Owning or running a small business is like standing in front a firehose that’s blasting out an endless stream of things you should be doing. RIGHT NOW! Every day, there are a few crises to solve, employees to train, new customers to help, new industry products or services to consider, vendors or agents or salespeople who want to meet with you and a dozen or so new dot-somethings you’re supposed to sign up for and start uploading photos, updates and videos throughout the day and night. Oh, and then there’s your actual job of making or selling a product or serving a client. And what about that family you vaguely recall?

If you run a small business, you already know how to cope: You start by accepting the fact that you can’t do it all. Or, as author Greg McKeown says in his bestselling book, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less, “Pursue only those things that are truly important — and forget everything else…You can’t have it all, and you can’t do it all.”

In his book, he writes, “Essentialism is not about how to get more things done; it’s about how to get the right things done. It doesn’t mean just doing less for the sake of less either. It is about making the wisest possible investment of your time and energy in order to operate at our highest point of contribution by doing only what is essential.”

A SmallBusiness.com User-Favorite | Published first on 2.11.2015

What are the essentials?

“We overvalue nonessentials like a nicer car or house, or even intangibles like the number of our followers on Twitter or the way we look in our Facebook photos. As a result, we neglect activities that are truly essential, like spending time with our loved ones, or nurturing our spirit, or taking care of our health.”

McKeown advises that when considering what is essential, if you’re not 90 percent sure of doing something, just don’t bother. Don’t worry about it.” Get over the “fear of missing out” (or, as he says, FOMO). Learn, instead, the Joy of missing out (JOMO).”

And if you end up a little bored as a result, that’s okay too because “at the edge of boredom is all creativity,” he writes.

Give Yourself Permission to Stop Trying to Do it All

Says McKeown, “Only when you give yourself permission to stop trying to do it all, to stop saying yes to everyone, can you make your highest contribution towards the things that really matter.”

via: 99u.com

(Art: Thinkstock)

Commuters who listen to music or browse social media might be increasing their chance of a stressful workday writes Dina Gerdeman in a recent article appearing in Harvard Business School’s Working Knowledge. Research by Harvard’s Francesca Gino offers better ways to commute but warns, this may sound employer-friendly, at first: think about work and what you are going to accomplish that day. “Work on the way to work by mentally mapping out a plan for their day,” according to Gino.

Quote:

By using the travel time as an opportunity to get into the work mindset, employees are giving themselves a chance to make an easier mental shift from their home role to their work role, and ultimately, this makes people feel happier about their jobs, according to the working paper Between Home and Work: Commuting as an Opportunity for Role Transitions (PDF).

But here is the real shocker that even surprised Professor Gino:

Doing relaxing or purely pleasurable things on the way to the office, like listening to music in the car or scrolling through social media on the train, may actually interfere with people’s ability to transition into work mode smoothly—which makes them feel gloomier about their jobs and more likely to quit

Commuters who made plans for their workday reported significantly higher levels of job satisfaction and reduced intentions of leaving their jobs than those who did something enjoyable in the moment.

For more information, see: Stuck in Commuter Hell? You Can Still Be Productive?, Working Knowledge, Harvard Business School.

Regular readers of SmallBusiness.com (and Pinterest.com/smallbusiness), know we are fans of standing desks. Without any research, even. Just seems like a smart thing as our ancestors didn’t sit all day back when they were evolving into us.But we never imagined that standing desks could improve our learning and memory.

According to a new study published recently, a UCLA professor showed that sedentary behavior is associated with the reduced thickness of the medial temporal lobe, which contains the hippocampus, a brain region that is critical to learning and memory. And guess what reduces that thickness? Yep. Standing.

Richard Friedman, a professor of clinical psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medical College and opinion writer for the New York Times, commenting on the research said, “you don’t even have to move much to enhance cognition; just standing will do the trick.” Two groups of subjects were asked to complete a test while either sitting or standing. The test — called Stroop — measures selective attention. Participants are presented with conflicting stimuli, like the word “green” printed in blue ink, and asked to name the color. Subjects thinking on their feet beat those who sat by a 32-millisecond margin.

Winson Churchills’ standing desk.

According to Friedman, the research suggests it’s a good argument for getting rid of sitting desks in favor of standing desks for most people.

