We all have choices. In challenging times, the choice is choosing what we pay attention to and where we direct our focus. During a global pandemic and a U.S. election year, it’s tempting to focus on the unknown, the “swirl,” the what-if scenarios – but the questions we all have to ask ourselves are, “How is this serving me? What is the most powerful, healthy and productive choice I can make here and now?” Below are tips to help keep anxiety at bay:

1. Watch the news less

It’s one thing to check the local weather and get a basic idea of what’s happening in your community. Watching the news for hours on end, however, is entirely another. Once you have information about what’s going on in your world, have the presence of mind to step away. Let your heart and soul rest from negative news. Allowing the same heavy content to be pushed on you for hours every day feeds anxiety. Fight it instead by going on a hike, grabbing a good book or watching a light-hearted show to escape and relax.

2. Focus on what’s in your control

Not letting things that worry you hijack your attention is easier said than done, but mastering this form of self-control is vital to managing stress. Let go of things that you, personally, can’t control. Can you single-handedly choose who’s elected president? Nope. Can you have an impact on the outcome and make your voice heard? Yep! Replace big concerns with small proactive steps you can take to counteract them.

3. Use free time productively

The time we spend ruminating on current events can be put to much better use. If you’ve recently lost a job or been forced to spend more time at home, then perhaps there’s an opportunity to learn a new skill or hobby. Take your professional knowledge to the next level with podcasts, audiobooks, and online courses. Revise your resume, network with people with whom you’ve been meaning to reconnect. Plan your days by dedicating your focus to specific tasks during designated time slots. Ideally, plan ahead (at least the day before) so you can wake up with a positive and productive mission in mind.

4. Create healthy distractions

Replace worry with distractions that break you away from unhealthy obsessions. This can be as simple as dialing up a loved one (and not talking about everything that’s wrong in the world). Create rituals to spend time with those you care about – make a meal, watch a new Netflix series, or exercise together.

5. Utilize Appreciative Inquiry (AI)

Telling people how you feel and what you appreciate about them is a valuable practice, especially during tough times. Examine your life: What resources are available to you? For what are you grateful? The pioneer of Appreciative Inquiry David Cooperrider’s “Ah-Ha!” moment came when he and his team member found themselves in an increasingly hostile and negative atmosphere while working on a research project and decided to change their approach. Rather than inquire into what was NOT working, they decided to examine what was in fact going well. The revelation was that inquiry itself can powerfully shape the way we perceive and develop our systems and support as human beings. Change your thoughts in order to shift your mindset, your disposition and your energy into a more positive direction.

6. Just breathe

Stress and anxiety can have a number of physical, as well as emotional, consequences. When we are anxious, for example, we often take more frequent, shallow breaths. This can lead to tightness in the chest and even panic attacks. Simple breathing exercises, used when overwhelmed, can be remarkably effective at calming stress and anxiety. Box Breathing, a tool often used by Navy Seals to stay calm in stressful situations, can be done quickly and discreetly. Close your mouth and slowly breathe in through your nose for four counts. Hold your breath for four seconds. Then slowly exhale through your mouth for a count of four. Hold the exhale for another four counts.

Did you know the Apple watch has a reminder to breathe? But no fancy device needed, you can simply set any timer to prompt you to stop and do deep breathing exercises – if you’re feeling really anxious, every half an hour!

When we feel like our back is against the wall, we must be intentional to find mental escape. Amidst the pandemic, it’s up to each one of us to do our best to not only protect our bodies from the virus but our heads from the disease of negative thinking. Make choices every day that will serve you well.

Leigh Ann Errico is a Georgetown University-certified leadership coach, Corentus-certified team coach and the founder of LAErrico & Partners.

Many American workers are long-delaying their vacations due to the pandemic. But what are the consequences of running and running without a break?

For some people, they don’t want to use vacation days if they can’t do the types of trips they usually take. For others, they’re tightening their grips on their jobs, afraid their positions will slip away. In both cases, the hesitation can be damaging to their health.

Overworking leads to burnout. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines burnout as being characterized by three dimensions—feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from or cynicism towards one’s job, and reduced professional efficacy.

According to an April 2020 survey by Eagle Hill Consulting, nearly half of U.S. employees (45%) say they are burnt out, with one in four feeling this way because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The top causes of burnout include workload (45%), trying to juggle professional and personal life (35%), a lack of communication (32%) and time pressures (30%). More than one-third (36%) of employees say their organization is not taking action to combat employee burnout. However some forward-thinking organizations are proactively promoting mental and physical wellness.

One such company is the Denver-based computer software firm, Ping Identity, which offers employees unlimited vacation. But because his team wasn’t taking advantage of it, CEO Andre Durand has started creating “artificial holidays,” or building more opportunities into employees’ schedules to take time off. Another solution, one company with which I work is designating a two-week “rejuvenation period.” Employees are asked to abstain from all meetings and either take the time off or use it to get caught up in their jobs.

When it’s expected of workers to take time off and the entire group is asked to do it, that can be the permission employees need to disconnect. During these times, it’s the responsibility of leaders to disrupt the herd mentality and support overall wellness.

