinity – one each for the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Christians also viewed the four-leaf clover as lucky for its resemblance to the cross. Some even believe that the fourth leaf symbolizes the Grace of God. The Irish often say that the green hills of the Emerald Isle (Ireland) contain more four-leaf clovers than anywhere else. Hence, the ‘luck o’ the Irish.’
Volume 1, Issue 9 August 2013
Developing CR’s Courageous Leaders One of the more satisfying programs we have released in my time here at CR is the Leadership Development Program (LDP). It had been a longdiscussed concept, but we needed the right timing,. In September last year Michelle and I decided we were ready. We went to market, chose Courageous Leaders as our partner and the program began soon after. Closing in on the first 12 months, I would argue for each participant it has been a game changer in terms of how we see ourselves in and outside of work. It is wonderful to have the existing Leadership Team joined by our emerging leaders to ensure what we learn about ourselves, our business and leadership can be absorbed and shared as broadly as possible. For instance, one tool we have used already is the Myers Briggs Personality Traits model.
SELF MASTERY Mod- Module Theme ule A
Self-awareness
B
Managing myself
C
Working in a team
D
Managing and leading
RELATIONSHIP MASTERY E
Engaging in conversations
F
Giving and receiving feedback
G
Coaching
H
Resolving conflict
I
Building relationships
BUSINESS MASTERY J
Making decisions and influencing action
K
Strategic thinking
REVIEW L
Inside this issue: Leadership Devel- 2/4 opment Group meets again
Program review
I am an Introvert / Sensing / Thinking / Judging, otherwise known as an ISTJ. You can Google the ISTJ profile it will tell you more about my personality preferences, which could be a little scary for you— and me! (For further nsights into Introverted Leaders, have a look at P 12. This is just a small example of what the
LDP participants are learning. Above is the table of topics we cover over the 15 month program (we are up to Module D). The calendar is deliberately drawn out to extract maximum absorption and value, and ensure business operations do not get impeded too often. - Luke
New staffers— Spud and Gaz
5
Simon Tedeschi, JCR’s July guest
8/9
Confessions of an introverted
10/ 12
Wisdom minus the clichés
14/ 15
More wonders of 16/ 19 the world Spring clean time! 20/ 21
Page 2
CRUNCH LDG August meeting at Mackillop Place sees red... and blue The third off site day for the Leadership Development Group took place at the beginning of August, and was fast, action-packed and full of insights. This was the day that the first part of the LSI questionnaires came back, in which the participants described themselves is a series of questions (240 of them!)
Is this the bluest person in Church Resources, Shane?
Facilitator Mandy Holloway took the group through exercises which described the sort of organisation we wanted to be, and then there were exercises about personality syles and reactions. There was general hilarity when the results were handed out—James had been fretting about his red levels (justified, it turned out), Christine was humming ‘I see red, I see red, I see red’) and Don reached for as magnifying glass to see his scores. The crunch might come next meeting when the results of the peer assessments are in!
Two of the CR staffers with a preference for extraversion—Mark and Jessie
Page 3
Volume 1, Issue 9
Thinking, thinking‌. Don, Michelle and Damian come to GRIPs with the garden challenge to save North Sydney from nuclear disaster
Elite team of CR staffers working out how to deactivate nuclear waste and not lose an arm in the process
Page 4
CRUNCH lDG CEO in charge of the buckets
Damian is ready for his close up!
This is not a competition, said James to Michelle and the team. Which was just as well!