For example, one study assigned a group of 34 high school freshmen to standing desks for 27 weeks. The researchers found significant improvement in executive function and working memory by the end of the study.

Also on SmallBusiness.com

14 Standup Desk Ideas for Your Small Business

The Department of Labor on Thursday (1/4/2018) released proposed new rules that its backers, including President Trump, say will make it easier for small businesses and sole proprietors to band together in Association Health Plans (AHP) to purchase health insurance. If approved, these rules, a follow-up to an executive order from President Trump issued last October, will allow new forms of associations to be created that supporters say will make healthcare insurance more accessible for small businesses and sole proprietors, likely starting in 2019. The proposal — which now faces a 60-day comment period — broadens the definition of those eligible to join or form such groups. Supporters say that AHPs are similar to large group plans available to major corporations. Association Health Plans have long been supported by organizations like the National Restaurant Association, National Retail Federation and NFIB. They have been opposed by traditional types of insurance companies including state-based Blue Cross associations and members of the insurance trade group AHIP.

AHP supporters say they will make insurance more affordable and available to small businesses and the self-employed. Here are some reasons why.

The plans will use the same type of purchasing leverage as corporate “large-group plans” | Even before Obamacare (also called the ACA or Affordable Care Act), large employers were able to “self-insure” and thus be exempt from certain state-by-state mandated benefits related to hospitalization, prescription drugs and emergency care. Association Health Plans, because they will be treated as “large group plans,” would also be able to benefit from the same purchasing power and flexibility in coverage of self-insured options. Also, large group plans typically purchase catastrophic coverage at prices not available to small groups or individuals.

Prior conditions | The plans could not reject employers based on the health status of their workers.

Individual pricing | Individual employees in a workplace could not be charged different amounts based on their health.

State authority still applies | States historically have had oversight responsibility for insurance coverage sold in their state. In the rule, no matter how plans are funded, states would still retain oversight of their solvency in the way they regulate self-insured large businesses that operate in their state.

Here are some reasons its critics give for opposing AHPs.

Critics say the rules could expose consumers to coverage gaps or higher out-of-pocket costs and would not have to meet some ACA rules

Plans would not have to include all ACA requirements | According to opponents, associations would not have to include benefits across 10 broad “essential” categories of care, including hospitalization, prescription drugs, and emergency care. However, as noted above, large group plans do not have to include these under Obamacare.

Overhead mandate exemption | Opponents argue associations would be exempt from an ACA rule requiring insurers to spend at least 80 percent of premium revenue on medical care.

State authority | Association plans would be able to offer plans across state lines. For this reason, states and state-based insurance groups like Blue Cross / Blue Shield have historically opposed Association Health Plans.

Cherry picking the young and healthy away from individual insurance pools | In a statement, the industry advocacy group AHIP says that allowing AHPs could pull the young and healthy away from the broader individual insurance pool. That could, in turn, raise the cost of insurance for those insured through the federal marketplace, for example.

Overview: Key elements of the rule

Purpose of the rule from the Department of Labor | A follow-up to an October executive order from the Trump Whitehouse that small business trade groups say will enable small businesses and sole proprietors to access affordable healthcare coverage by forming large group associations.

If approved, the rules will allow associations to be formed for the purpose of offering insurance and enrolling members from the same industry or region | “A plan could serve employers in a state, city, county, or a multi-state metro area, or it could serve all the businesses in a particular industry nationwide,” said the Department of Labor’s press release on the proposed rule.

Many small business advocacy organizations have pushed for AHPs for years | Organizations like NFIB, the National Restaurant Association, and the National Retail Federation have long supported Association Health Plans. Insurance trade groups, including Bluecross associations, oppose it.

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Chronically viewing the glass as half-empty is detrimental both mentally and physically and inhibits one’s ability to bounce back from life’s inevitable stresses. And by “stresses,” we mean all those things that are a part of a small business owner’s or manager’s typical day. New York Times columnist Jane Brody recently reviewed a growing body of research evidence suggesting that accumulating “micro-moments of positivity,” (watching a few moments of puppy videos, perhaps?), can, over time, result in greater overall well-being. For example, research conducted by Barbara Fredrickson, a psychologist at the University of North Carolina, demonstrates that the extent to “which we can generate positive emotions from even everyday activities can determine who flourishes and who doesn’t.”