Amidst this pandemic, a unique anthropological study is being written. While some organizations are giving back to employees the time previously spent commuting by making those hours off-limits from meetings, others are trying to reallocate the time to lengthen the workday. And because meetings now take place without even a stroll down the hallway, more are being scheduled, leaving no buffer time to actually do work, plan, be present, and listen to colleagues. Research published in the Harvard Business Review indicates that the more time pressure people feel on a given day, the less likely they will be to think creatively. In other words, workers need white space on their canvas every day.

Angst about job security and financial security right now is pervasive. It’s hard to ignore that the COVID-19 crisis has already thrown millions out of work. People worry that if they take a break, they’ll appear uncommitted to their jobs and their roles may be jeopardized. But quite the contrary: They should take a break to avoid burnout and continue doing their jobs well; work-life balance makes career success sustainable.

During a period of crisis, self-care is even more critical. Sleep, diet, exercise, stretching, supplements and meditation are needed to support well-being and must be pursued with intention. And vacation-induced relaxation can do wonders for your health. According to research, vacations reduce stress, which negatively impacts blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other measures of health. Syracuse University researchers found that risk for metabolic syndrome—a group of conditions that puts people at higher risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke—decreased by nearly a quarter with each additional vacation taken by study participants. And the closer to takeoff, the less people’s heart rates were affected when exposed to stressful situations leading up to a vacation.
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The blurring of home and work life has put more and more people at danger of burning out. The more time we continue this work-from-home experiment, the more important it is to take time off to avoid feeling dissatisfied over your work.
So, if you’re not sure if you should take time off—the answer is probably yes.

By Leigh Ann Errico

As members of a society addicted to faster living, we often feel pressure to make it on less sleep than our bodies need. But contrary to societal beliefs, sleep is not for the weak; it actually helps our bodies stay strong. Nor does getting enough sleep mean we’re lazy; in reality, we’re more productive at home and work when we’re well-rested. 
If you’re motivated to fit 28 hours into a 24-hour day, is powering through on as little sleep as possible even healthy? Science has weighed in, and the extent of sleep deprivation’s impact might surprise you. 
How Sleep Deprivation Effects Brain Function:
In his book, Why We Sleep, Professor Matthew Walker, Director of UC Berkeley’s Sleep and Neuroimaging Lab, shows that going without sleep for one-night decreases learning capacity by 40% (hear that teens and 20-somethings who can still pull all-nighters?). Professor Walker also reveals that, after 36 hours without sleep, levels of amyloid-beta, a protein closely associated with Alzheimer’s disease, are increased by as much as 25-30%, suggesting that running on fumes increases the risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia.
Walker’s work also demonstrates that sleep deprivation can affect our decision-making skills and damage our ability to create and maintain relationships. How? Sleep deprivation alters function in the amygdala, the brain’s emotional center, making you up to 60% more prone to impulsive behavior. 
Lack of Sleep Effect on Immune Function:
Walker’s research also indicates that cutting sleep duration reduces the activity of natural killer cells, also known as NK cells or large granular lymphocytes (LGL), by up to 70%. These cells help clear out damaged tissue that can become cancerous. Additionally, doctors report that a lack of sleep can increase our risk of infection. According to a study led by a UC San Francisco sleep researcher, “subjects who had slept less than six hours a night the week before were 4.2 times more likely to catch the cold compared to those who got more than seven hours of sleep, and those who slept less than five hours were 4.5 times more likely.”
Lack of Sleep and Weight Gain:
Professor Walker also explains that lack of sleep has been shown to impair beta-cell function, reducing insulin production in the pancreas and increasing insulin resistance among muscle and fat cells, both of which are the signs of Type 2 Diabetes. This change in blood sugar can lead to rapid weight gain as the body loses its ability to correctly use its fuel. Of interest, Professor Walker also notes in his book that poor sleep often leads to overeating…200-300 additional calories per meal, as sleep deprivation causes the body to crave high-calorie foods! Who would have guessed that sleeping more can help you net fewer calories per day, compared with burning calories by staying awake?
So, what’s the magic number? How much sleep do we actually need? Adults between the ages of 26-64 years old need 7-9 hours, according to research.
When we sleep, we recharge our brain, boost our immune system, and repair our endocrine system. Catching some Zs has so many positive effects (and negative ones when we skimp on quality time with our pillows), it’s clear that sleep is essential to well-being. So, the next time you hear your inner voice saying, “I have so much to do, I can’t afford to get eight hours of sleep,” ask yourself, “Can I really afford NOT to get the sleep I need?” With the right amount of quality sleep, you’ll see your life and your career RISE and SHINE.
Leigh Ann Errico is a Georgetown University-certified leadership coach, Corentus-certified team coach, and the founder of LAErrico & Partners. 