Page 5
Volume 1, Issue 9 Meet new call centre staffer, Paul (Mud) Clucas What is your job at CR: Customer Service & Sales Officer What was your previous job: At Force Access , Internal Sales Partner : Yes, no children but we have two cats - Boris (19) and Cookie (9). Live: Redfern Born and bred: Pure Aussie Hobbies / Passions: Gym and the beach Reading: Sometimes, when I feel like it. Last film: Star Trek, Dark Knight
Where would you like to travel: Europe again, love the people and cultures What is the best compliment you have ever got: ‘Wow, you’ve lost weight.’ Weirdest thing you have ever eaten: Witchety grubs in the NT. What’s one of the scariest or strangest things you’ve ever done: Bungee jump in Queenstown, New Zealand. Do you have a nickname: ‘Spud’. My late dad nick named me that when I was a little guy because I played in mud all the time.
On your iPod: Where do I start?
And say hi to welcome Gareth (Gaz) Fulton as well What is your job at CR? Customer Service & Sales Officer
currently listening to a lot of Black Keys.
breathtaking and unlike anything in Australia.
What was your Previous job? Control Room Operator (monitoring alarm systems)
Where would you like to travel and why? I’d really like to spend
What is the best compliment you have ever got? A girl once told me I was perfect. She broke up with me a year later so clearly I’m not but still, it was a nice thing to hear.
Married to? I’m single thanks for reminding me. Children? Names and ages? I have a son named William and he is 18
What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten? Powdered rhinoceros penis.
Live? North Sydney Born and bred? Sydney Hobbies or Passions? I love history, movies, reading, hiking, rugby, arguing about politics, billowing white shirts and horse rides along the beach Reading? I’m currently reading a book by Sebastian Faulks called A Week In December. It’s about the London bombings. Last film? Man of Steel. Don’t judge me. On your iPod? I no longer use an ipod I just use my phone but I’m
12 months or so travelling around China. Mainly due to the many historical sites, ruins and monuments, but from what I’ve seen the landscape is also
What’s one of the scariest or strangest things you’ve ever done? One of the scariest moments of my life was being shot during a drive-by. I got hit in the leg and I’ve never seen so much blood. What I have seen is Black Hawk Down and I was convinced I was going to die. Luckily the Ambos were on the scene very quickly. They assured me it was not a fatal wound and injected me with morphine. After that it turned into one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. Do you have a nickname? Gaz
Page 6
CRUNCH
Chair congratulates Nick on his five years of service When he arrived at Church Resources, Nick was unmarried… but in love with Alison. During his time at CR in marketing, we have seen him get married and become the father of two little girls… Tully and Cassidy.
tional Bank. Jim should bring a new level of ICT understanding to the board, and a vigorous style which he comes with him from his native Belfast. Jim gave the CR staffers an introduction to his jocular, ebullient personal brand.. And an insight into the life of a man who spends his life ‘one page ahead’ of internet hackers.
That’s quite a lot to be involved with on the home front, as he has managed a busy work load as well. When Julie-Anne was in the office at the end of the month, she also introduced the newest
member of CR’s board of management, Jim Burke, Chief Information Officer, Westpac Institu-
He also spoke movingly about why he made the change from Belfast to Sydney and stayed!
Page 7
Volume 1, Issue 9
CR staffers visit Westmead Children’s Hospital It started with a simple idea to put a bit of purpose into our Month of Purpose. A raffle was proposed… the challenge to raise $1000 for the kid’s cancer ward at Westmead was accepted.
So Mark H sold the most books, Jessie came in second. We raised around $2500 in the end.. And Melissa (pictured) and Jessie went to the hospital with our snapper Tony White to hand over the dosh to a little cherub with blond curls. Win win!!!
Page 8
CRUNCH
Guest speaker, Simon Tedeschi‌ musician
Mar Jaso
Page 9
Volume 1, Issue 9
July’s guest speaker was musician Simon Tedeschi, a man now in his 30s who has been on the world stage since he was a child. You might have expected a precious male prima donna, but Simon was a huge hit with our staffers as he talked to them about the creative process (he never listens to music for fun), the rich and the famous he has performed with and wentertained (inc Luciana Pavarotti) and what he really likes to play… that would be jazz!
rgi, J Z, Alsion, onni, Susan and on listen up as Simon says...
