Burnout-Free Lifestyle | The Burnout Queens

What if your workplace is toxic?

July 24, 2018

What is a toxic workplace and how will I know if mine is toxic?

The Burnout Queens love to share good articles and this is a good article in Inc.com (Marcel Schwantes) based on solid research out of Harvard.

The article titled 5 signs of a toxic workplace that should be stopped immediately (Inc.com magazine), summarises who toxic workers are and what they do that is so counter-productive to the company and their workers.

“much has been written about hiring and developing top performers in the workplace, but less attention has been paid to the effects of toxic workers on their organizations. [toxic] workers are not low-functioning or low-status employees…[they]are talented and productive….”

Here are this article’s 5 signs of a toxic office.

Gossip is spreading
Morale is at an all-time low
Managers are dictators not leaders
The human touch is lost
Health issues and absenteeism are on the rise

These are just some of the situations our Executive Clients find themselves in, many of them disheartened by their company culture, disillusioned by an absent listening leadership. Others grapple with questioning whether they should stay or take the opportunity to leave and place themselves in their dream career move. This all leads to low morale and possibly burnout, which has a knock-on effect on many leaders, teams, executives and ultimately erodes the company’s bottom-line.

Read the full article and get really honest with yourselves. Next step? Implement healthy, rather than punitive change. To ignore and keep following the same path is to risk losing your most talented to the competition.

The step after that? Get in touch (www.livethesolution.com) . We coach Highly Sensitive Executives in these situations all the time and they learn to thrive.

A 9 year anniversary for The Burnout Queens

July 3, 2018

Well it is hard to believe. A lifetime ago now, really. This was Dr T at the airport in Vancouver (Dr B taking the photo) awaiting our flight to London, England.

Our adventure that we both dreamt about in 1972 was about to come true, albeit late. But then we have both always been off-time (off-beat even).

Big change was happening, and more was about to happen. Change that we didn’t know but were fully ready to embrace. We left Canada knowing we would not return. When that last call to board was made (Ladies and gentlemen we are now boarding Air Canada flight to London) Dr T & Dr B smiled widely and joyfully marched into that plane to our new homeland.

Nine years ago, on July 4th we landed at Heathrow and the first words out of the immigration staff when she looked at our passports stamped VISA, she said “welcome home ladies”. London was our independence and our freedom. Little did we know how much!

Yes, we are home. We had lost a lot leading up to that day, but we have gained so much more in taking that final leap. Would we redo it again? No. We have created a culture and lifestyle for ourselves here in the south-east of England.

This was just meant to be, the way we had always planned and more. We are so fortunate to have met and lived close to wonderful people who have been so open to helping us out and sharing our good moments (and stressful ones). Don’t think we even think like we used to.

And then of course there is the joy of art, pastries, walks, our dogs, and last but never least, tea and cake.

They say you can’t go home again. Well Darlings, we are home at last.

It Ain’t Easy Being Short!

July 3, 2018

It certainly isn’t easy being short, especially these days. You see we are experiencing a heatwave here in the UK and it’s going on, and on, and on, which means that every day the heat on the pavement keeps rising! And that is exactly why when you are short like we are, you feel the heat on your feet pads and bellies Really Fast! I’m sure if you are a dachsie you can relate, right?

So us ‘little critters’ have a BIG request for our dachsie-owners:

Keep us inside most of the day while this heat is high (we can catch up on our barky walks later when it cools down).
Don’t take us grocery shopping, leave us tied up on the street, walking the pavements, or on long walks as usual even in parks (it’s too hot to expect us to take 5 steps at a clip to your every one…we hate marathons and your belly doesn’t drag on the ground!).
Don’t ever leave us in the car with the windows cracked while you pop into a shop (it only takes a minute for us to overheat or worse!)
Leave us at home with lots of water and a floor blanket in the coolest part of the house (classical music on the radio is appreciated).

Most people think our owners fuss too much, but we’re glad because we don’t end up in the vet emergency with heat stroke, seizures, or burnt paws.

Here’s a special tip from The Burnout Pups that works like a charm.

Check out Easi-dri cooling coats and blankets (http://www.easidri.com). We don’t get any special reward points, compensation, or treats for sharing this with you! In the heat, we wear our coats with delight. They cool down our body temperature and we just love the wet-bathing-suit feel on our wire-hair and skin. We think our picture says it all!

Bliss!

Repeat after us…”when it’s this HOT, HOT, HOT, keep us little shorties IN, IN, IN”.

With love and gratitude,

The Burnout Pups

Unplugging from social media and ‘going human’ for a day!

February 15, 2017

Can you? Would you dare? Is it possible for you to leave social media alone for one day and ‘go human’?

Did I just hear an almighty gasp!?!

Ask yourself this…. Will my social media ‘friends’ who I have never met (and probably never will) care if I have no post, tweet, pin or media footprint online for one day?

The Burnout Queens see people out and about having a good time, but instead of experiencing and focusing on the time they are having, they are focused on recording the moment to quickly upload to their thousands of friends. What is going on? Before digital and instant sharing, we just had fun and then ‘shared’ the memories with others after we returned home…not during! No wonder we aren’t quiet, reflective and truly connected any longer.

Here’s the challenge. Get out of your tech-mode and step into life-mode for one day. Speak to people instead of tweeting with them. Walk with friends and enjoy their company. Call and chat instead of sending an email. If you are on your own sit in a café and watch others. It just might spark a spontaneous chat with a fellow human, rather than your android (it even sounds strange writing this).

See you in 24 hours…we’re unplugging and going human!

Love, The Burnout Queens xx

Ex-client dropped me a line

January 18, 2017

I love opening my inbox to pleasant surprises.

Periodically and unexpectantly I hear from past clients out of the blue. It always starts with “I don’t know if you remember me, but I wanted to let you know” . The truth is, I remember all of them!

In my work as a therapist and coach I often witness the planting of new seeds, new ideas, new dreams in women who want to cultivate a good life for themselves. It’s a privilege and responsibility to help them design and create their lives.

Sometimes I am not present for the full blossoming of such a new and inspiring spirit. I wonder whatever happened to so-and-so. Where did she end up. I hope she is living happily. And then I wake to this kind of email. I smile and cry as I read this from a young 20 something who is now 40 something as she shares the blossoming and depth of her life.

I have always made one request of my women clients…never settle, be happy and inspire another woman’s life when you can.

So get ready, really ready to be inspired!

“This message is for Bev. I wonder if you remember me? You have helped many people through the years, and I was one of them twenty years ago. My name is Deirdre M. I just wanted to tell you that your influence in my life has changed – and continues to inform – me in many ways. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Guess where I am right now? I am at the eating disorder clinic in Castlegar, BC, waiting to see a client. How I remember when I was sitting where she sits today. I received my masters in counselling this past year, and work for Interior Health in the Kootenays. I am raising a daughter who is almost 16. I have a wonderful life, and you had so much to do with that! My best friend is still Maria, whom you also counselled. She lives in New York, and we meet up at least twice a year and go travelling.

I’m sure you hear stories of gratitude often enough, but maybe one cannot hear that often enough. I am inspired by the life you two seem to be living – congratulations! I also want to get a PhD, but that will wait a few years.

Thanks again – I hope you are having a wonderful fall!

Much love, Deirdre”

Thanks Deirdre for allowing me to share this and to inspire other women to move forward in their lives with a sense of not knowing, but becoming who they are meant to be!

Love, Dr B (The Burnout Queens)