This may be the cause of your blahs

Quote:

“…Repeated brief moments of positive feelings can provide a buffer against stress and depression and foster both physical and mental health, their studies show. This is not to say that one must always be positive to be healthy and happy. Clearly, there are times and situations that naturally result in negative feelings in the most upbeat of individuals. Worry, sadness, anger and other such “downers” have their place in any normal life. But chronically viewing the glass as half-empty is detrimental both mentally and physically and inhibits one’s ability to bounce back from life’s inevitable stresses.

“Negative feelings activate a region of the brain called the amygdala, which is involved in processing fear and anxiety and other emotions. People in whom the amygdala recovers slowly from a threat are at greater risk for a variety of health problems than those in whom it recovers quickly. That the brain is “plastic,” or capable of generating new cells and pathways, and it is possible to train the circuitry in the brain to promote more positive responses. That is, a person can learn to be more positive by practicing certain skills that foster positivity.”

Doing these eight things can foster positive emotions

1 | Do good things for other people, even small things

Not only does this make those people happier, it enhances your own positive feelings.

2 | Appreciate the world around you

It could be a bird, a tree, a beautiful sunrise or sunset.

3 | Develop and bolster relationships

Building strong social connections with friends or family members enhances feelings of self-worth and is associated with better health and a longer life.

4 | Establish goals that can be accomplished

But be realistic; a goal that is impractical can create unnecessary stress.

5 | Learn something new

It can be a sport, a language, an instrument or a game that instills a sense of achievement, self-confidence, and resilience.

6 | Choose to accept yourself, flaws and all

Rather than imperfections and failures, focus on your positive attributes and achievements.

7 | Practice resilience

Rather than let loss, stress, failure or trauma overwhelm you, use them as learning experiences and stepping stones to a better future.

8 | Practice mindfulness

Ruminating on past problems or future difficulties drains mental resources and steals attention from current pleasures. Let go of things you can’t control and focus on the here-and-now.

Puppy photo via WikiMedia.org | CC-BY-SA-4.0

Smile photo via istock

At SmallBusiness.com, one thing we never grow tired of is learning about how memory works. (We can’t remember why, however.)  We especially are fond of research conducted at prestigious universities that reveals memory skills aren’t limited to those who are born with great memories but can be learned like, say, learning to juggle or play the ukelele. However, like those, it does take practice to master.

Based on brain scans of 23 world class competitive memory champions and a control group of people with memories like the rest of us, researchers at Radboud University Medical Center in The Netherlands have added to the evidence that a person with an average memory can enhance it dramatically with techniques used by the memory champions. “If you use certain mnemonic memory strategies you can considerably increase your memory, even if you have a very bad memory at the start,” research leader Dr. Martin Dresler recently told BBC News.

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Can’t remember where you saw that SmallBusiness.com article about memory? These links will help.

• How Drawing May Help Improve Your Memory
• Eight (More) Tips for Remembering and Using Names
• Why You Should Take Notes by Hand Instead of on a Laptop
• Why We Can Remember All Sorts of Unimportant Things About People We Meet (Except Their Names)
• 7 Signs of Forgetfulness at Work and 7 Things You Can Do About it
• How to Remember a Customer’s Name

How do you win memory competitions? Practice, practice, practice.

Memory methods are based on various types of mnemonics, memory devices that can help a person recall lots of information, especially lists. One method is called the method of loci or memory palace (also called, “mind journey” or “mind palace”). With this method, a person makes an imaginary journey through a place they know well, such as a building. Each room they go through or location they see acts a visual prompt where information can be stored.

In the Radboud University study, neuroscientists scanned the brains of memory champions using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). They then compared those with scans of people of similar ages with similar IQs. The researchers found subtle differences in connectivity patterns across a large number of brain regions. However, no single region stood out. They learned that neurobiological differences between these world-class memory champions and “normal” control subjects appeared to be quite widespread, distributed and subtle.

After being scanned, the individuals with normal memory went through six weeks of training in mnemonic techniques that are useful for remembering long lists of information. Participants using the training techniques of memory athletes went from recalling an average of 26 to 30 words from a list of 72 to remembering more than 60.

During the six-week period, the participants developed brain patterns that were similar to those found in the patterns of memory competitors,” said Dr. Dresler.

Do memory training methods work for everyday memory skills?