James, Linda K, Carolyn and Linda D at Simon’s CR talk...
Page 10
CRUNCH Confessions of an introverted leader...
T
he best leaders are the charming, outgoing types, right? As an introvert, of course, I analyzed this to death--until I discovered it's not true, writes John Brandon I was surprised as anyone back in 1990 when I landed my first real job. Full healthcare benefits, a retirement plan, and much more! An actual salary to pay the bills and even buy myself a commuter car! I was soon to become the manager of a shoe store in Oakdale, Minnesota. My parents, not to mention my wife, were so proud. Unfortunately, my first week on the job was a total bust. Because I focused so much on the register--making sure someone was always there, that we were processing transactions correctly--I forgot to check in with my employees. I commanded them to do things rather than asking. I never said "please." One even threw some penny loafers at me from across an aisle, which is never a good sign. Somehow, despite my introverted personality, I lasted about two years. (You can read all about my unfortunate forays into middle management on my personal blog.) Yet, I had this dead-set mentality that I wanted to be a leader of people in business. Over the course of the next 10 years, I worked as a middle manager at various start-ups and one
major corporation. Up until recently, my take on this period of my working life was pretty simple: I had crashed and burned. I was a terrible leader. I'm better off as a writer. What's the Stuff of Leadership? In the business world, the best leaders are those who charge ahead, right? You know the maxim: if you want to know if you are a good leader, look behind you and see if anyone is following. Leaders get to where they are because they have charisma and charm. They are really good at convincing people to do things. But what if that's not really true at all? Recently, I took a Myers-Briggs test at an event that offered some new perspective on this topic. Ironically, while I did have many weaknesses as a manager, I probably had some untapped potential as well. In fact, I might have fit the profile perfectly. If you know anything about the Myers-Briggs test, this will resonate with you. I am an INFP, the same personality type as Aldous Huxley, William Shakespeare, and J.R.R. Tolkien. We tend to analyze things, keep our thoughts where they are safe (e.g., inside our heads), and have more than a little trouble with large group settings and social functions. The event was sponsored by Ford and the goal was to find out which car matches your personality. (They told me I should start shopping for a C-MAX.) But the really valuable part of this per-
sonality profiling was that I met with a certification expert. Leadership According to Meyers-Briggs Michael Segovia is a lead trainer for the Meyers-Briggs certification program. He has a background in clinical psychology, which made me a little nervous. (When he told me he was also an INFP, I relaxed a little.) Segovia explained how the INFP personality type is actually not a bad match for leadership. Extroversion hardly means well qualified-and each personality type can have leadership strengths. Extroverts tend to charge ahead on their own agenda and wait for others to follow, he says. But they are not as good at analyzing the end goals. This might be one reason why so many entrepreneurs start companies, build up the team and the product, and then eventually fall into what you might call the Groupon curse.
Page 11
Volume 1, Issue 9
Founder Andrew Mason was a great fit for his start-up early on. He has an engaging personality. He's talkative and energetic, but maybe a little unfocused. He was really good at building things. We know now he is probably not very good at maintaining them. I'll Keep My Day Job For Now, Thanks
The fact that I dreaded those tense meetings meant I cared about the employee. While I probably should have won the award for the Worst Boss of the Week many times, I also did plenty of one-on-one mentoring. Often, my style was to lead by example, not commandment-and that actually seems to work in a small company.
So what about me? I remember having many intense conversations with employees when I worked at my first start-up. One of them was so upset with me when I called her into my office that she dumped her work onto my floor. In a few cases, especially when it came to firing people, I dreaded confrontations so much that I'd re-schedule meetings multiple times.
I'm not ready to give up writing. But maybe I'll return to management someday. After speaking with Mr. Segovia, I realized all of my years in management were not wasted, that they helped build a foundation. INFPs can lead small teams, they can empathize with employees, and analyze issues. They lead by example.
