More than half of managers (53%) report feeling burned out at work,
according to Microsoft’s most recent Work Trend Index — a global survey of workers
across multiple industries and companies published in September 2022

 
Participants experiencing creative rest in our recent "Transitions and New Beginnings" retreat

Hi Barb,

On New Years Day 2023, I was feeling burned out, and I knew it wasn't just about sleep. I sensed I needed to get out and socialize. So I called one of my friends, Dr. Ezgi Tiryaki. 

Dr. Tiryaki is a neurologist who specializes in the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). She is well aware of burnout among caregivers of ALS patients. She rcommended that I read Sacred Rest, a book about seven types of rest by Dr. Sandra Dalton-Smith.

Reading Sacred Rest expanded my idea of rest as sleep to "rest" being anything different from what we normally do in our lives. That made sense to me. I spend most of my time sitting!  (Do you?)  Anything that is not sitting is rest for me!

I began weaving short periods of rest into my daily life.

-- I took more short walks (active physical rest).
-- I cleaned my office (environmental rest).
-- I practice my mandolin (creative rest) and meditatee more (spiritual rest).
-- More often than I used to, I allow myself a mid-day nap (passive physical rest). 

When I practice a variety of types of rest each day, I feel better. 

Knowing how important rest really is, we (Dr. Tiryaki, coach Anne Kelly and I) created a program called RestUP that expands on the work of Dr. Dalton-Smith. We offer workshops for people such as caregivers, healthcare providers and leaders of all sorts, online or in-person in central Minnesota.

Do you know any organizations whose members or employees would benefit from getting more rest? Please reply to this email and let me know!

Warmly,

Barb Bickford

PS: Those who provide a solid lead to an organization that would host a RestUP workshop, will be invited to attend the RestUP webinar coming up in May, at no cost. 

ALS Caregiver Workshop: How to Rest Up To Recover and Reenergize Your Life 
-- Thursday, May 2, 2024 at 6:30 PM CDT or Saturday, May 4, 2024 at 10:30 AM CDT, free to ALS Caregivers

Caregiving for persons who live with ALS can be extremely hard. It may seem there's never be enough time or energy left to rest up. Yet, if we consider rest to be more than just physical rest, we can find little moments to build more rest in our lives.  

If you care for a person who lives with ALS, we invite you to a 90-minute virtual workshop about rest. To receive the link to the workshop, send an email to amanda.beaudry@als.org by Tuesday, April 30, 2024. Be sure to indicate which date you would like to attend. 

RestUP: How You Can Get Just a Little More Rest
-- Thursday, May 16, online workshop, 90 minutes starting at 6:30 PM, $20

Leaders -- are you feeling burned out? Do you need more rest? In this online program, we will examine and experience different types of rest, take an inventory of our rest and make a plan to get just a little more rest. 

Registration opens soon. For now, send an email to bickfordcollaboration@gmail.com and I'll send you the registration link when it's available. And remember, if you send us a solid lead to an organization who would sponsor a RestUP workshop, we'll let you into this workshop in May at no cost.

Better Communication for more Effective Healthcare 
-- online, Mondays and Wednesdays, June 4-20, 2024

Learn simple effective concepts that help you before and during any conversation-- whether with patients, with people you report to and supervise, or with your peers. If you work in healthcare or are affiliated with healthcare, this course is for you! Learn more and register here.   

What is Clean Language?

Here is a short introduction to Clean Language describing the benefits of using it for improving communication. Clean language has a lot of applications! Here is how Clean Language is being used in healthcare. 

Recent blog posts
-- How can leaders get just a little more rest?
-- Group leaders: Are your meetings safe?
-- Creating Safer Meetings

Our current workshops and courses

Weave different kinds of rest into your meetings

If you want to energize your group, provide a variety of restful activities in your meetings. Here are some examples:

-- Provide social rest by pairing people off and inviting into a short conversation. Discussing something that is related to the topic of the meeting is a plus, but any question that invites them to share their personal experience will do.

-- Every 45-60 minutes, especially in online meetings, provide a short break (mental rest) to let people take care of personal needs.  Encourage everyone to stand up and stretch (physical rest) or look out the window at something natural (environmental rest). 

-- Play music or include an activity that involves art in some way. The liberating structure Drawing Together not only provides creative rest but can expand your group's idea about what's possible.  

Try one of these in an upcoming meeting and notice how it improves connection and engagement. 

Want even more tips? Access Ten Tips to Foster Online Engagement.

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