This article was first published by All Wellness Guide: https://bit.ly/3gtMvET

Leigh Ann Errico has long emphasized wellness in her work with executives and teams. She even studied under a Master Somatic Coach to learn how to harness the powers of Sensation, Breath, Voice, Mood and Center. Additionally, a focus of her recent training to become a Corentus-certified team coach was the importance of being “fit to coach” with one’s own mindfulness and wellness practices. This summer, she begins a new journey – the Health & Wellness Coaching certification program at Georgetown University’s Institute for Transformational Leadership!

Through the program, Leigh Ann will expand her expertise in wellness-oriented coaching, the psychology of behavior change in a health context, and the fundamentals of chronic disease in order to become a certified health & wellness coach. She’ll apply what she learns to holistically address the mind, body, and spirit of her valued clients, caring for the whole person as not only a leader but as a human being. The timing could not be more appropriate, as the essentiality of health and self-care have been underscored by the pandemic, including the need to care for our immune systems.

“Time and again, I’ve seen first-hand the importance of balance and discipline during my engagements with leaders at all levels,” Leigh Ann shared. “If you neglect all the things you need as a human in order to feel good, your career eventually suffers, as well. Wellness is a never-ending pursuit that enhances every aspect of life.”

Leigh Ann added, “For me, I know all too well how easily we can become victims of our success in the work world. The higher I rose in my corporate career and the more complex my life demands became, the less healthy I became over time. I put myself last and hyper-focused on my career and work objectives. This sacrifice came at a very high price to my health and happiness. Over the past few years, I have been teaching myself how to live a healthier and more reasonable life – for the sake of my health and those whom I love and support.”
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Leigh Ann and the firm she founded and leads will use her deeper knowledge to provide comprehensive client support that inspires personal growth, elevates career performance, and unlocks new progress.

June 2, 2020 • 4 min read

We’ve all heard the term cortisol, but how does it really fit into the puzzle that is our health and immune system? Did you know, for example, that cortisol can help you solve challenges and achieve goals, from mastering tai chi to earning a new career certification?
What is Cortisol and Why Do We Need It?Cortisol is known as the “stress hormone” (hence the sometimes negative connotation), but it’s crucial for the protection of overall health and well-being. This hormone is made by three glands in your body: the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the adrenal glands.
Cortisol is famous for being associated with the fight-or-flight response. If you were to encounter a bear on a weekend hike, cortisol would work to depress non-essential or even harmful functions during the threatening situation.
Almost every cell in the human body has a cortisol receptor. According to the Endocrine Society, cortisol can help : 

• Control blood sugar levels
• Regulate metabolism
• Help reduce inflammation
• Assist with memory formulation
• Control salt and water balance
• Helps control blood pressure
• Supports the developing fetus during pregnancy

Cortisol also has an especially important role in our sleep-wake cycle. A spike in cortisol early in the morning pulls us out of deep sleep and helps us take on the day.  
The Problem with CortisolCortisol, like all hormones, needs to be in a balanced state in our bodies. Too much cortisol, often caused by too much stress for prolonged periods of time, can lead to a number of chronic health problems. High levels of cortisol are linked to:

• Weight gain (especially in the abdomen)
• A weakened immune system
• Blood sugar control issues such as type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Decreased libido
• Loss in bone density
• Trouble falling asleep and staying asleep

How Can I Regulate My Cortisol Levels?Because cortisol is produced in excess during times of stress, the obvious thing to do is reduce stress, which in turn reduces cortisol levels. Of course, that can be more easily said than done, since many of us live very busy lives with stressors that we cannot easily eliminate. Fortunately, Mother Nature has gifted us with a few ways of reducing cortisol, even if a swift exit from a stressful situation isn’t possible.
MeditateImplementing a daily form of meditation, sometimes called breath work, can significantly help to reduce cortisol levels. The exercise does not have to take long or be complicated. Box breathing, a tool often used by Navy Seals to stay calm in high-pressure situations, can be done quickly and discreetly, for instance. Try this:

• Close your mouth and slowly breathe in through your nose for four counts.
• Hold your breath for four seconds.
• Slowly exhale through your mouth for another count of four.

ExerciseAnother way to manage cortisol is implementing a regular exercise regimen. Using large muscle groups in a rhythmic, repetitive fashion ― muscular meditation ― can clear the mind and reduce stress, according to Harvard Health.
Find a RitualRituals are also a nice way to aid in the reduction of stress and, therefore, cortisol levels. They have the power to trigger the brain to start relaxing and winding down from being fully engaged. A few to try:

• Make the time to indulge in a long shower or bath with Epsom salt ― you are guaranteed to feel noticeably calmer.
• Take 10 minutes to journal your thoughts every night before you climb into bed.
• Light candles and have a drink before dinner with your partner to discuss the day.

Is there a ritual that would bring a sense of peace and that you would look forward to carrying out regularly?
Take Time to Take ControlCortisol isn’t just a villain. It helps us to be productive and make important decisions under pressure ― both essential for career success. But, in this case, “too much of a good thing” can wreak havoc on your health and on progress toward your goals. Take control of your cortisol levels right now ― it’s a breathwork exercise away.

You can make “new normal” more than a platitude
​By Leigh Ann Errico, Executive and Team Coach at LAeRRICO & partners