Memory training methods have been around since the time of ancient Greeks, according to Michael Anderson, a neuroscience professor at the University of Cambridge. Before written languages, such techniques were used in helping pass oral histories from generation-to-generation.

“Dresler and Konrad have not only elegantly illustrated how readily this superior memorization ability can be trained, but also have taken the important step of identifying the changes in the brain that accompany it,” he said.

But he said the benefits of the training are likely to be restricted to cases in which people consciously apply the trained strategy. Thus, “it remains to be seen whether people experience global improvements in everyday memory”.

VIA | BBC News

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At work, burnout is the opposite of engagement. Employees who are engaged are high performers and are naturally involved. Burned-out employees are exhausted, cynical, and overwhelmed. Recognizing the signs of employee burnout and supporting their efforts to overcome it can benefit the worker and–and even the workplace.

Signs of employee burnout

According to Monique Valcour, an executive coach and writer for the Harvard Business Review, “When you’re burned out, your capacity to perform is compromised, and so is your belief in yourself.” Here are some signs of worker burnout.

• Inability to concentrate
• Easily upset or angered
• Recurring sickness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Feelings of alienation at work
• Cynicism towards people and their job
• Hopelessness

Potential consequences of worker burnout

Research has revealed correlations between worker burnout and these physical and mental conditions.

• Coronary disease
• Hypertension
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Increased alcohol and drug use
• Marital and family conflict
• Alienation
• Sense of futility

How Employers Can Help

Without meaning to, employers can misinterpret an employee suffering from burnout as an uncooperative low performer. When that’s the case, the employee is unlikely to get the support they desperately need. By recognizing that the problem may be burnout, the right type of support and treatment may help the employee overcome the burnout and return to their prior levels of productivity and engagement.

If your company health insurance benefits include an employee assistance program (EAP), suggest to the employee that they take advantage of the program for initial screening (typically via the phone). Mental health coverage is part of health insurance programs under the Affordable Care Act.

VIA | Harvard Business Review, HBR.ORG: Steps to Take When You’re Starting to Feel Burned Out

Also on SmallBusiness.com

How to Recognize an Employee is Hurting and How to Help

(Note: Changes in a person’s personality can be related to a wide array of causes, often not related to the person’s work. If a worker is demonstrating behavior far outside that which is normal, seek professional guidance.)

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Most days, I commute to and from work by bicycle. Round-trip, I ride about 15 miles a day. Lots of people see me riding my bike and will ask later if I’m training for something or trying to get into shape. “No!” I’m quick to say. “I ride my bike for transportation, relaxation and fun.” I say that because if I thought of my bicycle riding as exercise, it would have likely stopped where all my “exercise” plans do: about two weeks into the torture. But unwittingly, I found something I enjoy doing, bike riding, and have made it so much a part of what I do each day, it has become a habit that my body and mind miss if I must skip a day due to weather or a meeting conflict.

Too often, those who run a small business focus on setting goals – especially around the first of the year – when they should be focusing on changing habits. Self-help author and blogger Mark Manson says it’s better to invest your limited focus and energy on building habits instead of on reaching specific goals. I agree with Manson’s take on why goals fail why habits work.

Why goal setting fails

• They require too much self-discipline
• People tend to bite off more than they can chew
• People often take shortcuts to achieve a goal (starving to lose weight)
• Once met, people declare victory over their goal and return to prior behavior (binge eat)
• They burn up so much energy and discipline, they end up failing and making you feel even more defeated than you felt before you set them

Why focusing on changing habits is better

• Habits are simple daily or weekly repetitions
• Habits require you take a few steps each day, not climb Mt. Everest
• Habits are not about reaching an endpoint
• Habits don’t require that you learn to fly, they help you find the autopilot toggle switch

Bottomline

Invest your limited time, energy and discipline into building habits rather that setting goals.  Over time, habits serve as the foundation for achieving any goal you may have.