In some ways, this was all related to my own immaturity. Yet, looking back, I can see that my reactions also showed empathy.
Maybe that's the best personality for leadership. Or maybe not. At least for me, it helps to know that management is not the lone purview of extroverts. In fact, it
makes me think of a new axiom: If you are wondering if you are a good leader, look next to you. - John Brandon is a contributing editor at Inc. magazine covering technology. He writes the Tech Report column for Inc.com. @jmbrandonbb
4
different leadership styles There is nothing more frustrating than listening to people haggle over different definitions of what constitutes "work." Catty conversations about who's working harder, who's working smarter, or who's not working at all are more about judging others than solving inefficiencies.
Page 12
CRUNCH this all-or-nothing dialogue ("I work all the time and you never work") to a more robust conversation about what work really is. And, in the process, help you to appreciate not only your own unique working style, but also the working style of others on your team. As my thinking has developed over the years, and after perusing many, many personality tests, I believe that there are four basic working styles: Doing, Leading, Loving, and Learning. The best teams have a balance of all four styles. And the best organizations have many wellbalanced teams who are confident in their working style and understand the necessity of divergent types or work. So, what's your style? Doing Doers execute. They come alive when tasks are complete, lists are checked, or projects are tackled. They typically have intense focus and are detailed in their efforts. Doers are usually so focused, however, they may forget to look up and communicate what they're doing. Doers also tend to dive into work with little forethought. They believe that everyone should "Shoot, Fire, Aim"
and tend to devalue the important work of planning.
great, but not provide "tangible" work.
Leading
Learning
Leaders create the vision and inspire others to believe in it. You can't help but listen to, admire, and follow the Leaders. Without Leaders, we would be spinning in a hamster wheel with no real vision.
Learners are the researchers. These engineer types love learning and meticulously understanding the nuances of a problem.
Leaders can be detached from others, not completely understanding all that goes into executing their vision. Because they're out in front, they sometimes forget to check in with the people following them. Loving Lovers are relationship-builders. Believing that we're stronger together, they thrive in harmony and work hard to manage relationships and build consensus. People strong in the Loving working style are sensitive and empathic. They have an unconscious finger on the pulse of every other person on the team. If you want to know how others on your team are really feeling, ask the Lover. But Lovers can suck at follow through and more detailoriented work. Left to their own devices, they can out-empathize anyone and make people feel
They are deliberate, disciplined, and tend to think more strategically than most people. Without others, however, Learners wouldn't get much done. In order to execute their best-laid plans, they need a team ready to act. Their strategy is only as good as the problems they actually solve--not in theory, but in reality. Theologian Howard Thurman says, "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." So, let's get over the notion that all work looks one way. It does not. Nor should it. You need many people doing many things to accomplish many goals. Everyone has unique strengths that become super-charged once they're aligned with other people's strengths. Rather than critique someone who you believe "isn't working," make sure you're living out your unique contribution in a powerful and sustainable way. Just do what makes you come alive. - by Dr. Shelley Prevost, cofounder of Lamp Post Group, a venture incubator in Chattanooga, Tennessee. @thegladlab
Page 13
Volume 1, Issue 9
Caring wins the Annual CR Trivia event! It was a hard-fought battle, which stretched over 12, arduous months. There were tears (Don was messy when his team didn’t up in June), and cries of foul (that was Mark H whenever he sniffed a chance to have a go.) This year, there were even strategy meetings as the six teams got serious about winning lunch with the CEO and an afternoon off! But Team Caring had a commanding lead going in and, by the time the final with its repecharge questions came round, took out the prize!
Linda sets up
Battle hardened: Team Caring—Nick, Kelvin, Sibu, Tony, Rhett, and Christine (out of shot)
Don’s party: Julie and Gareth and Mel
Paul’s first trivia
Aftermath: Leonard, Rachel, Onni, Shane, James, Paul again, and Marco
Page 14
CRUNCH What Inspires Me: Finding the Wisdom Beyond the Clichés - by John C Abell Senior Editor at LinkedIn | Ex-Wired | Founding Editor, Reuters.com
C
iting inspirational quotes as the source of actual inspiration is a little trite. It doesn't help that there is something of a cottage industry in inspirational quotes, spewed by self-help gurus answering your plea for reinvention with short sentences containing words of one syllable. Seize the day. Be all you can be. The best revenge is massive success. OK — that last one, attributed to Frank Sinatra, is pretty cool. Sinatra's admonition isn't one that I live by, but the truth is that I am inspired on a daily basis by three wise observations I picked up at various times in my life. A week doesn't go by that I don't invoke one of them when I am stumped, irked or confused. And not once has one ever proven false. My favorite is also the shortest, and most powerful: Any problem can be solved with the materials available in the room. — Edwin Land Dr. Land was the inventor of the Polaroid camera, a highly disruptive technology for instantly creating prints of the picture you just took decades before the digital age, a time when getting your film developed (Google it, kids) could take a week or more. First, it is eternally optimistic — any problem can be solved, Land asserts as fact. This is powerful all by itself; the path to success
begins with the belief that success is possible. This is why you can improve at a sport just by watching it played well: Experts give you permission to believe what you didn't think possible. But then Land lands the coup de grace: All the answers to solve any problem are at hand. I first assumed this was metaphorical. But I can't count how many times I have actually found a physical thing I could use to solve a problem in the room at the time. How is that possible? There won't always be nail in the room when you need a nail. It's true because this is about imagination: When you need a nail, you may think only a nail will do.
Think harder. Truth is Beauty, Beauty is Truth. When working on a problem, I never think about beauty; I only think of how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know that it is wrong. — R. Buckminster Fuller Bucky (as friends called him) was a designer so ahead of his time he might have been a space alien. In fact, his best known innovation, the geodesic dome, could easily have come from another planet. Like any great thinker, not everything Fuller dreamed up made sense. But his approach to problem solving required a remarkable test: Even if the solution seems correct, it can't be if it
isn't also beautiful. Build, fix, iterate. That's the startup mantra. As I once heard Sequoia Capital partner Greg MacAdoo put it at Stanford's Startup School: "Don’t wait for the perfect first product. Get it out there and iterate." "There can be no great surfers without great waves." The best kind of problem is the “hair on fire problem.” Best part of solving it: the hose doesn’t have to be real good. It just has to put out the fire. Those calls to action are great to
Page 15
Volume 1, Issue 9
Is there a takeaway or two that you keep in your breast pocket, ready to refer to at a moment's notice? get started. But iterating means taking a dim view of what you've already done. Of not declaring victory until your work is "beautiful." What is beautiful? You know it when you see it. More importantly: You know when you don't see it.
Help Me, Help You The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them. They have either lost confidence that you can help or concluded you do not care. Either case is a failure of leadership. — Former Gen Colin Powell
I saw this quote on a wall at The Basic School, the boot camp for US Marine officers in Quantico, Virginia (I was part of the initial Media Boot Camp contingent of potential journalist embeds training for the not-yet-declared Iraq War. As it happened, I was not deployed). Powell had long left the military and was Secretary of State. But this quote was vintage Gen. Powell, shared in his autobiography, My American Journey. No accident that it was in a narrow hallway that could not be missed by the school's captains-in-training. Powell's observation is the epito-
me of self-deprecation. It's more than The-buck-stops-here pablum or axiomatic I'mresponsible-for-everything drivel. It means that when there is failure to communicate, the top person is the problem. Even if you don't have direct reports you are in plenty of relationships that are inherently asymmetric. There is a power imbalance between a parent and child, and between you and it your interns. You may think they know they can come to you with any problem. But if they aren't, I'll bet it's not because they don't have any.