VIA | MarkManson.net

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In the Northern Hemisphere, today (December 21, 2016) is Winter Solstice, which is the shortest day of the year. For many small business owners and staff, this is also the time of year that brings on a form of winter depression called “Seasonal Affective Disorder” (SAD). The condition can range from “the blahs” to a serious mental health condition. Therefore, it’s important to take it seriously and seek medical help if the winter causes you to have a deep dip in energy and emotion.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the symptoms of “winter-onset SAD” include:

• Sad, anxious or “empty” feelings
• Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness or helplessness
• Irritability, restlessness
• Loss of interest or pleasure in activities you used to enjoy
• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details and making decisions
• Difficulty sleeping or oversleeping
• Changes in weight

Winter-related disorders are still a mystery to the scientists who study them. Many things, including brain chemicals, ions in the air and genetics, seem to be involved.

Despite the mystery of its cause, there is a general agreement about one form of treatment: Light! Or more precisely, let there be more light.

Some people with winter SAD use a light and ion therapy lamp as part of their efforts to reduce the effects of the disorder.

Opening the blinds to let the sunshine in the office might do more than raise your spirits. Research shows it may also boost your bottom line. According to a study (PDF) by the Lighting Research Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., employees seated near windows during winter months were more productive than those in interior offices.

The Whole Building Design Group (a program of the National Institute of Building Sciences) recommends that employees work more effectively in spaces where attention has been paid to the quality of light and color. You don’t have to build a new office to incorporate some of these ideas. A few tweaks can make your office more conducive to a positive work environment for you and your employees. Consider reconfiguring your current space, keeping these tips in mind:

1. Allow sunlight to penetrate as far into a room as possible.
2. Avoid placing furniture or cubicles in places that block light to interior spaces.
3. To control glare and filter daylight at different times of the day, use shades or blinds inside and trees or overhangs outside.
4. Avoid sunlight beaming directly into continuously occupied spaces, but having a few “sun spots” in shared or public venues are psychologically beneficial.

Suggestions for keeping away general winter blahs

For those with milder forms of seasonal mood swings, here are additional suggestions for coping:

1. Stay active. Exercise helps everything.
2. Get outside. The inactivity of “cabin fever” can add to the problems caused by lack of light.
3. Avoid alcohol and don’t overeat. You already have enough to cope with from the cold, darkness and inactivity. Don’t throw a match onto that gasoline.

Get more information about Seasonal Affective Disorder from the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Mayo Clinic. Never hesitate to seek professional help.

Photos: ThinkStock

No matter how many times it is repeated, there are many people who don’t realize that small businesses with fewer than 50 employees (or the “full-time equivalency” of 50 employees) are NOT required to purchase health insurance coverage for their employees. However, if you DO choose to provide insurance to employees, you can purchase it through a local insurance agent or there is a marketplace in which to purchase coverage. Such marketplaces can are run by either states or the federal government and are called the SHOP marketplace. (Individuals do not have access to SHOP marketplaces, only small group organizations.) Here are some frequently asked questions about SHOP marketplaces. Below the FAQ, you can find a glossary of terms found on the website Healthcare.Gov.

Do I have to provide my employees with health coverage if I have fewer than 50 employees? No!

You do not have 50 or more full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, you do not have to provide health insurance. However, you can choose to offer insurance through the SHOP Marketplace in your state or through any other source. But you don’t have to, and you don’t face a penalty if you don’t.

If you have 50 or more employees, you may have to offer health coverage meeting certain standards or make a payment. Learn about the Employer Shared Responsibility Payment.

What if I’m self-employed?

If you’re self-employed with no employees, here are your options:

You can enroll in coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace for Individuals & Families.

You cannot enroll in a SHOP plan.

Learn more about how self-employment is defined. If you have at least one full-time employee other than yourself, a spouse, a family member, or another owner, you can enroll in a SHOP plan.

How do I make payments for my SHOP plan?

You make your premium payments to the SHOP Marketplace, not your insurance company.

Learn more about paying your SHOP premiums (PDF).

Where can I get a list of agents and brokers in my area?

• After you create a SHOP Marketplace account, log in and you’ll see a list of agents and brokers searchable by ZIP code. All of them have signed privacy and security agreements with the SHOP Marketplace that allow them to sell SHOP plans.
• See how to create a SHOP Marketplace account and log in.
• You can work with any agent or broker who’s signed the SHOP agreement. Ask any agent or broker you want to work with if they’ve signed it.

Healthcare.Gov Glossary

Are you confused by any of the terms mentioned in the questions or answers above? Click on any of these terms and you can find out what they mean. (Note: These links leave SmallBusiness.com and will take you to the Healthcare.gov website.)