Page 16
CRUNCH
More wonders of our incredible world! 1: Natural Architecture' of Italy. 2: Hiller Lake (WA). The startling colour remains a mystery. It's not due to the presence of algae, but scientists still can't explain why the lake is pink. 3: 54-story twisting tower in Malmoe, Sweden. 4: Vermillion cliffs National Monument, Arizona 5: Lenticular clouds above South Georgia Island. 6: World's biggest cave found in Vietnam. 7: Mountain-side farming in the province of Bolzano, Italy. 8: Niagara Falls, on the edge
2
1
Page 17
Volume 1, Issue 9
3
Page 18
CRUNCH
4
Page 19
Volume 1, Issue 9
5
8 6 7
Page 20
CRUNCH
It’s almost Spring, so time to clean out the cobwebs!
A
h, Spring. There's something simply magical about the season. Even perpetually peppy birds seem to have a little more cheer in their chirps, and heck, what's not to like about going outside and not being slapped by a wind so cold it makes you wonder what you ever did to make Mother Nature hate you?
Seasonal produce offers more flavor as well as price savings, says Keri Gans, RD, a New York-based nutritionist and author of The Small Change Diet. Local produce supports farmers and also spares the environment by eliminating long-distance delivery systems. And spring is the perfect time to take advantage of your neighborhood's bounty. Not sure where to start? Here are four seasonal veggies to swap into your diet.
But there's nothing that can kill your warm weather-induced buzz faster than the idea of "spring cleaning."
Variety not only keeps your diet fresh—it can also help keep you healthy by giving you a broader range of nutrients. And the bounty of greens arriving at farmers' markets this time of year makes it a great time to trade in your tried-and-true healthy foods for something new. Added bonus: "Just picked" produce is loaded with disease-fighting vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, plus it usually costs less and bursts with flavor.
Not to worry, we're not going to tell you to set aside several days for massive home cleaning (good grief, can you imagine?). Instead, we've got 12 essentials to help you kick your healthy habits up a notch—from tossing old makeup to deciding to eat local—with nary a cleaning binge in sight. 1. Choose in-season, local produce
If you like rocket, try watercress. This spicy green is richer in bone-building vitamin K and adds a bit of kick to salads.
Page 21
Volume 1, Issue 9 If you like broccoli, try broccoli rabe. With even more iron and calcium, this bitter green makes a perfect side sautéed with garlic, oil, and red-pepper flakes. If you like garlic, try garlic scapes. These green stems of the garlic plant are delicious in stir-fries, soups, and pesto and add vitamin C to your meal. If you like baby spinach, try baby bok choy. Milder than regular bok choy, this stir-fry-ready veggie may be a potent cancerfighter. Steam it whole and drizzle with sesame oil and seeds. If you like onions, try scallions. Rich in infection-preventing allicin, they are an easy way to add flavor—along with visionprotecting lutein and zeaxanthin—to soups, baked potatoes, and salads. 2. Schedule screenings and doctor appointments Plan ahead to keep track of wellness appointments during the year. “There is no test that a woman needs annually if they are of average risk for any of the diseases usually screened,” says Robert Blackman, MD, an internist with Healthcare Partners Medical Group in Los Angeles. Talk with your doctor for a plan that suits your needs. In general, plan on a colonoscopy around age 50, a bone mineral density screening after menopause, a PAP test every three years, mammograms every two years, and dental exams every year. 3. Venture outside Walking for exercise benefits your cardiovascular system and burns calories. Take a walk in the woods and you’ll also reap the
benefits of anti-cancer proteins, according to a study published in the International Journal of Immunopathology Pharmacology. Called “forest bathing,” researchers found that walking in the forest lowers blood pressure and stress and boosts the immune system. 4. De-clutter your medicine cabinet First off, medicine should be stored in a cool, dry cabinet, not in the bathroom, says David Small, RPH, pharmacy manager for Nantucket Cottage Hospital in Massachusetts. The expiration date is your best guidance for the potency of a medicine, but if you're unsure, toss it if it smells bad or looks off-color. “Aspirin smells like vinegar when it gets old,” says Small. 5. Go wheat free for a month If you can’t seem to shake those last few winter pounds, try eliminating wheat from your diet. “Cutting wheat helps you avoid the appetite-stimulating property of the wheat’s gliadin protein,” says William Davis, MD, a preventive cardiologist and author of Wheat Belly. “Plus, you avoid agglutinin that disrupts intestinal health, as well as amylopectin A that's responsible for raising blood sugar.” Swap wheat-based products for rice, quinoa, legumes, buckwheat, tapioca, and potatoes. 6. Learn how to de-stress instantly Resolve to finally learn how to handle your stress this spring. If you can’t spare a block of time every day to meditate, squeeze in a few minutes each hour to experience the same benefits, says
Heidi Hanna, PhD, author of The Sharp Solution: A Brain-Based Approach for Optimal Performance. Sit in a comfortable position and close your eyes. Focus on pulling the air down into your belly. Breathe in for a count of five, hold the breath for a moment, and then slowly release. Continue for three to five minutes. 7. Allergy-proof your house Okay, so this one is cleaningrelated—but it's definitely worth it. You can help put the kibosh on spring allergies by washing all linens and blankets. Why? The greatest number of dust mites live in the bedroom, according to the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “All smooth surfaces, including ceiling fan blades and window coverings should be wiped with a cloth,” says James Sublett, MD, chair of the ACAAI Indoor Environment Committee. If you have forced air heating and air conditioning (HVAC), also replace your furnace filters. 8. Purge old makeup Remember that bright pink lipstick that looked great in the store but now sits at the bottom of your makeup drawer two years later? Time to toss it. “Most products have at least a one-year shelf life, although organic products may go bad faster,” says Dennis Gross, MD, a dermatologist and founder of 900 5th Dermatology in New York City. Throw it out if you notice changes in the product, such as an odor or separation of ingredients, says Dr. Gross. 9. Replace old workout shoes Your comfy, worn-out (>P20)
CRUNCH is a publication of Church Resources… see you in September!
Spring cont, and some instant happiness boosters! running shoes may do more harm than good. “The general rule of running shoe replacement is every 600 miles of running, i.e., someone running 50 to 60 miles a week should replace their shoes every three months,” says Andrew P. Gerken, MD, orthopedic surgeon with Newport Orthopedic Institute in Newport Beach, California. The material, particularly in the heel, wears out with use, and loses its cushioning effect. 10. Smarten up your TV time You know that zoning out on the couch every night watching reality TV isn't doing you body any favors...but sometimes a girl needs her TV. The solution? Sneak in some brain-boosting options. “Watch shows that stimulate thoughtful conversation
(like PBS, the Discovery Channel or ones that focus on hobbies you find interesting), and discuss the topics to boost engagement and creative thinking,” says Hanna. A consistent weekly viewing party can provide steady social time, causing a boost in brainbuilding chemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin.
Each morning, flag emails that must be dealt with today, focusing on your top priorities. Dedicate 30-minute blocks every two hours to staying on top of email. During those blocks, make decisions about each message immediately: Respond if it takes less than two minutes, delete, archive, or defer to respond later.
11. Organize your in-box
12. Up your daily happiness potential.
Chances are, the giant stack of junk mail and flyers on your kitchen counter isn't the only mail source gathering dust. If you email in-box looks a bit like an avalanche, here's how to dig out, courtesy of Dmitri Leonov from Sanebox.com, a service that automatically prioritizes and sorts your emails based on importance:
Flip through old photos Munch on nuts Inhale a calming scent Open your shades Walk around the block Clear away clutter Think fast Cue up YouTube Rethink your retail therapy Put on a happy face Zone out Chat up a neighbor Chop veggies And… Do a good deed